SQL Server™ 2005 Bible

Part II. Manipulating Data with Select

In This Part

• Chapter 7

• Understanding Basic Query Flow

• Chapter 8

• Using Expressions and Scalar Functions

• Chapter 9

• Merging Data with Joins and Unions

• Chapter 10

• Including Data with Subqueries and CTEs

• Chapter 11

• Aggregating Data

• Chapter 12

• Navigating Hierarchical Data

• Chapter 13

• Using Full-Text Search

• Chapter 14

• Creating Views

• Chapter 15

• Working with Distributed Queries

• Chapter 16

• Modifying Data

Select is the most powerful word in SQL. Because select is so common, it's easy to take it for granted, but no keyword in any programming language I can think of is as powerful and flexible. Select can retrieve, twist, shape, join, and group data in nearly any way imaginable, and it's easily extended with the insert, update, and delete verbs to modify data. SQL Server even extends the select command with XQuery, covered in Chapter 31.

Part II begins by exploring the basic logical query flow, and quickly digs deeper into topics such as relational division, correlated subqueries, set-difference queries, and distributed queries. I've devoted ten chapters to the select command because understanding the multiple options and creative techniques available with queries is key to becoming a successful SQL Server developer, DBA, or architect.

Please don't assume that Part II is only for beginners. These ten chapters present the core power of SQL. Part VI explores optimization, and it may be tempting to go straight there for optimization ideas, but the second strategy of optimization ...