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JacobPressures
Posting Yak Master
112 Posts |
 Posted - 2005-08-10 : 10:03:04
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| How do you use BOL? I've heard time again that there is much info in BOL but when i look at it it seems too brief and not detailed. I find it hard to find what i'm looking for anyway. How do you use it?Thanks! |
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madhivanan
Premature Yak Congratulator
22864 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-10 : 10:09:07
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| Open BOLClick Index taband type the keyword you are looking for and choose the content from the below listboxMadhivananFailing to plan is Planning to fail |
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JacobPressures
Posting Yak Master
112 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-10 : 10:24:26
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| Yes, but is BOL really a teaching or learning tool or is it just a brief reference. I see a lot of books online where readers comment that the same info is found in the BOL. However, i don't tend to find info that detailed in the BOL. I've also heard that buying a book in not necessary all the info you need is in BOL. |
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madhivanan
Premature Yak Congratulator
22864 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-10 : 10:33:51
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| Yes Almost all are covered in BOL>>i don't tend to find info that detailed in the BOLNo. You can see more information with clear examplesMadhivananFailing to plan is Planning to fail |
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Sitka
Aged Yak Warrior
571 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-10 : 11:51:27
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| It takes a while to get the most you can out of BOL, it's literalness and completeness are the strengths.The complete syntax set (all options) for commands takes a while to get used to.Don't forget in your searches to click on location column once results are returned then scroll down to the area you are working on.search CREATE for exampleDepending on the Active Subset dropdown you will get different results. But hit location and scroll to Transact-SQl and voilaCREATE TABLE in all it's glory RANK 38 or 87 respective of Transact or Entire collection dropdownI wish someone would start an Official XML Rant Thread. |
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eyechart
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
3575 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-10 : 13:54:55
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| BOL is certainly one of the strengths of SQL Server. the team that put together the docs should be congratulated, it is possibly the best technical documentation available.The only SQL Server references you really need are BOL, Kalen's book and the Guru books. That is it! -ec |
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TG
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
6065 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-10 : 14:19:06
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| >>The only SQL Server references you really need are BOL, Kalen's book and the Guru books. That is it! and of course sqlteam.com :)As with anything the more you use it the easier it is to use. When I first started learning t-sql, I found these sections most helpfull:Accessing and Changing Relational Data | Query FundamentalsAccessing and Changing Relational Data | Advanced Query ConceptsAs time went on I used the T-Sql Reference section more and more. Now (after many years) I find it very easy to use because I pretty much know where to find whatever I'm interested in.Be One with the OptimizerTG |
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X002548
Not Just a Number
15586 Posts |
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ajthepoolman
Constraint Violating Yak Guru
384 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-10 : 17:18:22
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| BOL is the second best thing to forums like these.AjHey, it compiles. |
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Michael Valentine Jones
Yak DBA Kernel (pronounced Colonel)
7020 Posts |
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JacobPressures
Posting Yak Master
112 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-11 : 10:06:34
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| Thanks guys, I really appreciate your info. But is BOL really for beginners. Someone who is just learning to appreciated a complex DBMS? To me BOL doesn't have all the info in one place to be comprehensive. If it weren't for a book, i wouldn't know what to read and what not to read. I would never read about stored procedures if i didn't know it was necessary. I might read user defined functions because of its similarity with other programming languages. It doesn't seem taht you can start on page one and then end at page 1,000 and gain a lot of knowledge. Seems like you have to know what you are looking for. Thanks. All comments welcome. People say it is a good tool and if it is, i want to get the most out of it. Right now i just used it to get additional info on a subject. Thanks! |
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Sitka
Aged Yak Warrior
571 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-11 : 10:57:53
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| This is a leap that has to be taken. It takes a while, Like mentioned above, some never close it, and some know exactly where everything is located, some could almost recite it...Consider DOS, you want to copy a file, type COPY /? read the cryptic/bracketed text and figure out how to use it.Because SQL is a declarative language, You make a request to the DBMS and it takes care of thein and outs of getting it done. BOL follows very closely to this. CREATE = create what? CREATE DATABASENow remember it is BOOKS online (plural). So in the location Creating and Maintaining Databases it gives the considerations of Creating a Database and in the Transact-SQL Reference Location it gives the SYNTAX and Examples. There are gentle introductions to SQL itself http://www.sqlzoo.net/ and step by step How-to books on programming applications that talk to MSSQL but they often bail out when Understanding of DBMS is required, why ACID, why not always autogenerated, For that you need to hang out here and read about the WHY's. The syntax is the mechanics of driving.The needs are the destination.And the WHY's are the journey.Enjoy the WHY's and you will never be stuck someplace you don't want to be.I wish someone would start an Official XML Rant Thread. |
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ajthepoolman
Constraint Violating Yak Guru
384 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-11 : 14:23:32
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| More often than not I search for a keyword or two and when the results come back, I click on the Location column header so that it sorts the results by location. Then, I scroll down to the "Transact SQL Reference" Location and figure it out from there. AjHey, it compiles. |
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JacobPressures
Posting Yak Master
112 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-12 : 09:29:38
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| Thanks guys! |
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