SQL Server 2008 IIF statement does not seem enabled

Question

I am trying to use `IIF()` in a select statement. The boolean expression checks to see if a fields value is equal to an empty string. The syntax is like so: ``` SELECT IIF(field = '','ONe action','Another') ``` I am getting the error "syntax error near =" I tried a simple test: ``` SELECT IIF(2 > 1, 'yes','no') ``` and I am getting `"syntax errror near >"` This is leading me to believe that `IIF` is not working at all. I am using SQL SERVER 2008 R2, is there something that needs to be configured to allow IIF() to work? Is there something about the syntax that I am missing? My test is simple as can be and I still get the syntax error. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks much!

Accepted Answer

As noted, `IIF` is a SQL2012 feature.

Replace your `IIF` with a `CASE` ( Which is what SQL 2012 would do anyway )

```
 SELECT CASE field WHEN '' THEN 'ONe action' ELSE 'Another' END
```

SQL Server 2008 IIF statement does not seem enabled

Solution

Problem