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JohnK
Starting Member
2 Posts |
 Posted - 2006-02-06 : 12:10:55
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| Hello,My department is switching from a TM1 database to an SQL Server database. With TM1, only a few people had the software necessary to run queries installed on their PCs. Whenever I needed data, one of these people would run the query for me and then I would perform whatever analysis is required. Now however, we all have MS SQL Server (Query Analyzer, Profiler, Enterprise Manager, etc.) installed on our machines and will be able to run our own queries. I have no prior experience with SQL (my only programming knowledge is with Excel VBA) so I bought the "Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes" book and worked through most of it. I practiced writing queries in MS Access, and feel somewhat comfortable with the language. However, when I try to do anything with SQL Server, I feel kind of overwhelmed with all of the options. I assume that I should be writing and executing my queries from Query Analyzer, but I find the object browser and everything confusing. Also, I'm not sure if I'm even able to create my own database to practice with. It seems like I can only connect to my department's server. Is there any way to work "offline" with a database on my own hard drive?All of the SQL Server books that I've found seem to be either for DBAs or developers. Anything geared more toward beginners isn't SQL Server specific. Can anyone recommend an appropriate book for me?Thanks,John |
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Srinika
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
1378 Posts |
Posted - 2006-02-06 : 12:27:15
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| Until getting a book, ur best sorce of information is Books OnLine (Which is the Help feature of MS SQL Server) |
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TG
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
6065 Posts |
Posted - 2006-02-06 : 13:24:23
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| what I found helpfull when I got started was to work through these topics (in books online) using the Pubs and/or Northwind databases. (Actually do all the examples) When you get to key words you want to understand better, look them up in the Index tab. Just close or ignore the object browser for now.Contents tab:Accessing and changing relational data | Query FundamentalsAccessing and changing relational data | Advanced Query ConceptsBe One with the OptimizerTG |
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sqlnovice123
Constraint Violating Yak Guru
262 Posts |
Posted - 2006-02-06 : 14:13:46
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| Hello,I clicked under Help/Contents and Index and it appears that I do not have Books Online in SQL Query Analyzer. Does it mean that I do not have all the tools? I also noticed that I do not have Enterprise Manager. Is there a way I can download the Books Online for SQL server 2000?Thanks in advance!sqlnovice123 |
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Srinika
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
1378 Posts |
Posted - 2006-02-06 : 16:50:01
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| sqlnovice123, u should have the BOL in ur SQL server Installation CD. |
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afrika
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
2706 Posts |
Posted - 2006-02-06 : 19:21:04
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| Press the F1 key in any MS SQL application, to get books online.ADVICE: My most valuable resources and learning expirience(s) were gotten from reading peoples posts in this forum and questions asked. |
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Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2006-02-06 : 19:41:12
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Hi JohnK, Welcome to SQL Team!"... my own database to practice with ..."Not exactly answering the question!, but in Query Analyser you can highlight part of a script and then only the highlighted part will be executed.If you are only running SELECT statements you can't muck up the database. However, if you need to run INSERT/UPDATE or DELETE you could do:BEGIN TRANSACTION... Data changing statements here ...SELECT ... FROM MyTable WHERE ...-- COMMITROLLBACKThe BEGIN TRANSACTION / ROLLBACK will PREVENT any changes being saved*, if you put a SELECT that re-selects the changed data you'll be able to see that its OK, and then highlight from BEGIN TRANSACTION down to "-- COMMIT", re-run it, check the number of changed rows is OK [and the select of changed data], then highlight COMMIT and run that to actually make the changes "permanent".Make sure that after each BEGIN TRANSACTION you always do a COMMIT or ROLLBACK - otherwise your BEGIN TRANSACTION's will be nested!!*NOTE: If you run multiple statement blocks (i.e. separated by "GO") after doing a BEGIN TRANSACTION and one of them has an error, that will have the effect of doing a rollback, and all subsequent statements will then be running OUTSIDE a transaction block  "I do not have Books Online"You can download Books on Line separately from Microsoft, and install. (You will get the latest Service Packed version of BoL which may be no-bad-thing!)Kristen |
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sqlnovice123
Constraint Violating Yak Guru
262 Posts |
Posted - 2006-02-07 : 10:27:14
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| Hello,I jus downloaded the SQL Server 2000 BOL. Thanks for the info. I am also trying to download the Enterprise Manager tool since I have just the Query Analyzer. I downloaded the service pack sql2Ksp3.exe. I still cannot see the Enterprise Manager. My download completed but I am not sure why I cannot see it.Database Components Downloadable file name: SQL2KSP3.exe SP3a. Updates for the database components of SQL Server 2000 include: Data engine. Database client utilities, such as SQL Server Enterprise Manager and osql for SQL Server 2000. Thanks in advance!sqlnovice123 |
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RickD
Slow But Sure Yak Herding Master
3608 Posts |
Posted - 2006-02-07 : 11:00:37
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| You need the original disk before downloading the Service Packs, this is the only way you can load EM.. |
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JohnK
Starting Member
2 Posts |
Posted - 2006-02-07 : 11:18:14
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| Thank you so much for the help everyone. The sections from BOL:Accessing and changing relational data | Query FundamentalsAccessing and changing relational data | Advanced Query Conceptsare just as helpful as I would have hoped in a book that I paid for.Kristen, it's great to know that I can run only part of a script and ROLLBACK any changes. I'm still very nervous about "practicing" on the actual database though. Unfortunately, I'm not able to connect to the Northwind sample DB, and nobody is willing to install it and give me a connection.Thanks,John |
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RickD
Slow But Sure Yak Herding Master
3608 Posts |
Posted - 2006-02-07 : 11:29:40
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| If you can get hold of the SQL Server Developers or Standard Edition disks, then you can install the database engine to your local machine and mess about with them there.. |
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Srinika
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
1378 Posts |
Posted - 2006-02-07 : 11:33:38
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| John,Is Northwind installed?Don't u have a user / pswd which can connect to Northwind?Don't u have query analyzer?U should be able to work with Northwind if all above are met. |
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sqlnovice123
Constraint Violating Yak Guru
262 Posts |
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RickD
Slow But Sure Yak Herding Master
3608 Posts |
Posted - 2006-02-07 : 12:10:08
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| You won't see them as you don't have a local database engine. You may be able to download the msde and use that as a database engine, not sure on the link for that but it's a microsoft download..If you can, ask the team that install applications if you can have the SQL Server Developers edition disk.. |
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Need to Learn SQL Server, Feeling Overwhelmed