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SQL Server Help: How to create SQL

SQL is short for Structured Query Language.  SQL is a programming language used to program databases. A lot of different databases support SQL. Databases that support SQL usually support the same basic SQL language.

You can create SQL in a text editor such as the Windows Notepad text editor or TextPad. Some databases also have their own software tools for creating SQL.

Popular database packages that support SQL include Microsoft Access (part of Microsoft Office), Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle and MySQL.

Microsoft Access is commonly used in small businesses. It allows you to create SQL by writing the SQL by hand in the Query editor window.

Microsoft SQL Server is a very powerful database. It tends to be used by larger businesses. SQL for SQL Server can be created using the SQL Server Management Studio. It's also possible to create SQL using the Query Analyser.

MySQL is an open source database that supports SQL. MySQL is largely command line based, so SQL can be created in a command line. To create SQL for MySQL it is more common to use one of the graphical user interface (GUI) applications available for MySQL.

Databases are normally based around the concept of data being stored in database tables. SQL can then be used to retrieve the data. Database in tables is stored in rows. Each row has a value for a particular column (such as Product Name).

This is a SQL query that will retrieve a list of items from the database table called products:

SELECT * FROM products

The "*" is used to specify that all of the columns in the database. It's also possible to specify which columns should be retrieved from the database:

SELECT ProductID, ProductName, ProductPrice FROM products

It's also possible to create a SQL query for ordering the products:

SELECT * FROM products ORDER BY ProductName

This is a very brief introduction which shows how to create SQL. SQL can also be created to insert data into a database table, or update the data that is already there. SQL also has a lot of other features such as being able to spread data across different tables, or performing mathematical calculations such as rounding numbers or counting items.

SQL can be created for linking databases to websites or Windows desktop applications. Database enabled websites are normally written in a scripting language like PHP or ASP, or a programming language such as ASP.NET or Java.

Useful Links

• How to create a table in SQL.

• The SQL Documentation Tool automatically builds technical documentation for Microsoft SQL Server databases, saving you time and money. A trial version is available for download.

Useful Development Tools

SQL Documentation Tool

The SQL Documentation Tool creates technical documentation for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 and 2000 databases. Technical documentation is created in HTML and HTML Help formats. The HTML Help format documentation is fully searchable and cross referenced. The SQL Documentation Tool documents SQL Server Tables, Views, Stored Procedures, Triggers, Table Relationships and Dependencies.

View Sample Output (HTML Help format).     View Sample Output (HTML Format).     Download Trial Version (10.3Mb ZIP file).

ASP Documentation Tool™

Automatically creates developer documentation for ASP 2.0 and 3.0 web applications written in VBScript and JScript. Documentation for Microsoft Access, SQL Server 7/2000 databases and Visual Basic 6.0 components associated with the web application can also be incorporated into the reports. Documentation is created in HTML, HTML Help and plain text formats.

View Sample Output (HTML Help format).     View Sample Output (HTML Format).     Download Trial Version (5.2Mb ZIP file).

.NET Documentation Tool

Automatically creates technical documentation for .NET Framework Windows and ASP.NET applications written in C# or VB.NET and SQL Server 7/2000/2005 or Microsoft Access databases associated with the application. Documentation is created in HTML, HTML Help and plain text formats.

View Sample Output (HTML Help format).     View Sample Output (HTML Format).     Download Trial Version (5Mb ZIP file).

VB Documentation Tool

The VB Documentation Tool creates technical documentation for Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 projects. Technical documentation is created in HTML and HTML Help formats. The HTML Help format documentation is fully searchable and cross referenced.

View Sample Output (HTML Help format).     View Sample Output (HTML Format).     Download Trial Version (1Mb ZIP file).

Indexing Service Companion

The Indexing Service Companion is a Windows application that extends the functionality of the Microsoft Windows Indexing Service so that it is able to index content from remote websites and also from ODBC databases. As such it can be used as a low cost alternative to Sharepoint Portal Search Services.

Try Sample Search Facility.     Download Trial Version (1.7Mb ZIP file).

The Website Utility

The Website Utility examines websites for errors and areas that need to be optimised for search engines by using a built in web crawling engine. Errors checked for include broken or moved hyperlinks, missing page titles and missing meta tags. It also generates HTML for use in creating website site maps (table of contents pages - like this one), and is able to create both client-side JavaScript Search Engines and server-side ASP Search Engines for a website.

View Sample Output (HTML Format).     Download Trial Version (3Mb ZIP file).

PHP Documentation Tool™

Automatically creates developer documentation for PHP web applications. Documentation is created in HTML, HTML Help and plain text formats.

View Sample Output (HTML Help format).     View Sample Output (HTML Format).     Download Trial Version (1.0Mb ZIP file).