About This Book

This book starts at the same place you are likely to start—at the point you realize that you want to learn Transact-SQL. You might be in a state of panic, shock, or total excitement.

This book will teach you how to use Transact-SQL in about 21 days. Each chapter presents about a day’s worth of study. Some are a little more and some are a little less. Depending on how fast you like to absorb new material and what you want to learn, you might breeze through the book in two days or in two months. No matter how fast or slow you go through the book, work through it in order, from Day 1 to Day 21. Later chapters build on the chapters before them. You are guided through the chapters from the most basic tasks to the more complex.

Here are just a few of the features you’ll find throughout the book that help enhance your learning experience:

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Note:  Notes: These provide essential background information so that you can not only do things with Transact-SQL, but have a good understanding of what you are doing and why.

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Tip:  Tips: These are little pieces of information to help you in real-world situations. Tips often offer SQL shortcuts or information to make a task easier or faster.

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Warning:  Warnings: These provide information about detrimental performance issues or dangerous errors that can be introduced into your SQL. Pay careful attention to Warnings.

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Who Should Read This Book

This book assumes that you have no prior programming experience. If you do have some experience, however, we have tried to make your journey through familiar territory very easy. Whether you just need help with a specific task or want a step-by-step tutorial on Transact-SQL, you will find what you need in this book. Readers who are more technically advanced will find lots of reference information about various aspects of using Transact-SQL. And if you’re one of those people who just needs to “dip into” the book and learn about a specific topic, the clear organization of the sections and lessons makes it fast and easy for you to find what you need.

The syntax and examples in this book are based on Microsoft SQL Server. Most examples also apply to earlier versions of Microsoft SQL Server and all versions of Sybase SQL Server. Most version differences are described in the text.

Conventions

As you’ll soon learn, SQL keywords, such as SELECT, where, and Insert, can be uppercase, lowercase, or mixed case. The server doesn’t care. To make it easier to follow along in the book, you will see these keywords in all uppercase and shown in a special computer typeface.

Tell Us What You Think!

As a reader, you are the most important critic and commentator of our books. We value your opinion and want to know what we’re doing right, what we could do better, what areas you’d like to see us publish in, and any other words of wisdom you’re willing to pass our way. You can help us make strong books that meet your needs and give you the computer guidance you require.

Do you have access to CompuServe or the World Wide Web? Then check out our CompuServe forum by typing GO SAMS at any prompt. If you prefer the World Wide Web, check out our site at http://www.mcp.com.

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Note:  If you have a technical question about this book, call the technical support line at (317)581-3833.

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As the publishing manager of the group that created this book, I welcome your comments. You can fax, e-mail, or write me directly to let me know what you did or didn’t like about this book—as well as what we can do to make our books stronger. Here’s the information: