Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft SQL Server T-SQL in 10 Minutes - Softcover

Forta, Ben

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0672328674 ISBN 13: 9780672328671

Publisher: Sams Publishing, 2007

Synopsis

Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft SQL Server T-SQL in 10 Minutes offers straightforward, practical answers when you need fast results. By working through 10-minute lessons, you’ll learn everything you need to know to take advantage of Microsoft SQL Server’s T-SQL language.

 

This handy pocket guide starts with simple data retrieval and moves on to more complex topics, including the use of joins, subqueries, full text-based searches, functions and stored procedures, cursors, triggers, table constraints, XML, and much more.

 

You’ll learn what you need to know methodically, systematically, and simply–in highly focused lessons designed to make you immediately and effortlessly productive.

 

Tips point out shortcuts and solutions

 

Cautions help you avoid common pitfalls

 

Notes explain additional concepts, and provide additional information

 

10 minutes is all you need to learn how to...

• Use T-SQL in the Microsoft SQL Server environment
• Construct complex T-SQL statements using multiple clauses and operators
• Filter data so you get the information you need quickly
• Retrieve, sort, and format database contents
• Join two or more related tables
• Make SQL Server work for you with globalization and localization
• Create subqueries to pinpoint your data
• Automate your workload with triggers
• Create and alter database tables
• Work with views, stored procedures, and more

 Register your book at www.samspublishing.com/register to download examples and source code from this book.

About this title

About the Author

Ben Forta is Adobe Systems’s Senior Technical Evangelist and has over 20 years of experience in the computer industry in product development, support, training, and product marketing. Ben is the author of the bestselling Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes (now in its third edition, and translated into more than a dozen languages), MySQL Crash Course, ColdFusion Web Application Construction Kit and Advanced ColdFusion Development (both published by Que), Sams Teach Yourself Regular Expressions in 10 Minutes, as well as books on Flash, Java, WAP, Windows 2000, and other subjects. He has extensive experience in database design and development, has implemented databases for several highly successful commercial software programs, and is a frequent lecturer and columnist on Internet and database technologies. Born in London, England, and educated in London, New York, and Los Angeles, Ben now lives in Oak Park, Michigan with his wife Marcy and their seven children. Ben welcomes your email at ben@forta.com, and invites you to visit his website at http://www.forta.com/.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

Introduction

Microsoft® SQL Server has become one of the most popular database management systems in the world. From small development projects to some of the best-known and most prestigious sites on the Web, SQL Server has proven itself to be a solid, reliable, fast, and trusted solution to all sorts of data-storage needs.

This book is based on my best-selling book Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes, which has become one of the most-used SQL tutorials in the world, with an emphasis on teaching what you really need to know, methodically, systematically, and simply. But as popular and as successful as that book is, it does have some limitations:

• In covering all the major DBMSs, coverage of DBMS-specific features and functionality had to be kept to a minimum.

• To simplify the SQL taught, the lowest common denominator had to be found; SQL statements that would (as much as possible) work with all major DBMSs. This requirement necessitated that better DBMS-specific solutions not be covered.

• Although basic SQL tends to be rather portable between DBMSs, more advanced SQL most definitely is not. As such, that book could not cover advanced topics, such as triggers, cursors, stored procedures, access control, transactions, and more in any real detail.

And that is where this book comes in. Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft® SQL Server T-SQL in 10 Minutes builds on the proven tutorials and structure of Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes, without getting bogged down with anything but Transact-SQL (T-SQL, for short). It starts with simple data retrieval and works on to more complex topics, including the use of joins, subqueries, full text-based searches, functions and stored procedures, cursors, triggers, table constraints, XML, and much more. You'll learn what you need to know methodically, systematically, and simply in highly focused lessons designed to make you immediately and effortlessly productive.

Note: Written for SQL Server 2005 - This book was written with SQL Server 2005 in mind, and covers features and technologies new to that version of the software. However, with the exception of two lessons, the content and lessons can be used with earlier versions of SQL Server, including SQL Server 2000.

So turn to Lesson 1, "Understanding SQL," and get to work. You'll be taking advantage of all SQL Server has to offer in no time at all.

Who Is This Book For?

This book is for you if...

• You are new to SQL.

• You are just getting started with SQL Server and want to hit the ground running.

• You want to quickly learn how to get the most out of SQL Server and T-SQL.

• You want to learn how to use T-SQL in your own application development.

• You want to be productive quickly and easily using SQL Server without having to call someone for help.

Companion Website

This book has a companion website online at http://forta.com/books/0672328674/.

Visit the site to access the following:

• Table creation and population scripts used to create the sample tables used throughout this book

• The online support forum

• Online errata (should one be required)

• Other books that may be of interest to you

Conventions Used in This Book

This book uses different typefaces to differentiate between code and regular English, and also to help you identify important concepts.

Text that you type and text that should appear on your screen is presented in monospace type. It looks like this to mimic the way text looks on your screen.

Placeholders for variables and expressions appear in monospace italic font. You should replace the placeholder with the specific value it represents.

This arrow (¬) at the beginning of a line of code means that a single line of code is too long to fit on the printed page. Continue typing all the characters after the ¬ as though they were part of the preceding line.

Note - A note presents interesting pieces of information related to the surrounding discussion.

Tip - A tip offers advice or teaches an easier way to do something.

Caution - A caution advises you about potential problems and helps you steer clear of disaster.

Plain English: New Term icons provide clear definitions of new, essential terms.

Input

Input identifies code that you can type in yourself. It usually appears next to a listing.

Output

Output highlights the output produced by running T-SQL code. It usually appears after a listing.

Analysis

Analysis alerts you to the author's line-by-line analysis of input or output.

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Sams Publishing
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0672328674
• ISBN 13: 9780672328671
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 360