如何查看 SQL Server 2000 中的排序规则设置？

Question

I'm working with an ancient SQL Server 8.00.194 , and I need to know the collation setting of the database and specific column.

I've naively tried to use documentation , but it seems that there were no such thing as sys.databases (same for sys.columns , sys.tables ):

SELECT * FROM sys.databases

Msg 208, Level 16, State 1, Line 5
Invalid object name 'sys.databases'.

Also I have tried to view properties from UI with Management Studio, but it breaks all the time:

Cannot show requested dialog.

Failed to retrieve data for this request. (SqlManagerUI)

UPD. I kinda know that this is possible, because somebody has changed the collation on one column on this server, and that's why I'm doing this.

Answer 1

Yes, the metadata views have changed (or rather, first appeared) in SQL Server 2005. Before that, you could query the following:

select * from master..sysdatabases;
select * from sysobjects;
select * from syscolumns;

An easier way would be looking at the INFORMATION_SCHEMA views - these are ANSI standard and existed even in 2000, in almost the same form as they are now. In particular, INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS shows column collation, that's for certain.