Appropriate for beginners or experienced developers who want to build their SQL skills, this tutorial introduces SQL statements for querying a database, maintaining data, creating a table, processing scripts, and managing transactions. The information is presented in paired pages, with all of the example code, syntax and tips on the right-hand page, and detailed explanation on the left. The second edition covers common table expressions, error handling features, database schema statements, XML integration, and CLR integration new to SQL Server 2005. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
The SQL book that most developers don't even know they need - that's how I
think of this book.
To be an effective application developer, you need to master SQL for the
database you're going to be using. But many developers get by with the SQL
they know, never realizing how much they're missing out on.
So this is first a book for developers who use Microsoft SQL Server as
their DBMS (though it can help you if you want to master standard SQL,
too). No matter how much SQL experience you have, you'll find new features
that you haven't been taking advantage of.
In section 1, you'll learn the concepts and terms you need for working with
any database. You'll also learn how to use the Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Management Studio to work with queries and databases. At that point, you'll
be prepared for rapid progress as you learn SQL.
In section 2, you'll learn all the skills for retrieving data from a
database and for adding, updating, and deleting that data. These skills
move from the simple to the complex so you won't have any trouble if you're
a SQL novice. And they present skills like using outer joins, summary
queries, and subqueries that will raise your SQL expertise if you do have
SQL experience.
In section 3, you'll learn how to design a database and how to implement
that design by using either SQL DDL (Data Definition Language) statements
or the Management Studio. When you're done, you'll be able to design and
implement your own databases. But even if you're never called upon to do
that, this section will give you perspective that will make you a better
SQL developer.
Section 4 presents the skills for working with database features like
views, stored procedures, functions, triggers, cursors, transactions, and
security. It also teaches you how to use the enhanced SQL features for
working with XML data. These are the features that give a database
management system much of its power and that give you an extra edge in your
SQL skills.
To complete your SQL Server skills, section 5 shows you how to use the CLR
integration feature that's new in SQL Server 2005. This feature allows you
to create database objects like stored procedures and user-defined types
using any .NET language, like C# or Visual Basic.