SQL any bods on here?

[Ghfd]

I know a basket weaver

 

[MackemSmokey]

SQL is one of the most useful and easiest languages to pick up for any job which involves handing data. Essentially it only has 4 basic commands (Insert, Select, Update and Delete which relate to the CRUD operations) the rest are just parameters, where clauses and logic. Just be aware that there are different flavours of SQL which vary slightly between vendors but it is fairly easy to adapt.

Aye sounds easy like

Whats your favourite flavour of SQL?

 

[Darlo1973]

Aye sounds easy like

Whats your favourite flavour of SQL?

I spent most of my support life with Oracle so it's the one I know best. Other flavours such as MySQL and TSQL (used by Microsoft SQL Server) would confuse me when I had to use them. I don't do hands-on technical work now - leave that to the youngsters - so I'd struggle to tell the difference now as the variations are quite subtle.

Database technology has come a long way in the last 20 years - it's all gone Big Data and Cloudy with systems like Snowflake and Hadoop. I just sit in meetings now and my eyes glaze over when they get mentioned.

 

[Heffer]

W3 schools is a good starting point. I did a course on Udemy called The Complete SQL bootcamp by an instructor called Jose Portilla. It was based on PostgreSQL which is a flavour of SQL. I actually don't mind Access contrary to what others have said on here, but that could be because a lot of our customers use it so I have to.

I would say SQL Server is your best bet though. Install SQL Server Express for free and have a play. I picked it up from being a total noob in about a month.

One thing I would echo is that there are syntax differences between the different flavours but on the whole the basics are the same across the board

 

[Frijj]

People who alias their tables are weirdos who probably don’t refrigerate their jam

Full path every time

 

[Heffer]

People who alias their tables are weirdos who probably don’t refrigerate their jam

Full path every time

I find alias useful in Access when copying values from one table to another. You can use something like

Update table1 as a, table2 as b,
Set a.field = b.field
Where a.id = b.id

Easier than using joins... And I only put jam in the fridge once it's open

 

[Frijj]

I find alias useful in Access when copying values from one table to another. You can use something like

Update table1 as a, table2 as b,
Set a.field = b.field
Where a.id = b.id

Easier than using joins... And I only put jam in the fridge once it's open

Similar concept in SQL re the naming, but I lose my thread with too many aliases. I probably just have shit “working memory”, it’s why I can’t do numbers in my head.

Cold jam on a hot croissant with BBC news/Radio 4 and coffee on a Sunday morning…bliss. Lives in the fridge permanently in this household.

 

[Patch]

TBH, likely learning any technology, you need a realworld problem on which to develop your skills. If not, you don't develop any depth of knowledge and, when you do hit problems, you either lose interest or skip that particular part of what your llearning.

If you're up for it, just download SQL Server Express and Google for a primer. All you really need to know is how to form a

join, how to use aggregation functions and other functions; using subqueries and temporary tables.​

Good. Us IT experts wouldn’t be able to charge ludicrous fees if everyone understood what we were doing.


It is, but that is both a strength and a weakness.
Its a doddle to write a query that works, but often a different matter to write an efficient one that doesn’t cripple the database server !

Yep. Even if a query is functionally correct, you can still bring a production DB to its knees if you start including non-indexed columns in your where/join clauses.

 

[beverly macca]

Switch it off and back on.

 

[jaxaxe]

SELECT * FROM smb_content WHERE post_text LIKE “%shit in her knicker drawer%” ORDER BY date_time DESC FOR READ ONLY;

Corrected for you

 

[Big Jeff]

Bit niche but the SMB probably has everyone from basket weaver to Astro physicist.

Haven’t dabbled in a while but the job I’m doing now could be made easier if I learnt SQL. Dabbled for 1 module at uni many years ago so forgot anything useful.

Any resources including software and training that anyone can recommend.

I could do this in DataEase but that’s probably not much use to you.

 

[Darlo1973]

I find alias useful in Access when copying values from one table to another. You can use something like

Update table1 as a, table2 as b,
Set a.field = b.field
Where a.id = b.id

Easier than using joins... And I only put jam in the fridge once it's open

In relational database theory, it's generally not a good idea to copy data between tables as it is bad for integrity.

 

[RestlessNatives]

Off on a slight tangent but what are people's views on how to pronounce SQL? I've always been an S.Q.L person but the nerds at work are all firmly in the SEQUEL camp.
The hours fly by in our office.

 

[Patch]

Off on a slight tangent but what are people's views on how to pronounce SQL? I've always been an S.Q.L person but the nerds at work are all firmly in the SEQUEL camp.
The hours fly by in our office.

I'm firmly in the nerd camp (the correct camp) on that one.

In relational database theory, it's generally not a good idea to copy data between tables as it is bad for integrity.

TBF, his use of aliases had nowt to do with copying data. All aliases do is save you a bit of typing; they're only really essential if you're doing multiple joins onto the same table.

 

[Darlo1973]

TBF, his use of aliases had nowt to do with copying data. All aliases do is save you a bit of typing; they're only really essential if you're doing multiple joins onto the same table.

I like aliases. Makes code easier to read, especially when using a schema with long names, views and materialised tables.

ps. I'm a SEQUEL guy too.

 

[Heffer]

In relational database theory, it's generally not a good idea to copy data between tables as it is bad for integrity.

I only use this for flat file

Off on a slight tangent but what are people's views on how to pronounce SQL? I've always been an S.Q.L person but the nerds at work are all firmly in the SEQUEL camp.
The hours fly by in our office.

Sequel here too

 

[Big Sharp Teeth]

Off on a slight tangent but what are people's views on how to pronounce SQL? I've always been an S.Q.L person but the nerds at work are all firmly in the SEQUEL camp.
The hours fly by in our office.

I alternate between the two.

More importantly, relational databases are for wimps. Give me hierarchical databases and tape files any day.

 

[Frijj]

Sequel usually but sometimes SQL

 

[Big Jeff]

Off on a slight tangent but what are people's views on how to pronounce SQL? I've always been an S.Q.L person but the nerds at work are all firmly in the SEQUEL camp.
The hours fly by in our office.

Ess Queue Ell

 

[Charmless Man]

W3 schools seems decent for the basics and it’s what I used to pick it up.

Each page explaining the different operations allows you to play around with commands on a database.