Hi Jason,
Why does implementing returning require a singleton operation? Isn't
it an option to return a result set?

The current client tools would need modification anyway to allow
either option to take place as I don't believe that an DML statement can
return anything. Allowing it to return a result set would mean that any
client tool would work without changing the interface.

> Only problem I see is in the case of multiple record operations like an
> update or delete. AFFECTED would always be an aggregate but would you then
> have to start "fetching" the update process along or get some kind of
> aggregate on the operation for other columns.

I think that the best approach for this type of problem is to return
the number of primary records read. ie ignore any records affected by
triggers etc.

Regards
Ian Newby