AUDIENCE:   This course is intended for students new to querying with Microsoft SQL Server products and who need a total immersion in the subject on this latest release. PREREQUISITES:   Students should be familiar with basic programming concepts and understand the fundamental design of relational databases and the concept of data normalization. DURATION:   5 days. Hands on. OBJECTIVES:   This is a comprehensive and intensive course with plenty of illustrated examples and augmented with practical hands-on exercises. The course is applicable to working with all versions of SQL Server 2005 including SQL Server 2005 Express with Advanced Services. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Use SQL Server Management Studio - Understand the Syntax of Transact-SQL - Retrieve, Filter and Sort Data - Query Data from Multiple Tables by Using Joins - Summarize and Rank Grouped Data - Combine and Limit Result Sets - Work with Subqueries - Use Crosstab Queries - Use Common Table Expressions - Understand Transactions - Modify Data - Query XML Data - Query Full Text Indexes - Query Metadata - Run Distributed Queries - Understand how to Use Other Programmable Objects - Handle Errors Gracefully COURSE CONTENT:   1. Introduction to SQL Server Management Studio Identifying the Elements of SQL Server Management Studio Objects in a SQL Server Database Database Diagrams Components of a SQL Server Database Table Native SQL Server Data Types Creating and Using SQL Server Solutions Executing a Query in SQL Server Management Studio 2. Introduction to SQL and Transact-SQL ANSI SQL vs. T-SQL (Transact-SQL) Categories of SQL Statements T-SQL Scripts Using Batches Adding Comments to T-SQL Code Working with Variables Conditional Statements 3. Using the SELECT Statement to Retrieve Data Examine the Basic Syntax of the SELECT Statement Retrieving Columns of Data from a Table Using Aliases for Column Names Using Aliases for Table Names 4. Retrieving Specific Rows of Data Using the WHERE Clause How to Use the WHERE Clause Overview of Operators Filter Data by Using Comparison Operators Filter Data by Using String Comparisons Filter Data by Using Logical Operators Filter Data Using a Range of Values Filter Data Using a List of Values Working with NULL Values Introducing Native SQL Server Functions Functions Relating to NULL Values 5. Formatting and Sorting Result Sets Sorting Data Using the ORDER BY Clause Eliminating Duplicate Rows Using String Literals Using Expressions 6. Querying Data from Multiple Tables by Using Joins Introduction to Joins Using Inner Joins Using Outer Joins Using Cross Joins Joining More than Two Tables Joining a Table to Itself Using Non-Equi Joins How to Join a Table to a User-Defined Function   7. Summarizing Data Using Aggregate Functions Using Aggregate Functions Native to SQL Server Using Aggregate Functions with NULL Values Grouping Summarized Data with GROUP BY Filtering Grouped Data Using the HAVING Clause Using the ROLLUP and CUBE Operators Using the COMPUTE Clause How to Implement Custom Aggregate Functions   8. Ranking Grouped Data Ranking Data Using Ranking Functions Using ROW_NUMBER Using RANK Using DENSE_RANK Using NTILE Summary of Ranking Functions Based on Their Functionality   9. Combining and Limiting Result Sets Combining Result Sets Using the UNION Operator Limiting Result Sets Using the EXCEPT and INTERSECT Operators Identifying the Order of Precedence of UNION, EXCEPT, and INTERSECT Limiting Result Sets Using the TOP Operator Limiting Result Sets Using the TABLESAMPLE Operator 10. Working with Subqueries Introduction to Subqueries Using Subqueries as Expressions and Derived Tables Using the ANY, ALL, and SOME Operators Scalar versus Tabular Subqueries Using Correlated Subqueries Using the EXISTS Clause with Correlated Subqueries Using the APPLY Operator Subqueries versus Joins Subqueries versus Temporary Tables 11. Performance Considerations for Writing Queries How SQL Server Processes T-SQL Queries How the Query Optimizer Processes Search Arguments Writing Efficient Search Arguments 12. Crosstab Queries Using the PIVOT Operator Using the UNPIVOT Operator 13. Common Table Expressions Introduction to Common Table Expressions Using Common Table Expressions Recursive Queries Using Common Table Expressions Techniques for Querying Hierarchical Data 14. Introduction to Transactions What Is a Transaction? How SQL Server Modifies Data in Tables Managing Transactions Nested Transactions Transaction Isolation Levels   15. Inserting Data into Tables Inserting a Single Row into a Table Inserting Multiple Rows into a Table Inserting Values into Identity Columns Differentiating Various INSERT Statements Using the OUTPUT Clause with the INSERT Statement 16. Deleting Data from Tables Deleting Rows from a Table Truncating a Table Deleting Rows Based on Data in Other Tables Using the OUTPUT Clause with the DELETE Statement 17. Updating Data in Tables Updating Rows in a Table Updating Rows Based on Data in Other Tables Using the OUTPUT Clause with the UPDATE Statement 18. Working with SQL Server Date and Time Data Data Type Precedence Implicit Data Type Conversions Querying and Modifying Date and Time Data 19. Querying XML Data Introduction to XML How SQL Server Implements XML Generating XML Based Reports Querying XML by Using OpenXML Introduction to XQuery Querying XML by Using XQuery Querying Relational Data Combined with XML Data 20. Querying Full Text Indexes Overview of Full Text Indexes Full Text Indexing and the Querying Process How SQL Server Implements Full Text Indexes Overview of Full Text Search Using the CONTAINS Predicate Using the FREETEXT Predicate Using the Full Text Functions Differences Between Full Text Functions and Predicates Combining Full Text Search and Transact-SQL Predicates 21. Querying Metadata Different Categories of Data Grouping Concepts Related to Different Categories of Data Understanding Metadata Querying Metadata by Using SQL Server Views Querying Metadata by Using SQL Server Commands 22. Distributed Queries Overview of Distributed Queries Writing Ad Hoc Distributed Queries Creating a Linked Server Creating a Distributed Query Using a Linked Server 23. Introduction to Views Overview of Views Creating and Modifying a View Considerations When Creating Views Examining the Impact of Using SELECT * in Views Restrictions for Modifying Data by Using Views 24. Introduction to Stored Procedures Overview of Stored Procedures How Stored Procedures Are Executed by SQL Server Creating and Using a Simple Stored Procedure 25. Error Handling Using @@ERROR Using RAISERROR Using TRY…CATCH 26. Introduction to User Defined Functions Overview of User Defined Functions (UDFs) Creating and Modify UDFs Restrictions When Creating UDFs Implementing Different Types of UDFs Performance Consideration for Using User-Defined Functions 27. Introduction to Triggers Overview of Triggers How Triggers Work ALSO INCLUDED FOR REFERENCE ONLY Appendix – Introduction to Query File Maintenance Overview of Versioning and Source Control Features of Visual SourceSafe Using Visual SourceSafe for Version Control of Queries DA2008/01