sql-server-utilities-statements-backslash.md

title	(Backslash) (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs
ms.custom
ms.date	07/27/2017
ms.prod	sql-non-specified
ms.reviewer
ms.suite
ms.technology	database-engine
ms.tgt_pltfrm
ms.topic	language-reference
applies_to	SQL Server (starting with 2008)
f1_keywords	\_TSQL \
dev_langs	TSQL
helpviewer_keywords	backwhack backslash excape character hack character \ (backslash) backslant bash reverse slant slosh reversed virgule line continuation character reverse solidus
ms.assetid	c97fbb20-3d12-4d0b-9b52-62a229bc83c0
caps.latest.revision	22
author	BYHAM
ms.author	rickbyh
manager	jhubbard

SQL Server Utilities Statements - Backslash

[!INCLUDEtsql-appliesto-ss2008-asdb-xxxx-xxx_md]

[!INCLUDEssNoVersion] provides commands that are not [!INCLUDEtsql] statements, but are recognized by the sqlcmd and osql utilities and [!INCLUDEssManStudioFull] Code Editor. These commands can be used to facilitate the readability and execution of batches and scripts.

\ breaks a long string constant into two or more lines for readability.

Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions

Syntax

<first section of string> \  
<continued section of string>  

Arguments

<first section of string>
Is the start of a string.

<continued section of string>
Is the continuation of a string.

Remarks

This command returns the first and continued sections of the string as one string, without the backslash.

The backslash is not a [!INCLUDEtsql] statement. It is a command that is recognized by the sqlcmd and osql utilities and [!INCLUDEssManStudioFull] Code Editor.

Examples

The following example uses a backslash and a carriage return to split the string into two lines.

SELECT 'abc\  
def' AS ColumnResult;  
  

[!INCLUDEssResult]

ColumnResult  
------------  
abcdef

See Also

Data Types (Transact-SQL)
Built-in Functions (Transact-SQL)
Operators (Transact-SQL)
(Divide) (Transact-SQL)
(Divide EQUALS) (Transact-SQL)
Compound Operators (Transact-SQL)