SA0951a: Introduction to SQL
Structured Query Language
Lots of SQL books in library and ebrary
e.g. Head First SQL, SQL for Mere Mortals (on SAFARI)
Connolly/Begg (4th ed.) 5.1, 5.2, 5.3.1 to 5.3.4, 5.3.7
Lots of SQL websites: e.g.
http://www.w3schools.com/SQl/default.asp# or
http://www.free-ed.net/free-ed/InfoTech/informit/ITLC15.asp: Parts 3 & 4
So what is the most sought after
skill in industry today?
A - being able to sort out margins efficiently in
Microsoft WORD
B - an ability to throw your PC at your workmate?
C - the ability to send e-mails to the wrong people
D - SQL
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What is SQL?
A database language
3 parts
DDL (Data Definition Language)
set up tables, create keys, change table design lab 1
DCL (Data Control Language)
control access permissions to the database etc. later
DML (Data Manipulation Language)
query, manipulate data in table(s) now and next
non-procedural
i.e. specify what to do, not how to do it
Widespread use in development (embedded in multiple
platforms)
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http://uadisq01.uad.ac.uk:5560/isqlplus
SELECT Query Structure
Basic Form
SELECT <attribute(s)>
FROM <table(s)>
WHERE <condition>; Semi-colon at end
* denotes all columns
SELECT *
FROM Transport
query 1 WHERE Make='BMW' OR Make='VOLVO';
How many rows in the answer?
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Column Alias (AS)
Renames attributes for output result
SELECT salary AS Pay
query 2 FROM Personnel In Oracle,
WHERE Surname = 'FRENCH'; you can
omit AS
RESULT
You’ll see from your database
Pay
that French’s salary is 20184 20184
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Using two or more tables
Can use many tables
E.g.
SELECT p.div, b.div, surname
FROM personnel p, branch b
query 3 WHERE p.div=b.div and City='BRISTOL';
Table aliases
List all tables used in FROM clause
Specify matching columns in WHERE clause!!!!!!
Make it clear which table each column belongs to
Use table.column notation where ambiguous
Can use table aliases to shorten
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WHERE Clause
Any Boolean expression involving attribute conditions
Use
column names, symbols =, <, etc., calculations, numbers, text
Combine conditions with AND, OR
Text strings must be enclosed in single quotes
case sensitive (in Oracle)!
E.g. this will return nothing from your database
SELECT * FROM PERSONNEL
query 4 WHERE Sex='f';
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LIKE operator
Used for string comparisons and pattern matching in
WHERE clause
Uses wildcards:
_ (underscore): any single character (? in Access)
% (percent): string of any length (* in Access)
SELECT * FROM PERSONNEL
WHERE surname LIKE '_A%E'
query 5 picks 'BATE' and 'MACRAE' but not 'HAMILTON' or
'RAINES'
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ORDER BY
ORDER BY <column> [ASC|DESC]
Sorts the result according to the column
Can use several levels, e.g.
SELECT *
FROM PERSONNEL
query 6 ORDER BY JobTitle, Salary Desc;
Sorts results by jobtitle,
and where jobtitle is the same, sorts by salary,
highest first
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What's the result? query 7
SELECT Surname,City,Salary AS Income
FROM Personnel,Branch B
WHERE Personnel.Div = b.div
AND (City LIKE '%S%' OR Surname LIKE '_R%')
ORDER BY CITY, SALARY DESC;
ASURNAME CITY INCOME
B SURNAME CITY INCOME
KHAN BRISTOL 42000 KHAN BRISTOL 42000
RAINES BRISTOL 25872 RAINES BRISTOL 25872
HAMILTON BRISTOL 18534 HAMILTON BRISTOL 18534
TRINGHAM BRISTOL 9384 TRINGHAM BRISTOL 9384
KUMAR LONDON 30816 FRENCH LONDON 20184
FRENCH LONDON 20184 BRAY LONDON 18000
BRAY LONDON 18000 BROCK LONDON 12288
MACRAE LONDON 16200
BROCK LONDON 12288
D SURNAME CITY INCOME
TRINGHAM BRISTOL 9384
C SURNAME CITY INCOME
FRENCH LONDON 20184
TRINGHAM BRISTOL 9384
BRAY LONDON 18000
BROCK LONDON 12288
Explicit Join
can specify JOINS explicitly in the From clause
different types of JOIN operations:
INNER, LEFT, RIGHT, FULL
SELECT <columns>
FROM <table1>
[INNER|LEFT|RIGHT|FULL] JOIN
<table2> ON <Join Condition>;
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query 8
SELECT city, jobtitle
Worked
FROM branchExample
b LEFT JOIN personnel p ON b.div=p.div
WHERE city <>'BRISTOL';
CITY JOBTITLE
LONDON SECRETARY
LONDON CLERK
LONDON CHAIRMAN
LONDON DIRECTOR
LONDON MANAGER
LONDON SECRETARY
LONDON ACCOUNTANT
LONDON CONSULTANT These are included in the
LONDON CONSULTANT LEFT JOIN even though
LONDON MANAGER there is no match. They
LONDON CONSULTANT
MANCHESTER
would NOT be included if
BIRMINGHAM it were an INNER JOIN
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More SELECT features
What if we wanted to strip out query 9
duplicates from the answer?
Use DISTINCT word Select distinct city, jobTitle
From branch b left join
personnel p on b.div=p.div
Where city <>'BRISTOL';
Can we perform maths in the
SELECT? YES!!!
SELECT salary/12 AS monthPay
SELECT salary + bonus AS totalPay
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Aggregates
extends SQL
COUNT
COUNT(*) how many tuples?
COUNT(DISTINCT <field>) how many
unique values in field?
SUM, MAX, MIN, AVG
Examples
SELECT COUNT(*)
SELECT SUM(Salary)
SELECT
MIN(Salary),MAX(Salary),AVG(Salary)
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GROUP BY
Applies aggregate to subsets
of tuples (subtotals)
DIV SUM(SALARY)
SELECT Div, SUM(Salary) 30 98400
FROM Personnel
20 95790
GROUP BY Div
10 179340
SUM(SALARY)
SELECT SUM(Salary)
FROM Personnel 373530
SELECT Div, SUM(Salary)
Error!
FROM Personnel
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Group conditions: HAVING
HAVING
For conditions at the group level
Can only be used with GROUP BY
WHERE is for conditions on individual rows
SELECT div, max(salary)- min(salary)
FROM PERSONNEL
query10 GROUP by div
HAVING max(salary)- min(salary)>30000;
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For each division where total salary is more
than £25,000, show no. of employees and
total salary. Which SQL will achieve this?
SELECT Div, COUNT(Surname), SUM(SALARY)
A FROM Personnel GROUP BY Div
HAVING SUM(Salary)>25000;
SELECT Div, COUNT(Surname), SUM(SALARY)
B FROM Personnel
WHERE Salary > 25000
GROUP BY Div;
SELECT Div,COUNT(Surname),SUM(SALARY) Total
C FROM Personnel GROUP BY Div
HAVING Total>25000;
D Both A and C are correct
Finds employees who
Use of Aliases share the same
manager and the same
job title
Renaming
columns in the result output
table abbreviations for use within SQL
Joining a table with itself
to find multiples instances of an attribute, e.g.
SELECT p1.surname , p2.surname
FROM personnel p1, personnel p2
WHERE p1.manager = p2.manager
and p1.surname <> p2.surname
and p1.jobtitle = p2.jobtitle;
Query11
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Syntax of SELECT
The full syntax of an SQL Select statement is
SELECT [DISTINCT] <attribute list>
FROM <table list>
[WHERE <condition>]
[GROUP BY <attribute list>]
[HAVING <group condition>]
[ORDER BY <attribute list>];
[…] denotes optional parts. Explicit JOIN not included
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Keyword Definitions
WHERE
A condition on individual tuples determines whether it is
included in the result
implicit joins (e.g. table1.key = table2.key)
GROUP BY
Collects together tuples which have the same value for the
specified fields
HAVING
A condition on each group determines whether that group is
included in result
ORDER BY
20 The result table is sorted with this clause
SQL Tutor – if you have bought the book!
Interactive practice
environment for SQL
Available in the
DatabasePlace online
You should have details and a
password in your copy of
Connolly/Begg
Lots of SQL tutors online – try Google!
TryIt in w3schools: http://www.w3schools.com/SQl/sql_tryit.asp
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