SQLines tools can help you transfer data, convert database schema (DDL), views, stored procedures, functions, triggers, queries and SQL scripts from SAP SQL Anywhere, Sybase SQL Anywhere, Sybase Adaptive Server Anywhere (Sybase ASA) to Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL, MS SQL), Azure SQL Database, Azure Synapse.

• SQLines SQL Converter - SQL Scripts Conversion and Assessment tool. Try Online
• SQLines Data - Data Transfer, Schema Migration and Validation tool

Databases:

• SAP Sybase SQL Anywhere 17, 16, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7 and 5.x
• Microsoft SQL Server 2022, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2008, 2005 and 2000, Azure SQL Database, Azure Synapse

See also Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise to SQL Server Migration.

• Identifiers
• SQL Language Elements
• Data Types
• Built-in SQL Functions
• SELECT
• CREATE TABLE
• CREATE FUNCTION
• CREATE PROCEDURE
• CREATE TRIGGER
• Procedural SQL Statements
• UPDATE

Converting identifiers:

	Sybase SQL Anywhere		SQL Server
1	Constraint names are unique per table		Constraint names are unique within a database more...
2	Default constraint name for a foreign key is the primary key table name		Constraint, table names must be unique within a database more...

Converting SQL and T/SQL language elements:

	Sybase SQL Anywhere		SQL Server
1	'a' + 'b'	String concatenation	'a' + 'b'
2	// (Double slash)	Single line comment	-- (Double hyphen)
3	--
4	/* */	Multi-line comment	/* */
5	IF condition THEN exp ELSE exp2 ENDIF	IF expression	CASE WHEN condition THEN exp ELSE exp2 END
6	SQLCODE	Error code of last operation	@@ERROR

Converting numeric data types:

	Sybase SQL Anywhere		SQL Server
1	BIGINT	64-bit integer	BIGINT
2	DECIMAL(p,s)	Fixed point number	DECIMAL(p,s)
3	DOUBLE [PRECISION]	Double-precision floating-point number	FLOAT
4	FLOAT(p)	Floating-point number	FLOAT(p)
5	INTEGER, INT	32-bit integer	INTEGER, INT
6	MONEY	Monetary data	MONEY
7	NUMERIC(p,s)	Fixed point number	NUMERIC(p,s)
8	REAL	Single-precision floating-point number	REAL
9	SMALLINT	16-bit integer	SMALLINT
10	SMALLMONEY	Monetary data, ⇐ million currency units	SMALLMONEY
11	TINYINT	8-bit unsigned integer, 0 to 255	TINYINT
12	UNSIGNED BIGINT	64-bit unsigned integer	NUMERIC(20)
13	UNSIGNED INT	32-bit unsigned integer	NUMERIC(10)
14	UNSIGNED SMALLINT	16-bit unsigned integer	NUMERIC(5)
15	UNSIGNED TINYINT	8-bit unsigned integer, 0 to 255	TINYINT

Converting other data types:

	Sybase SQL Anywhere		SQL Server
1	BINARY(n)	Variable-length binary string, 1 ⇐ n ⇐ 32767	VARBINARY(n)
2	BINARY VARYING(n)	Variable-length binary string, 1 ⇐ n ⇐ 32767	VARBINARY(n)
3	BIT	0 or 1 value; NULL is not allowed	BIT
4	BIT VARYING(n)	Variable-length bit array, 1 ⇐ n ⇐ 32767	BINARY(n/8)
5	CHAR(n), CHARACTER(n)	Variable-length string, not padded, 1 ⇐ n ⇐ 32767	VARCHAR(n)
6	DATE	Date (year, month and day)	DATE
7	DATETIME	Date and time with fraction	DATETIME2(6)
8	DATETIMEOFFSET	Date and time with fraction and time zone	DATETIMEOFFSET(6)
9	IMAGE	Binary data, ⇐ 2G	VARBINARY(max)
10	LONG BINARY	Binary data, ⇐ 2G	VARBINARY(max)
11	LONG BIT VARYING	Bit array data, ⇐ 2G	VARBINARY(max)
12	LONG NVARCHAR	UTF-8 character data, ⇐ 2G	NVARCHAR(max)
13	LONG VARBIT	Bit array data, ⇐ 2G	VARBINARY(max)
14	LONG VARCHAR	Character data, ⇐ 2G	VARCHAR(max)
15	NCHAR(n)	Fixed-length UTF-8 string, 1 ⇐ n ⇐ 32767	NCHAR(n)
16	NTEXT	UTF-8 character data, ⇐ 2G	NVARCHAR(max)
17	NVARCHAR(n)	Variable-length UTF-8 string, 1 ⇐ n ⇐ 32767	NVARCHAR(n)
18	SMALLDATETIME	Date and time with fraction	DATETIME2(6)
19	TEXT	Character data, ⇐ 2G	VARCHAR(max)
20	TIME	Time (hour, minute, second and fraction)	TIME(6)
21	TIMESTAMP	Date and time with fraction	DATETIME2(6)
22	TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE	Date and time with fraction and time zone	DATETIMEOFFSET(6)
23	UNIQUEIDENTIFIER	16-byte GUID (UUID) data	UNIQUEIDENTIFIER
24	UNIQUEIDENTIFIERSTR	GUID (UUID) data in string format	CHAR(36)
25	VARBINARY(n)	Variable-length binary string, 1 ⇐ n ⇐ 32767	VARBINARY(n)
26	VARBIT(n)	Variable-length bit array, 1 ⇐ n ⇐ 32767	BINARY(n/8)
27	VARCHAR(n)	Variable-length string, 1 ⇐ n ⇐ 32767	VARCHAR(n)	VARCHAR(max)
28	XML	XML data	XML

Converting string functions:

	Sybase SQL Anywhere		SQL Server
1	ASCII(str)	Get ASCII code of left-most char	ASCII(str)
2	BYTE_LENGTH(string)	Get length of string in bytes	DATALENGTH(string)
3	BYTE_SUBSTR(string, start, len)	Get a substring of string in bytes	SUBSTRING(string, start, len)
4	CHAR(num)	Get character from ASCII code	CHAR(num)
5	CHAR_LENGTH(string)	Get length of string in characters	LEN(string)
6	CHARINDEX(substring, string)	Get position of substring	CHARINDEX(substring, string)
7	COMPARE(string, string2)	Compare two character strings	CASE expression
8	CONVERT(datatype, exp[, style])	Convert to another datatype	CONVERT(datatype, exp[, style])
9	CSCONVERT(string, charset)	Convert string between character sets
10	DATALENGTH(exp)	Get length of exp in bytes	DATALENGTH(exp)
11	INSERTSTR(position, str, str2)	Insert str2 into str in specified position	SUBSTRING and concatenation
12	LCASE(string)	Lowercase string	LOWER(string)
13	LEFT(string, n)	Get n leftmost characters	LEFT(string, n)
14	LENGTH(string), LEN(string)	Get length of string in chars	LEN(string)
15	LIST(string, del)	Aggregate string concatenation	STRING_AGG(string, del)
16	LOCATE(str, substring, start)	Get position of substring	CHARINDEX(substring, str, start)
17	LOWER(string)	Lowercase string	LOWER(string)
18	LTRIM(string)	Remove leading spaces	LTRIM(string)
19	NCHAR(integer)	Convert Unicode code point to char	NCHAR(integer)
20	PATINDEX(pattern, string)	Get starting position of pattern	PATINDEX(pattern, string)
21	REGEXP_SUBSTR(str, pattern)	Get a substring of str using regexp
22	REPEAT(string, n)	Repeat string n times	REPLICATE(string, n)
23	REPLACE(str, search, replace)	Replace search-string	REPLACE(str, search, replace)
24	REPLICATE(string, n)	Repeat string n times	REPLICATE(string, n)
25	REVERSE(string)	Get reverse string	REVERSE(string)
26	RIGHT(string, n)	Get n rightmost characters	RIGHT(string, n)
27	RTRIM(string)	Remove trailing spaces	RTRIM(string)
28	SPACE(integer)	Get string of spaces	RPAD(' ', integer)
29	STR(numeric)	Get string equivalent of a number	STR(numeric)
30	STRING(str, str2, …)	Concatenates strings	CONCAT(str, str2, …)
31	STUFF(exp, start, len, rep)	Replace characters in string	STUFF(exp, start, len, rep)
32	SUBSTRING(string, pos, len)	Get a substring of string	SUBSTRING(string, pos, len)
33	SUBSTR(string, pos, len)
34	TO_CHAR(exp)	Convert to string	CONVERT(VARCHAR, exp)
35	TO_NCHAR(exp)	Convert to NCHAR	CONVERT(NCHAR, exp)
36	TRIM(string)	Remove leading and trailing spaces	RTRIM(LTRIM(string))
37	UCASE(string)	Uppercase string	UPPER(string)
38	UNICODE(string)	Get Unicode code of the 1st character	UNICODE(string)
39	UNISTR(string)	Convert Unicode code points to chars	Expressions using NCHAR
40	UPPER(string)	Uppercase string	UPPER(string)

Converting other functions:

	Sybase SQL Anywhere		SQL Server
1	ABS(num)	Get the absolute value	ABS(num)
2	ACOS(num)	Get the arc cosine	ACOS(num)
3	ARGN(position, exp, exp2, …)	Get selected argument from list	CASE expression
4	ASIN(num)	Get the arc sine	ASIN(num)
5	ATAN(num)	Get the arc tangent	ATAN(num)
6	ATAN2(x, y)	Get the arc tangent of x and y	ATN2(x, y)
7	BASE64_DECODE(base64_str)	MIME base64 decoding	User-defined function
8	BASE64_ENCODE(str)	MIME base64 encoding	User-defined function
9	BIT_LENGTH(bit_str)	Get length of bit_str in bits	LEN(bit_str) * 8
10	BIT_SUBSTR(bit_str, start, len)	Get a substring of bit_str	SUBSTRING(bit_str, start, len)
11	CEILING(num)	Get the smallest following integer	CEILING(num)
	CEIL(num)
12	COALESCE(exp1, exp2, …)	Return first non-NULL expression	COALESCE(exp1, exp2, …)
13	CONVERT(datatype, exp[, style])	Convert to another datatype	CONVERT(datatype, exp[, style])
14	COS(num)	Get the cosine	COS(num)
15	COT(num)	Get the cotangent	COT(num)
16	CURRENT DATE	Get the current date	CONVERT(DATE, GETDATE())
17	CURRENT TIME	Get the current time	CONVERT(TIME, GETDATE())
18	CURRENT TIMESTAMP	Get the current date and time	GETDATE()
	CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
19	CURRENT USER	Get the authenticated user name	SYSTEM_USER
	CURRENT_USER
20	DATE(datetime)	Extract date from datetime	CONVERT(DATE, datetime)
21	DATEADD(units, num, datetime)	Add an interval to datetime	DATEADD(units, num, datetime)
22	DATEDIFF(units, start, end)	Get datetime difference in units	DATEDIFF(units, start, end)
23	DATEFORMAT(datetime, format)	Convert datetime to string	CONVERT(VARCHAR(n), datetime, style)
24	DATENAME(datepart, date)	Get the name of datepart as a string	DATENAME(datepart, date)
25	DATEPART(datepart, date)	Get datepart as an integer	DATEPART(datepart, date)
26	DATETIME(exp)	Convert exp to TIMESTAMP	CONVERT(DATETIME, exp)
27	DAY(datetime)	Extract day from datetime	DAY(datetime)
28	DAYNAME(datetime)	Get the name of the weekday	DATENAME(DW, datetime)
29	DAYS(date)	Get the number of days since Feb 29, 0000
	DAYS(date, num)	Add num days to date	DATEADD(DAY, num, date)
30	DB_ID(database_name)	Get the database ID number	DB_ID(database_name)
31	DB_NAME(database_id)	Get the name of a database	DB_NAME(database_id)
32	DEGREES(num)	Convert radians to degrees	DEGREES(num)
33	DOW(date)	Get the day of the week as integer	DATEPART(DW, date)
34	ERRORMSG()	Get the last error message	STR(@@ERROR)
35	EXP(n)	Raise e to the nth power	EXP(n)
36	EXPRTYPE(exp, integer)	Get the data type of exp	User-defined function
37	FIRST(exp)	Aggregate to return the first row only	TOP 1 exp
38	FLOOR(num)	Get the largest preceding integer	FLOOR(num)
39	GET_BIT(bit_array, position)	Get specified bit in a bit_array	User-defined function
40	GETDATE()	Get the current date and time	GETDATE()
41	GREATER(exp, exp2)	Get the greater of two expressions	CASE expression
42	HASH(string[, algorithm])	Get the specified value in hashed form	HASHBYTES(algorithm, string)
43	HEXTOINT(hexadecimal)	Convert hexadecimal to integer	CONVERT(INT, hexadecimal)
44	HOUR(datetime)	Extract hour from datetime	DATEPART(HH, datetime)
45	HTML_DECODE(string)	Decode special HTML characters	User-defined function
46	HTML_ENCODE(string)	Encode special HTML characters	(SELECT string FOR XML PATH(''))
47	HTTP_DECODE(string)	URL decoding	User-defined function
48	HTTP_ENCODE(string)	URL encoding	User-defined function
49	IDENTITY(exp)	Get the sequential number of a row	ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY (SELECT 1))
50	IFNULL(exp, exp2[, exp3])	Return exp2 if exp is NULL, otherwise exp3	CASE expression
51	INTTOHEX(integer)	Convert integer to hexadecimal	CONVERT(VARBINARY(8), integer)
52	ISDATE(string)	Check for a valid datetime	ISDATE(string)
53	ISNULL(exp, exp2, …)	Return first non-NULL expression	ISNULL(exp, exp2)
			COALESCE(exp, exp2, …)
54	ISNUMERIC(string)	Check for a valid numeric	ISNUMERIC(string)
55	LESSER(exp, exp2)	Get the lesser of two expressions	CASE expression
56	LOG(numeric)	Get natural logarithm	LOG(numeric)
57	LOG10(numeric)	Get base 10 logarithm	LOG10(numeric)
58	MINUTE(datetime)	Extract minute from datetime	DATEPART(MI, datetime)
59	MOD(dividend, divisor)	Get remainder	(dividend % divisor)
60	MONTH(date)	Extract month from date	MONTH(date)
61	MONTHNAME(date)	Get the name of the month	DATENAME(MONTH, date)
62	NEWID()	Generate GUIDs	NEWID()
63	NOW([*])	Get the current date and time	GETDATE()
64	NULLIF(exp1, exp2)	Return NULL if exp1 = exp2	NULLIF(exp1, exp2)
65	NUMBER([*])	Get the sequential number of a row	ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY (SELECT 1))
66	PI([*])	Get number pi	PI()
67	POWER(value, n)	Raise value to the nth power	POWER(value, n)
68	QUARTER(date)	Get the quarter of the year	DATEPART(Q, date)
69	RADIANS(numeric)	Convert degrees to radians	RADIANS(numeric)
70	RAND([integer])	Get random float value in (0, 1)	RAND([integer])
71	REMAINDER(dividend, divisor)	Get remainder	(dividend % divisor)
72	ROUND(num, integer)	Get rounded value	ROUND(num, integer)
73	SECOND(datetime)	Extract second from datetime	DATEPART(SS, datetime)
74	SIGN(exp)	Get sign of exp	SIGN(exp)
75	SIN(num)	Get sine	SIN(num)
76	SOUNDEX(string)	Get 4-character sound code	SOUNDEX(string)
77	SQRT(num)	Get square root	SQRT(num)
78	SUSER_ID([user-name])	Get the server user’s ID	SUSER_ID([user-name])
79	SUSER_NAME([user-id])	Get the server user’s name	SUSER_NAME([user-id])
80	SWITCHOFFSET(tmz, offset)	Change time zone offset	SWITCHOFFSET(tmz, offset)
81	TAN(num)	Get tangent	TAN(num)
82	TEXTPTR(exp)	Get pointer that conform to LOB	TEXTPTR(exp)
83	TODATETIMEOFFSET(tms, tz)	Convert to DATETIMEOFFSET	TODATETIMEOFFSET(tms, tz)
84	TODAY([*])	Get the current date	CAST(GETDATE() AS DATE)
85	TRUNCNUM(numeric, integer)	Truncate numeric	User-defined function
86	TRUNCATE(numeric, integer)
87	TSEQUAL(value1, value2)	Compare two timestamp values	value1 = value2
88	USER_ID([user_name])	Get user ID	USER_ID([user_name])
89	USER_NAME([user_id])	Get user name	USER_NAME([user_id])
90	XMLCONCAT(exp, exp2, …)	Concatenate XML expressions
91	XMLELEMENT(NAME exp)	Get an XQuery element node
92	XMLFOREST(exp, exp2, …)	Get a forest of XML expressions
93	XMLGEN(construnctor, exp, …)	Get XML based on constructor
94	YEAR(date)	Extract year from date	YEAR(date)

Converting SQL SELECT statement:

	Sybase SQL Anywhere		SQL Server
1	SELECT TOP n ...	Select first n rows only	SELECT TOP n ...
2	SELECT FIRST col, …	Select the first row only	SELECT TOP 1 col, …
	SELECT FIRST(col) …
3	SELECT col,… INTO var, … FROM …	Select a single row into variables	SELECT @var = col, … FROM …
4	SELECT col,… INTO table FROM …	Create and insert into table	SELECT col,… INTO table FROM …

Converting CREATE TABLE statement from Sybase SQL Anywhere to SQL Server:

	Sybase SQL Anywhere		SQL Server
1	DEFAULT GLOBAL AUTOINCREMENT (partition_size)	Autoincrement column	IDENTITY
	DEFAULT AUTOINCREMENT
2	Multiple AUTOINCREMENT columns allowed per table		Only one identity column per table is allowed
2	DEFAULT TIMESTAMP	Auto-updated timestamp	GETDATE() and trigger
3	col data_type COMPUTE (exp)	Computed column	col AS (exp)
4	INLINE num	Data type attribute	Removed
5	PREFIX num	Data type attribute	Removed

Foreign key actions:

Converting user-defined SQL functions from Sybase SQL Anywhere to SQL Server:

For more information, see Conversion of Procedural SQL Statements.

Converting stored procedures from Sybase SQL Anywhere to SQL Server:

For more information, see Conversion of Procedural SQL Statements.

Converting triggers from Sybase SQL Anywhere to SQL Server:

	Sybase SQL Anywhere - Watcom-SQL		SQL Server
1	CREATE TRIGGER name		CREATE TRIGGER name
2	when event(s) ON table		ON table when event(s)
3	BEFORE	When to fire trigger	Not supported, converted to INSTEAD OF
	AFTER		AFTER | FOR
	INSTEAD OF		INSTEAD OF
4	INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE	Trigger events (list)	INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE
5	REFERENCING OLD AS old NEW AS new		inserted and deleted system tables
6	FOR EACH ROW	Row-level trigger	Cursor for inserted and deleted
7	No AS keyword before the trigger body		AS keyword is required

For more information, see Conversion of Procedural SQL Statements.

Converting Transact-SQL and Watcom-SQL statements:

Cursors:

	Sybase SQL Anywhere		SQL Server
1	DECLARE cur CURSOR FOR select	Cursor declaration	DECLARE cur CURSOR FOR select
2	DECLARE cur INSENSITIVE CURSOR …	No new rows appear	DECLARE cur INSENSITIVE CURSOR …
3	DECLARE cur DYNAMIC SCROLL CURSOR …	Can see new rows	DECLARE cur CURSOR DYNAMIC SCROLL …
4	OPEN cur [WITH HOLD]	Open cursor	OPEN cur
5	FETCH cur INTO v1, …	Fetch cursor	FETCH [FROM] cur INTO v1, …
6	FETCH NEXT …	Fetch next row	FETCH NEXT FROM …
7	CLOSE cur	Close cursor	CLOSE cur
8	DEALLOCATE [CURSOR] cur	Deallocate cursor	DEALLOCATE cur

Cursor status:

Executing stored procedures:

Converting UPDATE statement:

	Sybase SQL Anywhere		SQL Server
1	UPDATE tab [AS alias] SET alias.col ...	Alias for table	UPDATE tab SET col ...	Alias cannot be specified