The Art of SQL Server FILESTREAM - Red Gate Software

Chapter 2: Getting Started with FILESTREAMTherefore, the recommended method for creating tables with FILESTREAM columnsis to write the CREATE TABLE statements using T-SQL (as described in the followingsection). Alternatively, you can do this in a two-step process: create all columns exceptthe FILESTREAM columns using the table designer, and then use T-SQL ALTER TABLEstatements to create the FILESTREAM column (see Using T-SQL to add FILESTREAMcolumns to an existing table, later in this chapter).Using T-SQL to create a table with FILESTREAMcolumnsThe script in Listing 2-7 creates a table with a FILESTREAM column. The FILESTREAMcolumn is created by adding the FILESTREAM attribute to the VARBINARY(MAX) columncalled ItemImage. Only VARBINARY(MAX) columns can be used for FILESTREAMstorage.CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Items]([ItemID] UNIQUEIDENTIFIER ROWGUIDCOLNOT NULLUNIQUE ,[ItemNumber] VARCHAR(20) ,[ItemDescription] VARCHAR(50) ,[ItemImage] VARBINARY(MAX) FILESTREAMNULL)Listing 2-7:Creating a table with a FILESTREAM column.Notice that FILESTREAM is not a data type; it is an attribute that you can set on aVARBINARY(MAX) column. Setting this attribute adds FILESTREAM storage capabilitiesto the column.61