SQL Server - Query Designer VII

In the previous lesson, we created a SQL script using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). In this lesson, we will look at how to write SQL scripts using the graphical query designer.

About The Query Designer

The graphical query designer is a graphical user interface that allows you to build queries to run against your SQL Server database. This can be particularly useful when building complex queries that involves many tables, views etc.

The query designer can also be beneficial for those who are learning how to write SQL. This is because you don't need to remember the SQL syntax in order to write queries against your database - the query designer generates the SQL for you.

SQL Server - Views VIII

In SQL Server, a view is a pre-written query that is stored on the database. A view consists of a SELECT statement, and when you run the view, you see the results of it like you would when opening a table. Some people like to think of a view as a virtual table. This is because a view can pull together data from multiple tables, as well as aggregate data, and present it as though it is a single table.

Benefits of Views

A view can be useful when there are multiple users with different levels of access, who all need to see portions of the data in the database (but not necessarily all of the data). Views can do the following:

SQL Server - Stored Procedures - IX

Stored procedures are a powerful part of SQL Server. They can assist programmers and administrators greatly in working with the database configuration and its data.

A stored procedure is a precompiled group of Transact-SQL statements, and is saved to the database (under the "Stored Procedures" node). Programmers and administrators can execute stored procedures either from the SQL Server Management Studio or from within an application as required.

Transact-SQL, which is based on SQL (Structured Query Language), is the programming language used to interface between applications and their databases. Transact-SQL is a relatively easy language to learn and I highly recommend becoming familiar with it.

Benefits of Stored Procedures

Here are some key benefits in using stored procedures:

SQL Server - Adding Data - VI

In the previous lesson, we created a new table in our database. We now have a database table, columns and all, but with no data.

Editing Table Rows

We can use the "Edit Top 200 Rows" option to add data to our table.

SQL Server - Create a Table - V

This lesson demonstrates how to create a table in a SQL Server database using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).

SQL Server - Create a Database - IV

One of the first things we should look at with SQL Server/Management Studio is how to create a database. After all, most of the tasks you perform with SQL Server will evolve around one or more databases.

System Databases

If you've only just installed SQL Server, you might notice that some databases have already been created. These are system databases.

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) - III

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is the main administration console for SQL Server.
SSMS enables you to create database objects (such as databases, tables, views etc), view the data within your database, you can configure user accounts, transfer data between databases, and more.
Here's what SQL Server Management Studio looks like when you first open it up:

SQL Server Editions - II

SQL Server 2008 comes in many different editions. The edition you choose will depend on your requirements. If you are looking for a free database management system, you will need to choose one of the Express editions or the Compact edition. You could also try the Evaluation edition, which allows you to trial SQL Server 2008 for 180 days.

The Editions
Here are the different editions available for SQL Server 2008.

About SQL Server - I

Microsoft SQL Server is a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) designed to run on platforms ranging from laptops to large multiprocessor servers. SQL Server is commonly used as the backend system for websites and corporate CRMs and can support thousands of concurrent users.

SQL Server comes with a number of tools to help you with your database administration and programming tasks.

SQL Server is much more robust and scalable than a desktop database management system such as Microsoft Access. Anyone who has ever tried using Access as a backend to a website will probably be familiar with the errors that were generated when too many users tried to access the database!

Although SQL Server can also be run as a desktop database system, it is most commonly used as a server database system.

InPage - Lecture 3

InPage - Lecture 2

What are the Function Keys: F1 - F12 keys

Commonly known as "function keys", F1 through F12 may have a variety of different uses or no use at all. Depending on the installed operating system and the software program currently open will change how each of these keys operate. A program is capable of not only using each of the function keys, but also combining the function keys with the ALT and/or CTRL keys, for example, Microsoft Windows users can press ALT F4 to close the program currently active. 

Below is a short-listing of some of the common functions of the functions keys on computers running Microsoft Windows. As mentioned above not all programs support function keys and/or may perform different tasks then those mentioned below.

Inpage Shortcut Keys

HOTKEY	DESCRIPTION
Ctrl + N	To Create a New File
Ctrl + O	To Open a File
Ctrl + S	To Save a File
Ctrl + Alt + S	To Save As… a File
Ctrl + Y	To Import Text/Picture
Ctrl + Alt + Y	To Export Text/Picture
Ctrl + P	Print a File
Ctrl + F4	Close the File
Alt + F4	Exit / Close Program
Ctrl + X	Cut Selected Item(s)
Ctrl + C	Copy Selected Item(s)
Ctrl + V	Paste Selected Item(s)
Ctrl + Z	Undo / Redo Last Action
Ctrl + F	Find Text
Ctrl + R	Replace Text
F2	Story Editor
F11	Typographic Preferences
Alt + F11	Application Preferences
Ctrl + F11	Document Preferences
F5	Zoom - Fit to Window
F6	Zoom – 50%
F7	Zoom – 100% (Original)
F8	Zoom – 200%
F9	Snap to Guides
Double-Click On Rulers	Format Guides
Alt + Insert	Insert New Page
Alt + Delete	Delete Page(s)
Ctrl + Alt + I	Insert Index Entry
Ctrl + Alt + O	Insert Table of Contents
Ctrl + Alt + G	Group Objects
Ctrl + Alt + U	Ungroup Objects
F12	Go to Font Window (Ribbon)
Alt + F12	Go to Page Window (Page)
Ctrl + F12	Go to Zoom Window (View)
Double Click	To Select Word
Triple Click	To Select Paragraph
Ctrl + A	Select All
Drag Drop File	Open File from File Manager
Drag Drop Picture	Insert Picture from File Manager
Ctrl + B	Bold Selected Text
Ctrl + I	Italics Selected Text
Ctrl + Alt + L	Left Alignment
Ctrl + Alt + R	Right Alignment
Ctrl + Alt + C	Center Alignment
Ctrl + Alt + J	Justified
Ctrl + Alt + F	Full Justified
Ctrl + Alt + T	Toggle Text and Tab Modes
Ctrl + T	Define Style Sheets
Ctrl + H	Character Format
Ctrl + G	Paragraph Format
Ctrl + Shift + F5	Increase Line Leading Space
Ctrl + Shift + F6	Decrease Line Leading Space
Ctrl + F5	Increase Character Spacing
Ctrl + F6	Decrease Character Spacing
Ctrl + Shift + F7	Increase Character Scaling
Ctrl + Shift + F8	Decrease Character Scaling
Ctrl + F7	Baseline Shift Up
Ctrl + F8	Baseline Shift Down
Ctrl + F9	Decrease Font Size
Ctrl + F10	Increase Font Size
Alt + Page Down	Go to Next Page
Alt + Home	Go to First Page
Alt + End	Go to Last Page
Alt + Up Arrow	Top of Previous Textbox
Alt + Down Arrow	Top of Next Textbox
Ctrl + Up Arrow	Top of Paragraph
Ctrl + Down Arrow	Top of Next Paragraph
Page Up	Scroll Page Up
Page Down	Scroll Page Down
Alt + Enter	Toggle Master/Document pages
Ctrl + Space	Toggle Eng/Urdu Keyboard

 

How to Control Your Mouse Cursor Using the Keyboard

Most of Windows 7's accessibility options are, at best, of dubious usefulness to the average PC user. And that's fine, as they're generally designed for people with special needs, and can be easily deactivated. There's one accessibility option, however, that can be a big help to anyone: Mouse Keys.

If the name didn't tip you off, Mouse Keys is an accessibility option that allows you to control the mouse cursor using your keyboard. This can be useful in two ways. First, there's an obvious utility to Mouse Keys if your mouse ever breaks, or if you have to disconnect it for any reason. Second, Mouse Keys is very precise—a single press of a key moves the cursor by one pixel, making it useful for any application that requires ultra-high precision, like Photoshop.

21 Desktop Shortcut Keys To Ever Use

• Windows key + E = Explorer
• Windows key + Break = System properties
• Windows key + F = Search
• Windows key + D = Hide/Display all windows
• Windows key + R = Run command pop-ups
• ALT + Tab = Switch between windows
• ALT, Space, X = Maximize window
• CTRL + Shift + Esc = Task Manager
• CTRL + C = Copy
• CTRL + X = Cut
• CTRL + V = Paste
• CTRL + Z   = Undo an action
• CTRL + Y  = Redo an action
• CTRL + A  =Select all items in a document or window
• F1 = Display Help
• F2 = Rename the selected item
• F3 = Search for a file or folder
• F4 = Display the Address bar list in Windows Explorer
• F5 = Refresh the active window
• F6 = Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
• F10 = Activate the menu bar in the active program

These commands are very useful to day to day life, keep using and then you'll automatically remember when you want