Question

None of my SQL Server stored procedure editing IDEs seem to have any tools to enforce indentation styles, so I find that a lot of the stored procedures I see are all over the place. I find indenting really improves readability though. I would like to codify some stored procedure indenting standards in our company’s coding style guide, and I’m wondering if anyone has any best practices they would like to share.

For instance, in a normal SELECT statement, I try to keep the SELECT, FROM, WHERE, ORDER BY, and GROUP BY clauses all on the same level, and indent anything below that. I also try to indent each JOIN one level from the table it’s logically joining into.

Does anyone else have similar advice or best practices?

Answer 1

SELECT      T1.Field1,
            T1.Field2,
            T2.Field1 As Field 3
FROM        Table1 AS T1
LEFT JOIN   Table2 AS T2
ON          T1.Field1 = T2.Field7
WHERE       T1.Field9 = 5
AND         T2.Field1 < 900
ORDER BY    T2.Field1 DESC

INSERT INTO Table1 (
            Field1,
            Filed2,
            Field3 )
VALUES (    'Field1',
            'Field2',
            'Field3' )

UPDATE      Table1
SET         Field1      = SomeValue,
            Field2      = AnotherValue,
            FIeld134567 = A ThirdValue
WHERE       Field9      = A Final Value

I find that I dont necessarily has a set indentation length and instead I try to indent based on the length of the field names and values. I like my left margins to line up along any given vertical plane and I like my Evaluators (such as equal signs) to line up. I always have any command term on a different vertical plane than its accompanying values and fields. I also tend to try to make the space between my SELECT command and the Field list equal in length to the space used by a SELECT DISTINCT Field or INSERT INTO Table.

But in the end, all that is just my preferences. I like neat looking code.