Sql server: Check string comparison is case sensitive or not?

Question

how to check if table exist and if it doesnt exist create table in sql server 2008

Answer 1

In simple word we can say sql server string comparison is case sensitive

If we will compare the strings in sql sever in where clause either using equal to (=) operator or like operator case sensitiveness will depend upon default collation of your database. That is if your collation is case sensitive then comparison will case sensitive and if collation is case insensitive then comparator will not case sensitive.

In sql sever default case default collation is SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS. It case insensitive (CI) and ascent sensitive (AS)

DECLARE @Str AS VARCHAR(20) = 'ExactHelp'

IF @Str = 'exacthelp'
    SELECT 'Case insensative'
ELSE
    SELECT 'Case sensative'

Output: Case insensitive

Sql query to know default collation name of your database name:

SELECT DATABASEPROPERTYEX('Database_Name', 'Collation')

Example of case sensitive comparison in sql sever:

DECLARE @Str AS VARCHAR(20) = 'ExactHelp'

IF @Str = 'exacthelp' COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS
    SELECT 'Case insensitive'
ELSE
    SELECT 'Case sensitive'

Output: Case sensitive

Note:

SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS is case sensitive (CS) as well as ascent sensitive (AS) collation.