What is a Materialized View?

A materialized view is a database object that stores the results of a query physically on disk, rather than computing them on the fly every time you need them. It’s basically a snapshot of your query results that you can refresh periodically. Unlike regular views (which are just saved queries that execute each time you use them), materialized views pre-compute and cache the data, making subsequent reads much faster.

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How to Identify Dependencies Before Dropping a Column in SQL Server

Dropping or modifying a column in SQL Server can look straightforward, but it often isn’t. That column might be referenced by other objects in the database, and removing it without checking can break things silently. Unlike dropping a whole table, where SQL Server is very strict about dependencies, column-level references are not always enforced or even tracked. That’s why it’s important to do some homework before making the change.

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Fix “Create View or Function failed because no column name was specified for column” in SQL Server (Error 4511)

If you’re getting an error that reads “Create View or Function failed because no column name was specified…” in SQL Server, perhaps you’re using a function or an arithmetic expression in the SELECT list, but you haven’t provided a name for the column.

As the error message alludes to, you need to provide a column name when doing stuff like that.

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Fix “Cannot create index on view because it contains the DISTINCT keyword” in SQL Server (Error 10100)

If you’re getting an error that reads “Cannot create index on view “demo.dbo.vDistinctPrice” because it contains the DISTINCT keyword…” etc etc in SQL Server, it appears that you’re trying to create an index on a view that contains the DISTINCT keyword.

As the error message alludes to, this is not allowed.

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Indexed Views in SQL Server: A Complete Guide

Indexed views can significantly enhance the performance of complex queries in SQL Server. However, they come with several prerequisites and considerations that need to be carefully understood before implementation.

In this article, I provide an overview of indexed views, discussing their utility, prerequisites, and best practices, along with performance considerations and a simple example.

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Fix “Cannot create index on view. It contains text, ntext, image, FILESTREAM or xml columns” in SQL Server (Error 1942)

If you’re getting an error that reads something like “Cannot create index on view ‘demo.dbo.v1’. It contains text, ntext, image, FILESTREAM or xml columns” in SQL Server, it appears that you’re trying to create an index on a view that uses an invalid data type.

Not all data types are supported when indexing views.

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