Is there a syntax that will allow me to exclude certain columns versus explicitly stating every column that I want?

Thank you for your responses.

But let's look at what you are offering in the way of syntax for a once-off query versus what I am suggesting to Microsoft as a quick and easy way to exclude certain columns. I obviously don't have the T-SQL expertise that you appear to have as I have no idea what "parts" of your query are doing.

I think my syntax suggestion would be appreciated very much by developers.

SELECT * EXCEPT colum1, column 7 FROM tableName

Look at my syntax and then look at yours. I would simply go back to typing out all the column names if I had to write that complex query you have suggested. But then we are back to our original problem. No easy way to exclude a few columns in a table where most, but not all, columns are wanted.

I'll leave it to Microsoft to decide whether the suggestion is doable or whether it would create too many problems and screw up everything already in place or is more trouble than its worth. But I think it's a suggestion they should at least consider if they haven't already.

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System configuration: Windows 7 RTM, Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3L motherboard, Intel Pentium Dual-Core E6300 Wolfdale @ 2.8GHz, 4GB PC-1066 DDR2 Patriot Viper Memory, 500 GB Western Digital Hard Disk, "GeForce 8800GT" videocard