I recently encountered a need to insert newline breaks into SQL Server VARCHAR/NVARCHAR fields while working on a project. After thoroughly testing my approach, I now share a concise solution for anyone looking for how to integrate an effective line break into these string types.
During my work on generating formatted text reports in SQL Server, I encountered similar requirements and verified that using concatenated functions is effective. In my experience, defining a calculated field that combines text with a newline—using the combination of carriage return and line feed—is reliable. It is important to test how the resultant formatting is rendered by various front-end applications, as some may not automatically interpret these characters. I also found it beneficial to encapsulate the logic into a reusable function for consistency across the database.
my go-to trick is using char(10) for newlines, works well for my repots. in some csaes, using char(13)+char(10) added exra spaces so i swapped. give it a try in ur setup!
In my experience, combining newline characters directly into SQL Server strings works effectively when constructing formatted outputs for reporting. I typically use CHAR(13) followed by CHAR(10) to ensure compatibility with device-specific rendering rules. This approach consistently produces a true line break, provided the consuming application properly displays these control characters. I recommend testing the display in your environment initially, as variations in front-end processing can occasionally cause discrepancies in spacing or formatting.
hey, i’ve been using char(10) too, but noticed some slight oddities in different enviroments. has anyone ever tried tweaking the concatenation for better consistency? curious if mixing it with other format funcitons could solve that pesky issue.
hey, im curious if anyone has tried combining char(13)+char(10) for newlines? i’ve used it and it seems ok, but wonder if there are quirks with some applications. any thoughts on your experiences?