Advise for complete Beginners

  • louisevb (2/17/2009)


    Oops it is Gail, sorry i am half asleep morning πŸ˜€

    πŸ˜€

    Either works, I don't mind.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • GilaMonster (2/17/2009)


    louisevb (2/17/2009)


    Oops it is Gail, sorry i am half asleep morning πŸ˜€

    πŸ˜€

    Either works, I don't mind.

    Qui'Gail?

    Gila'gon?

    ---------------------------------------------------------
    How best to post your question[/url]
    How to post performance problems[/url]
    Tally Table:What it is and how it replaces a loop[/url]

    "stewsterl 80804 (10/16/2009)I guess when you stop and try to understand the solution provided you not only learn, but save yourself some headaches when you need to make any slight changes."

  • louisevb (2/17/2009)


    Hey Jeff, thanx man another great website and a freebie . . bonus!!

    You bet... thanks for the feedback.

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.
    "Change is inevitable... change for the better is not".

    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)
    Intro to Tally Tables and Functions

  • louisevb (2/17/2009)


    Hi Max, so glad this website was recommended to me getting great advise. Thanx so much for those website, they are excellent. πŸ™‚

    Absolute pleasure, wish I could go through the excitement of learning from scratch again... almost! πŸ˜€ But the best thing about SQL is finding out how to do something completely differently even after doing it the same way for years and, of course, watching some of the maestros in action here.

    Max

  • Something that was really helpful to me when I was first learning how to build databases and code them was Microsoft's wizards for various things. I'd open the table designer, build the table through the designer, then tell it to provide the script for what I'd just done. That made it very intuitive for me, since I could build basic things through the wizards, and see how they did what they did.

    Once I could anticipate "well, the wizard would produce a script that would look like ...", then I didn't need to use the wizards any more. Once I was really comfortable with that, I could take the pieces and make them do things the wizards would choke to death on because of complexity, without touching the mouse or anything but a text editor. Not that I don't use other tools to make it easier, but the ability to do that is very satisfying.

    Starting out with looking at what automated wizards do was very helpful to me. Might work out well for you too.

    - Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
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  • That is a great idea. Will definitely give it a try. Thanx a mill!!

  • GSquared (2/17/2009)


    Something that was really helpful to me when I was first learning how to build databases and code them was Microsoft's wizards for various things. I'd open the table designer, build the table through the designer, then tell it to provide the script for what I'd just done. That made it very intuitive for me, since I could build basic things through the wizards, and see how they did what they did.

    Once I could anticipate "well, the wizard would produce a script that would look like ...", then I didn't need to use the wizards any more. Once I was really comfortable with that, I could take the pieces and make them do things the wizards would choke to death on because of complexity, without touching the mouse or anything but a text editor. Not that I don't use other tools to make it easier, but the ability to do that is very satisfying.

    Starting out with looking at what automated wizards do was very helpful to me. Might work out well for you too.

    Yeah, that is very good advice! Adding on to it just a bit, you can also usually see the scripts that the GUI is going to apply for you, which is another good way to learn how things are done.

    ----------------------------------------------------The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood... Theodore RooseveltThe Scary DBAAuthor of: SQL Server 2017 Query Performance Tuning, 5th Edition and SQL Server Execution Plans, 3rd EditionProduct Evangelist for Red Gate Software

  • If you don't mind I would advice you (on top of this all this good advices) to go to Microsoft site and look for a webcasts and Labs on SQL Server

    My favorite ones are

    1. from Kimberly Tripp

    -A Primer to Proper SQL Server Development

    --SQL Server 2005 for the IT Professional

    those two are just amazing

    2. SQL Server 2005 Essentials webcasts -14 parts series

    3. SQL Server 2005 Series -10 parts

    4. SQL Server MasterClass

    also really good and interesting (to me) is

    5. ADO.NET Step by Step videos (1-16 parts)

    there is much more than this, but you already know that πŸ˜€

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  • Hi Doc, thanx had a quick look at it and will definetly work through all of them, they will most certainly help me in a big way. Great stuff!!

  • Lots of good advice has already been given, but here is my bit...

    Try Google to find if there is a SQL Server user group near you. They often have sessions on how to exploit SQL Server. Some of the stuff may be over your head the first few times, but eventually you will understand what is going on.

    If you have some money to spend, consider getting a TechNet subscription. The download-only version is about GBP 260 for year 1, dropping to about GBP 200 after that. You get all the Windows versions, all the SQL Server versions, and all the Office software. If you can work out how to install Windows 2003, Windows 2008, and install SQL Server on top of that, you will have achieved a lot.

    The biggest problem you are likely to face is convincing an employer you have the necessary skills. It will be very difficult to get a recruitment agency to forward your details to a prospective employer if you do not have a work history of using the skills. Also, many employers are reluctant to deal with prospective employees without a relevant work history.

    One way around this is to see if any of your friends are working as DBAs, and get them to put your details forward if a vacancy occurs. Of course, you will need to convince your friend you have the skills worth presenting to their employer, but you have plenty of time and opportunity to do this face to face.

    Original author: https://github.com/SQL-FineBuild/Common/wiki/ 1-click install and best practice configuration of SQL Server 2019, 2017 2016, 2014, 2012, 2008 R2, 2008 and 2005.

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  • For absolute beginners I think this tutorial is really good.

    http://www.functionx.com/sqlserver/index.htm

  • Yes you are absolutely correct and that is my main concern . . the lack of experience part, but i am confident it will work out, at least i have excellent working references and that should count for something . . i hope πŸ˜€ Thanx for the input!

  • Thank you, will check it out tonight, have received so many good sites and i am sure that this will be another one that i can add to the list. πŸ™‚

  • i second that this site is very good for learning.

    http://www.w3schools.com/sql/default.asp

    for a dba try

    http://www.sqlcourse.com/intro.html

    hope this helps also this site is very good πŸ™‚

  • Thanx have soooo much material to look at now . . . i can't go wrong πŸ˜€ I appreciate everyones input!

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