What's New for Transact-SQL

This part highlights additions and improvements to Microsoft Transact-SQL that are provided in Microsoft SQL Server 6.5, and it supplements the information that is presented in the Microsoft SQL Server Transact-SQL Reference for SQL Server 6.0. The following table identifies Transact-SQL features as new or enhanced in SQL Server 6.5. Features are in alphabetical order.

Feature New Enhanced
@@OPTIONS global variable
ANSI-standard null handling
Bound connections
Catalog stored procedures
    sp_column_privileges
    sp_columns
    sp_datatype_info
    sp_fkeys
    sp_sproc_columns
    sp_table_privileges
Composite indexes
CUBE operator
Data definition language
in transactions
Disabling constraints
Distributed transactions
Extended stored procedures
    xp_cmdshell
    xp_readmail
    xp_sendmail
    xp_snmp_getstate
    xp_snmp_raisetrap
    xp_sqlinventory
    xp_sqltrace
float datatype
Functions
    APP_NAME built-in
    USER
    Insert row-level locking (IRL)
Joins
Replication stored procedures
    sp_addsubscriber
    sp_addsubscription
    sp_changearticle
    sp_changesubscriber
    sp_dsninfo
    sp_enumdsn
    sp_helpsubscriberinfo
    sp_replcmds
Replication of text and image
datatypes
ROLLUP operator
SQL Executive stored procedures
    sp_addtask
    sp_helphistory
    sp_helptask
    sp_runtask
    sp_updatetask
Statements
    ALTER TABLE
    BEGIN DISTRIBUTED
     TRANSACTION
    CREATE INDEX
    CREATE SCHEMA
    CREATE TABLE
    DECLARE CURSOR
    DBCC DBREINDEX
    DBCC PROCCACHE
    DBCC ROWLOCK
    DBCC UPDATEUSAGE
    DISK INIT
    DUMP
    EXECUTE
    FETCH
    GRANT
    INSERT
    ISDATE and ISNUMERIC
    LOAD
    RAISERROR
    REVOKE
    SELECT
    SET
    UPDATE
System stored procedures
    sp_addlogin
    sp_bindsession
    sp_certify_removable
    sp_change_users_login
    sp_coalesce_fragments
    sp_configure
    sp_dboption
    sp_dropwebtask
    sp_fallback_activate_svr_db
    sp_fallback_deactivate_svr_db
    sp_fallback_enroll_svr_db
    sp_fallback_help
    sp_fallback_permanent_svr
    sp_fallback_upd_dev_drive
    sp_fallback_withdraw_svr_db
    sp_getbindtoken
    sp_helplogins
    sp_helprotect
    sp_help_revdatabase
    sp_helpserver
    sp_makewebtask
    sp_rename
    sp_runwebtask
    sp_serveroption
    sp_setnetname
    sp_tableoption
    sp_who
Tables
    MSsubscriber_info
    sysbackupdetail
    sysbackuphistory
    syscolumns
    sysindexes
    sysprocesses
    sysprotects
    sysrestoredetail
    sysrestorehistory
text datatype
Trace flags
Utilities
    isql options
    ISQLPASSWORD
    PRINTDMP.EXE command-prompt
     utility
    SQLMAINT.EXE command-prompt
     utility
Web pages