Fix the “Operand type clash” Error when using GENERATE_SERIES() in SQL Server

If you’re getting the “Operand type clash” error when using the GENERATE_SERIES() function in SQL Server, it’s probably because your arguments aren’t of the same type.

The arguments/operands we provide to the GENERATE_SERIES() function/relational operator need to be of the same type. For example, if we pass an integer as the first argument, then the other arguments must also be an integer.

This error may also come with another error which tells us that the input parameters must be of the same type.

To fix, make sure all arguments are of the same type.

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Generate Dates Between a Date Range in SQL Server

SQL Server 2022 introduced the GENERATE_SERIES() function, which enables us to create a series of values within a given range. Although this function is limited to just numeric values, we can still combine it with various other functions to create a series of date/time values.

Below are examples of how we can use the GENERATE_SERIES() function to help us get a list of all dates between two given date values.

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Improvements to the TRIM(), LTRIM() and RTRIM() Functions in SQL Server 2022

The release of SQL Server 2022 in November 2022 introduced a bunch of new functionality, including some enhancements to the TRIM(), LTRIM() and RTRIM() functions.

The enhancements in the LTRIM() and RTRIM() functions are different to those in the TRIM() function. Below is a quick overview of the enhancements to these functions, along with examples.

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SQL Server ROLLUP() vs WITH ROLLUP

When using the GROUP BY clause in SQL Server, we can use the ROLLUP modifier to create subtotals and grand totals, etc.

You may have seen two variations of this. One as GROUP BY ROLLUP () and the other as GROUP BY ... WITH ROLLUP.

You may be wondering which one you should use?

As it turns out, Microsoft recommends that we use the first syntax; GROUP BY ROLLUP (). The other syntax is provided for backward compatibility only.

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Introduction to the GENERATE_SERIES() Function in SQL Server

In SQL Server, the GENERATE_SERIES() function is a relational operator that returns a series of values between a given start and stop point. These are returned in a single-column table.

Although the GENERATE_SERIES() function only works with numeric values, we can combine it with other functions to create a series of dates.

The GENERATE_SERIES() function was introduced in SQL Server 2022 (16.x) and requires the compatibility level to be at least 160.

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Understanding the DATE_BUCKET() Function in SQL Server

The release of SQL Server 2022 came with the introduction of the DATE_BUCKET() function.

The DATE_BUCKET() function allows us to arrange data into groups that represent fixed intervals of time. It returns the date/time value that corresponds to the start of each date/time bucket, as defined by the arguments passed to the function.

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Fix SQL Server Error 189: “The greatest function requires 1 to 254 arguments”

If you’re getting SQL Server error number 189 that reads “The greatest function requires 1 to 254 arguments“, it’s probably because you’re either passing too few or too many arguments.

As the error message alludes to, you need to pass at least 1 argument, and no more than 254 arguments when using the GREATEST() function.

To fix this issue, be sure to pass at least 1 argument, and no more than 254 arguments.

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