Dynamic SELECT TOP @var In SQL Server

How can I have a dynamic variable setting the amount of rows to return in SQL Server? Below is not valid syntax in SQL Server 2005+:

DECLARE @count int
SET @count = 20

SELECT TOP @count * FROM SomeTable

Solution 1:

SELECT TOP (@count) * FROM SomeTable

This will only work with SQL 2005+

Solution 2:

The syntax "select top (@var) ..." only works in SQL SERVER 2005+. For SQL 2000, you can do:

set rowcount @top

select * from sometable

set rowcount 0 

Hope this helps

Oisin.

(edited to replace @@rowcount with rowcount - thanks augustlights)

Solution 3:

In x0n's example, it should be:

SET ROWCOUNT @top

SELECT * from sometable

SET ROWCOUNT 0

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188774.aspx

Solution 4:

Or you just put the variable in parenthesis

DECLARE @top INT = 10;

SELECT TOP (@Top) *
FROM <table_name>;

Solution 5:

declare @rows int = 10

select top (@rows) *
from Employees
order by 1 desc -- optional to get the last records using the first column of the table