Learning SQL from Scratch

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Learning SQL from Scratch

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clive.norman

Posted Wednesday, September 05, 2012 6:06 AM

Grasshopper

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: Friday, September 07, 2012 7:49 AM
Points: 13, Visits: 27

Hi,

I have been programming in VBA for years and VB now for just over a year and I would like to venture into Database programming but I am a little confused as to where and how I should go about it. w00t

For instance: where does or how does ADO.Net, Linq and VB piece together?

Do I need all 3 or would one or two suffice?

Can you do it all with SQL Server?

If anyone could help clarify my 62 year old little grey cells to get me started on the right track - I would very much appreciated it and Thank you very much in advance!

Post #1354460

t.brown 89142

Posted Wednesday, September 05, 2012 7:00 AM

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Last Login: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 9:02 AM
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VB - I assume you mean VB.NET? - Do you have Visual Studio (at least Version 2008 if you want to use LINQ) - if Not you can get an Express edition for free.

Very Simply:

ADO.NET - This is the .NET database access libraries, where you can create connections to the database, create commands add the T-SQL statements (or procedure) to the commands, execute them and return the results.

LINQ - This is an alternative to ADO.NET - you drag and drop database tables onto a window in Visual Studio and it creates object classes so you can query the database in code. No need to write any T-SQL.

You don't need both ADO.NET is simpler, LINQ takes a bit of getting your head around at first, but can be faster to code in the long run.

Yes you can do both with SQL Server (Express edition is free).
ADO.NET will work with any ODBC database - not sure about LINQtoSQL - I think its SQL Server only, but I may be wrong.

As for learning T-SQL (for True SQL Programming) - this site probably has all you need. See the StairWay series
http://www.sqlservercentral.com/stairway/

Post #1354495

clive.norman

Posted Wednesday, September 05, 2012 1:03 PM

Grasshopper

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Last Login: Friday, September 07, 2012 7:49 AM
Points: 13, Visits: 27

Hi Grasshopper,

Thank you very much for the information.

Yes I do mean VB.Net. I also used VB for Applications with Word & Excel during my business career but have now retired due to health issues.

I have Visual Studio 2010 which I purchased sometime ago but until now, haven't had the time to use it.

Hopefully, now I will be able to get my head around it by concentrating VB.Net with ADO.Net and SQL Server Express 2008.

I haven't looked at the Web link you have kindly provided - but that will be my next point of call following posting this reply.

Once again - many thanks for your kind assistance,

Kind Regards

Clive

Post #1354833

Sean Lange

Posted Wednesday, September 05, 2012 1:30 PM

SSCrazy Eights

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Last Login: Today @ 2:52 PM
Points: 8,605, Visits: 8,246

It all comes down to want you want to do. You discussed a few things but never really said what you want to do. The best thing you can do is to download sql express, setup a test machine and start figuring stuff out. The stairways referenced above are a great place to start.

Hang out on the forums on this site, visit other forums. You will learn a lot more if you have a task to work on.

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Post #1354850

Scott D. Jacobson

Posted Wednesday, September 05, 2012 1:49 PM

Old Hand

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The Stairways series is a great place to start. One thing I've always found makes learning easier is to pick something like a problem you want to solve or an application you would like to use everyday. Then build that. I'm sure you've done that in programming. Just try to think of some kind of CRUD application and run with it.

Post #1354868

Mark Eckeard

Posted Wednesday, September 05, 2012 4:10 PM

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Last Login: Saturday, March 30, 2013 12:00 PM
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I'm a huge fan of the book SQL Server 2008 Bible. Look in to that one if you'd like to learn more about programming in SQL Server.

Someone else mentioned the stairway series on this site. Another good source.

And of course, visit these forums. There are a lot of great people here offering help on a daily basis.

Mark

Post #1354937

clive.norman

Posted Wednesday, September 05, 2012 10:53 PM

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Last Login: Friday, September 07, 2012 7:49 AM
Points: 13, Visits: 27

What can I say but thank you - all for your kind responses. It's great to know that there are still like minded people out there in the world that are prepared to assist & help you if needed.

I have order a copy of SQL Server 2008 Bible from Amazon and have visited the website http://www.sqlservercentral.com as suggested a couple of you.

SSCertifiable rightly so pointed out that I talk about things but have never indicated what I was trying to do.

To put the record straight - so to speak - before retiring I was a director of a small business and several years ago the company paid someone to create a program that would create & keep customer records, create Job sheets with a automatic numbering system and then go on to finalize everything with a invoice - with all data being stored in a Database.

At the time I hadn't the time to attempt to do it myself but to keep my little grey cells going now I thought it might be an interesting little exercise to do it now I have too much time on my hands but I was, until Grasshopper pointed the way, a little confused regarding the use of VB.Net, Ado.Net, Linq etc and how it all fitted together.

Once again many thanks for all your kind responses

Post #1355006

t.brown 89142

Posted Thursday, September 06, 2012 2:39 AM

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Last Login: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 9:02 AM
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Hi Clive,

Just to muddy the waters, there is also ADO.NET Entity Data Modelling, which comes built into Visual Studio 2010. Its similar to LINQ - in that you select the tables up-front, and it creates object classes corresponding to your tables, but its easier to query than LINQ, more integrated, and less SQL like.
There is even an Entity Data Model Wizard, so you can be up there creating data linked websites without having to know anything about the database.

And by the way "Grasshopper", "SSCCertifiable", "Valued Member" etc are the status of the person, rather than their name - I'm not sure I agree with the choice of names for the statuses - but I suppose it more interesting than "Basic", "Standard", "Premium" or a star-system. (and I suspect SSCCertifiable alludes to psychiatric certifiable rather than being awarded a certificate)

If you get stuck - post your questions here.

Post #1355119

flogistix

Posted Thursday, September 06, 2012 3:07 AM

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for me....learning sql from scratch is an amazing experience.. that's the stage you build your basics

simple and friendly person.
wellhead compression

Post #1355139

clive.norman

Posted Thursday, September 06, 2012 10:35 AM

Grasshopper

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: Friday, September 07, 2012 7:49 AM
Points: 13, Visits: 27

Hi all,

Once again thank you all very much for your kind responses to my question - I very much appreciated every last one.

My apologies to one and all, especially if I offended anyone by calling them by their status rather than there names - perhaps I ought to go to Specsavers for my next pair of glasses!

And now t.brown 89142 has, as he put, "muddied the waters", (thanks for that Tongue

lol) my fingers are going to get red hot clicking on the keyboard day & night for a while and I think I had better purchase that new pair of glasses - just in case!

Any suggestions as to where I find info on the ADO.NET Entity Data Modelling that comes with Visual Studio 2010 that I have?

Many Thanks to all

Clive (a very, very small Grasshopper)

Post #1355478

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