Merge pull request #3123 from BYHAM/patch-433

Variables, fixing formatting.

Author: rjagiewich

docs/t-sql/language-elements/variables-transact-sql.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 title: "Variables (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
 ms.custom: ""
-ms.date: "03/14/2017"
+ms.date: "09/12/2017"
 ms.prod: "sql-non-specified"
 ms.reviewer: ""
 ms.suite: ""
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ ms.author: "rickbyh"
 manager: "jhubbard"
 ---
 # Variables (Transact-SQL)
-[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2012-xxxx-xxxx-xxx_md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2012-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]
+[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-tsql-appliesto-ss2008-all-md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2008-all-md.md)]
 
 A Transact-SQL local variable is an object that can hold a single data value of a specific type. Variables in batches and scripts are typically used: 
 
@@ -33,8 +33,9 @@ The following script creates a small test table and populates it with 26 rows. T
 
 * Control how many rows are inserted by controlling how many times the loop is executed.
 * Supply the value inserted into the integer column.
-* Function as part of the expression that generates letters to be inserted into the character column.
-```
+* Function as part of the expression that generates letters to be inserted into the character column.  
+
+```sql
 -- Create the table.
 CREATE TABLE TestTable (cola int, colb char(3));
 GO
@@ -81,19 +82,19 @@ The DECLARE statement initializes a Transact-SQL variable by:
 * Assigning a system-supplied or user-defined data type and a length. For numeric variables, a precision and scale are also assigned. For variables of type XML, an optional schema collection may be assigned.
 * Setting the value to NULL.
 
-For example, the following **DECLARE** statement creates a local variable named **@mycounter** with an int data type.
-```
+For example, the following **DECLARE** statement creates a local variable named **@mycounter** with an int data type.  
+```sql
 DECLARE @MyCounter int;
 ```
 To declare more than one local variable, use a comma after the first local variable defined, and then specify the next local variable name and data type.
 
-For example, the following **DECLARE** statement creates three local variables named **@LastName**, **@FirstName** and **@StateProvince**, and initializes each to NULL:
-```
+For example, the following **DECLARE** statement creates three local variables named **@LastName**, **@FirstName** and **@StateProvince**, and initializes each to NULL:  
+```sql
 DECLARE @LastName nvarchar(30), @FirstName nvarchar(20), @StateProvince nchar(2);
 ```
 
-The scope of a variable is the range of Transact-SQL statements that can reference the variable. The scope of a variable lasts from the point it is declared until the end of the batch or stored procedure in which it is declared. For example, the following script generates a syntax error because the variable is declared in one batch and referenced in another:
-```
+The scope of a variable is the range of Transact-SQL statements that can reference the variable. The scope of a variable lasts from the point it is declared until the end of the batch or stored procedure in which it is declared. For example, the following script generates a syntax error because the variable is declared in one batch and referenced in another:  
+```sql
 USE AdventureWorks2014;
 GO
 DECLARE @MyVariable int;
@@ -109,9 +110,9 @@ FROM HumanResources.Employee
 WHERE BusinessEntityID = @MyVariable;
 ```
 
-Variables have local scope and are only visible within the batch or procedure where they are defined. In the following example, the nested scope created for execution of sp_executesql does not have access to the variable declared in the higher scope and returns and error.
+Variables have local scope and are only visible within the batch or procedure where they are defined. In the following example, the nested scope created for execution of sp_executesql does not have access to the variable declared in the higher scope and returns and error.  
 
-```
+```sql
 DECLARE @MyVariable int;
 SET @MyVariable = 1;
 EXECUTE sp_executesql N'SELECT @MyVariable'; -- this produces an error
@@ -121,9 +122,9 @@ EXECUTE sp_executesql N'SELECT @MyVariable'; -- this produces an error
 
 When a variable is first declared, its value is set to NULL. To assign a value to a variable, use the SET statement. This is the preferred method of assigning a value to a variable. A variable can also have a value assigned by being referenced in the select list of a SELECT statement.
 
-To assign a variable a value by using the SET statement, include the variable name and the value to assign to the variable. This is the preferred method of assigning a value to a variable. The following batch, for example, declares two variables, assigns values to them, and then uses them in the `WHERE` clause of a `SELECT` statement:
+To assign a variable a value by using the SET statement, include the variable name and the value to assign to the variable. This is the preferred method of assigning a value to a variable. The following batch, for example, declares two variables, assigns values to them, and then uses them in the `WHERE` clause of a `SELECT` statement:  
 
-```
+```sql
 USE AdventureWorks2014;
 GO
 -- Declare two variables.
@@ -142,9 +143,9 @@ WHERE FirstName = @FirstNameVariable
 GO
 ```
 
-A variable can also have a value assigned by being referenced in a select list. If a variable is referenced in a select list, it should be assigned a scalar value or the SELECT statement should only return one row. For example:
+A variable can also have a value assigned by being referenced in a select list. If a variable is referenced in a select list, it should be assigned a scalar value or the SELECT statement should only return one row. For example:  
 
-```
+```sql
 USE AdventureWorks2014;
 GO
 DECLARE @EmpIDVariable int;
@@ -157,9 +158,9 @@ GO
 > [!WARNING]
 > If there are multiple assignment clauses in a single SELECT statement, SQL Server does not guarantee the order of evaluation of the expressions. Note that effects are only visible if there are references among the assignments.
 
-If a SELECT statement returns more than one row and the variable references a non-scalar expression, the variable is set to the value returned for the expression in the last row of the result set. For example, in the following batch **@EmpIDVariable** is set to the **BusinessEntityID** value of the last row returned, which is 1:
+If a SELECT statement returns more than one row and the variable references a non-scalar expression, the variable is set to the value returned for the expression in the last row of the result set. For example, in the following batch **@EmpIDVariable** is set to the **BusinessEntityID** value of the last row returned, which is 1:  
 
-```
+```sql
 USE AdventureWorks2014;
 GO
 DECLARE @EmpIDVariable int;
@@ -179,4 +180,4 @@ GO
 
  [SELECT @local_variable](../../t-sql/language-elements/select-local-variable-transact-sql.md)  
 
-  
+