EXISTS basically returns True or False if it finds a record, it doesn't return a unique record so

EXISTS (Select TableB.Id From TableB)

will always return true if there is at...

don't know if it's any use in your case but xp_cmdShell allows you to execute shell commands, as you would in command prompt.

Pete

Thanks Matt - I was leaning that way, but having only started reading on it yesterday thought some experienced advice would be useful, especially as most of the articles seem...

That's a query and a half! You'll have to forgive me if I don't work out what you're actually trying to achieve!

The easiest way to combine them would be to...

Perhaps the best answer is obfuscation - change the names of all the tables and columns, so that even if they can see the structure, it's a lot more work...