Computer Science 101

Web Access to Databases

SQL Basic Queries

SQL Introduction
Structured Query Language
Originally called SEQUEL from Structured English QUEry Language SQL has a standard SQL provides both
Data Definition Language (DDL) Data Manipulation Language (DML)

DBMS may provide higher level approach, but SQL is important for tougher queries, using host programming or web programming.

SQL - Basic Queries

Basic form of SQL query:

SELECT <attribute list> FROM <table list> [WHERE <condition>]

<attribute list> would be a list of columns separated by commas, etc. [ ] enclose optional clauses

SQL is not case sensitive

SQL - Basic Queries -Conceptually

SELECT <attribute list> FROM <table list> [WHERE <condition>]

Step 1: Make long rows by combining rows from the various tables in FROM clause in every possible way each row in first table with each row in second table with each row in third table, etc. Step 2: Keep the long rows that satisfy WHERE condition.

Step 3: Keep only columns specified in SELECT.

SQL - Basic Queries

Example: Pose a query to get the names of all students: SELECT LastName, FirstName FROM Students

SQL - Basic Queries (cont.)

Names of freshmen students

SQL - Basic Queries (cont.)

Names of students from Fredericksburg

SQL - Basic Queries (cont.)

Names of students from Fredericksburg

SQL - Basic Queries (cont.)

Names of students from Fredericksburg

SQL - Basic Queries (cont.)

Dump the Students table:
SELECT * FROM Students Get names of departments having majors in our database
SELECT Department FROM Majors SELECT DISTINCT Department FROM Majors

SQL - Basic Queries Joining tables based on foreign key

Connecting students with their advisors:
Students(StudentID,FirstName, LastName, ClassYear, City, State, Zip, BirthDate, AdvisorID, Term)

Faculty (FacultyID, FirstName, LastName, Phone, EMail)

we need to have AdvisorID = FacultyID

SQL - Basic Queries Joining tables based on foreign key

Connecting majors with their department chairs:
Majors(MajorID, MajorName, Department, ChairID) Faculty (FacultyID, FirstName, LastName, Phone, EMail)

we need to have ChairID = FacultyID

SQL - Basic Queries Joining tables

Student last name, advisor last name

OR (aliasing)

SQL - Basic Queries Joining tables

SQL - Basic Queries Joining tables based on intermediate table

Connecting students with their interests:
Students(StudentID,FirstName, LastName, ClassYear, City, State, Zip, BirthDate, AdvisorID, Term)

StudentInterest(StudentID, InterestID)
Interests(InterestID, InterestName, Category, URL)

we need to have
Students.StudentID = StudentInterest.StudentID AND StudentInterest.InterestID = Interests.InterestID

SQL - Basic Queries Joining tables based on intermediate table

Connecting students with majors:
Students(StudentID,FirstName, LastName, ClassYear, City, State, Zip, BirthDate, AdvisorID, Term) StudentMajor(StudentID, MajorID) Majors(MajorID, MajorName, Department, ChairID)

we need to have
Students.StudentID = StudentMajor.StudentID AND StudentMajor.MajorID = Majors.MajorID

SQL - Basic Queries Joining tables (cont.)

Student last name, first name, name of NFL team student is interested in.

SQL - Basic Queries Joining tables (cont.)