How Can I Mimic MySQL's LIMIT Clause in SQL Server 2000 Using Only SQL?

Replicating MySQL's LIMIT Functionality in SQL Server 2000

This article details methods for mimicking the behavior of MySQL's LIMIT clause within Microsoft SQL Server 2000, a feature notably absent from standard SQL.

Challenges and Constraints

The key challenge is to achieve this using only SQL commands, without resorting to cursors, T-SQL, or stored procedures. The solution must also handle both LIMIT's count and offset parameters.

Approaches

Several strategies can be employed, each with limitations:

1. Nested SELECT with TOP: This technique has shortcomings, particularly when the total number of rows isn't a multiple of the page size (the LIMIT count).

2. Leveraging a Unique Key: This method is only feasible if the dataset contains a unique identifier column.

3. EXCEPT Statement (Not Suitable for SQL Server 2000): This approach relies on the EXCEPT statement, introduced in SQL Server 2005 and later, making it incompatible with SQL Server 2000.

Summary

A universal, direct equivalent to MySQL's LIMIT in SQL Server 2000 is unavailable. The ROW_NUMBER() function, available from SQL Server 2005 onward, provides a superior solution. For SQL Server 2000, a practical approach necessitates a solution customized to the specific structure and constraints of the target dataset.

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