SQL Server (among other databases) has a handy feature for easy re-use of queries, in the guise of variables. You can declare variables and use them repeatedly in any query in the current session. That's pretty handy for any complicated query forms you use repeatedly, where each time you might need to change some basic criteria. As … Continue reading Workaround for the Tableau “custom SQL” restriction on SQL Server variables
Month: September 2016
Free up-to-date UK postcode latitude longitude data
Unless your data comes pre geo-encoded, if you're trying to do some UK-based geospatial analysis you'll probably need some easy way of translating addresses into latitude/longitude pairs or some similar co-ordinate system. Whilst full-address geocoders are available, if you don't actually need that level of precision then looking up a full postcode is often good enough and … Continue reading Free up-to-date UK postcode latitude longitude data
A few notes on Tableau 10’s cross-database join feature
The new version of Tableau, number 10, got released whilst I was busy sunning myself on holiday. This mean there was at least something to look forward to in returning to the world of work 🙂 It has many, many new features. I suspect one of the most impactful, in this era of data lying around everywhere … Continue reading A few notes on Tableau 10’s cross-database join feature
Help decide who self-driving cars should kill
Automated self-driving cars are surely on their way. Given the direction of technological development, this seems a safe enough prediction to make - at least when taking the coward's option of not specifying a time frame. A self-driving car is, after all, a data processor, and we like to think that we're getting better at dealing … Continue reading Help decide who self-driving cars should kill
Dabbling with Data 