>I now prefer using this syntax:
>

>;with cteToUpdate (select goes here)
>
>select * from cteToUpdate -- if this works OK, then comment it
>
>update cteToUpdate set ...
>
>

>
>This is SQL Server proprietary code.

I am not familiar with the "with" syntax. Could you elaborate more on it? Basically, I am looking at one SQL. I do not want to execute something in SSMS, for example, from various commands in a row. So, I am interested to know if there is a more conventional syntax we should use in those circumstances.