Views in SQL Server are a powerful tool that allow you to simplify complex queries and provide a logical abstraction layer over your data. However, it’s important to be aware of the limitations that come with using views in your database design. In this article, we will explore one specific limitation related to creating indexed views.

One of the requirements for creating an indexed view in SQL Server is that it must be created with the ‘WITH SCHEMABINDING’ clause. This clause ensures that the underlying schema of the view remains unchanged, preventing any modifications that could potentially break the indexed view.

Let’s consider a scenario where we have two databases, TEST1 and TEST2, and we want to create a view that joins tables from both databases. Here’s the code to create the databases and tables:

USE MASTER
GO
CREATE DATABASE TEST1
CREATE DATABASE TEST2
GO

-- Table1
USE Test1
GO
CREATE TABLE TABLE1 (
    ID INT
)
GO

USE Test2
GO
-- Table2
CREATE TABLE TABLE2 (
    ID INT
)
GO

USE Test1
GO
-- Create View
CREATE VIEW CrossDBView WITH SCHEMABINDING AS
SELECT t1.ID AS t1id, t2.ID AS t2id
FROM Test1.dbo.Table1 t1
INNER JOIN Test2.dbo.Table2 t2 ON t1.ID = t2.ID
GO

However, when we try to create the view, we encounter an error:

Error: Msg 4512, Level 16, State 3, Procedure CrossDBView, Line 4
Cannot schema bind view 'CrossDBView' because name 'Test1.dbo.Table1' is invalid for schema binding. Names must be in two-part format and an object cannot reference itself.

This error occurs because the view is referencing an object within the same database, which is not allowed when using the ‘WITH SCHEMABINDING’ clause. To resolve this issue, we need to ensure that the view only references objects from other databases.

It’s important to note that this is just one limitation of SQL Server views. There are several other constraints and considerations to keep in mind when working with views. If you have encountered any interesting limitations or have any additional insights, please share them in the comments below.

Stay tuned for more articles on SQL Server concepts and best practices!