Date range overlapping check constraint

Question

I've a simple table in sql server 2005 with 3 columns: DateStart, DateEnd and Value. I tried to set a "table check constraint" to avoid inserting overlapping records. For instance if in such table there is a record with DateStart = 2012-01-01 (first January) and DateEnd 2012-01-15 (15th January) than Check constraint must avoid inserting a record with DateStart=2012-01-10 (no care DateEnd), a record with DateEnd=2012-01-10 (no care DateStart) or a record with DateStart 2011-12-10 and DateEnd 2012-02-01.

I defined a UDF in such way:

CREATE FUNCTION [dbo].[ufn_checkOverlappingDateRange]
(
    @DateStart AS DATETIME
    ,@DateEnd AS DATETIME
)
RETURNS BIT 
AS
BEGIN
  DECLARE @retval BIT
  /* date range at least one day */
  IF (DATEDIFF(day,@DateStart,@DateEnd) < 1)
    BEGIN
      SET @retval=0
    END
  ELSE
    BEGIN
      IF EXISTS
        (
          SELECT
              *
            FROM [dbo].[myTable]
            WHERE
            ((DateStart <= @DateStart) AND (DateEnd > @DateStart))
            OR
            ((@DateStart <= DateStart) AND (@DateEnd > DateStart))
        )
        BEGIN
          SET @retval=0
        END
    ELSE
      BEGIN
            SET @retval=1
          END
        END
  RETURN @retval
END

Then thought check could be this:

ALTER TABLE [dbo].[myTable]  WITH CHECK ADD  CONSTRAINT [CK_OverlappingDateRange] CHECK  ([dbo].[ufn_checkOverlappingDateRange]([DateStart],[DateEnd])<>(0))

But even with [myTable] empty EXISTS Operator returns true when i insert first record. Where i'm wrog ? Is it possible to set a constraint like this ?

BTW I consider DateStart includes in range and DateEnd excludes from range.

Answer 1

The CHECK is being executed after the row has been inserted, so the range overlaps with itself.

You'll need to amend your WHERE to include something like: @MyTableId <> MyTableId.

---

BTW, your WHERE expression can be simplified.

Ranges don't overlap if:

• end of the one range is before the start of the other
• or start of the one range is after the end of the other.

Which could be written in SQL like:

WHERE @DateEnd < DateStart OR DateEnd < @DateStart

Negate that to get the ranges that do overlap...

WHERE NOT (@DateEnd < DateStart OR DateEnd < @DateStart)

...which according to De Morgan's laws is the same as...

WHERE (NOT (@DateEnd < DateStart) AND NOT (DateEnd < @DateStart))

...which is the same as:

WHERE @DateEnd >= DateStart AND DateEnd >= @DateStart

So your final WHERE should be:

WHERE
    @MyTableId <> MyTableId
    AND @DateEnd >= DateStart
    AND DateEnd >= @DateStart

[SQL Fiddle]

NOTE: to allow ranges to "touch", use <= in the starting expression, which would produce '>' in the final expression.

Answer 2

I'd just like to add onto the Answer of Branko Dimitrijevic the case where the DateEnd is null since I currently have such a scenario.

This can occur when you're keeping punch in logs and the user is still logged in.

WHERE
    @MyTableId <> MyTableId
    AND @DateEnd >= DateStart
    AND DateEnd >= @DateStart
    OR @DateEnd >= DateStart
    AND DateEnd is null
    OR @DateStart >= DateStart
    AND DateEnd is null

I don't know how well this query is performance wise, I'm sure there are ways to optimize it.