N
The Daily Insight

How do you select text in SQL?

Author

Matthew Wilson

Updated on February 26, 2026

There are several ways to select text as shown below, including the ability to select and edit columns.

  1. Using SHIFT to Select Text.
  2. Using SHIFT+ALT to Select Columns.
  3. Using SHIFT+ALT to Select Columns and Insert Text.
  4. Using CTRL+SHIFT+END to Select Text.
  5. Using CTRL+SHIFT+HOME to Select Text.
  6. Using CTRL+A to Select All Text.

What is the difference between text and varchar in SQL?

Some Differences Between VARCHAR and TEXT A VARCHAR can be part of an index whereas a TEXT field requires you to specify a prefix length, which can be part of an index. VARCHAR is stored inline with the table (at least for the MyISAM storage engine), making it potentially faster when the size is reasonable.

Is text a data type in SQL?

4 Answers. TEXT is used for large pieces of string data. If the length of the field exceeed a certain threshold, the text is stored out of row. These length limitations do not concern VARCHAR(MAX) in SQL Server 2005, which may be stored out of row, just like TEXT .

What is the difference between VARCHAR and text in SQL Server?

TEXT has a fixed max size of 2¹⁶-1 = 65535 characters. VARCHAR has a variable max size M up to M = 2¹⁶-1 . So you cannot choose the size of TEXT but you can for a VARCHAR . The other difference is, that you cannot put an index (except for a fulltext index) on a TEXT column.

Is text a datatype in SQL?

IMPORTANT! ntext, text, and image data types will be removed in a future version of SQL Server. Avoid using these data types in new development work, and plan to modify applications that currently use them. Use nvarchar(max), varchar(max), and varbinary(max) instead.

What is an example of SQL query?

An example of SQL query. In a relational database, which contains records or rows of information, the SQL SELECT statement query allows the user to choose data and return it from the database to an application. The resulting query is stored in a result-table, which is called the result-set.

What is SQL Server query?

A database server is a computer program that provides database services to other programs or computers, as defined by the client-server model. Therefore, a SQL Server is a database server that implements the Structured Query Language (SQL). There are many different versions of Microsoft SQL Server, catering for different workloads and demands.

What is a numeric data type in SQL Server?

For the decimal and numeric data types, SQL Server considers each specific combination of precision and scale as a different data type. For example, decimal(5,5) and decimal(5,0) are considered different data types.