Where to start?

Question

Where to start?

maylar

Old Hand

Points: 356
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April 1, 2016 at 1:34 pm

#315042

I've just installed SQL Server Express 2014 on my development machine, and I'm looking at the Management Studio Object Explorer. It's a bit daunting and not really intuitive. Is there a tutorial around that walks a beginner through the process of creating tables and entering data?

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Ray K SSC-Dedicated Points: 31163 More actions · Answer 1

maylar (4/1/2016)
I've just installed SQL Server Express 2014 on my development machine, and I'm looking at the Management Studio Object Explorer. It's a bit daunting and not really intuitive. Is there a tutorial around that walks a beginner through the process of creating tables and entering data?

A lot of people would suggest books online (usually abbreviated BOL). You can usually get it with SQL Server, but I don't know if it's available with the Express version. I found the online link here. I didn't dig through it, so I don't know how helpful it is.

Also, this forum in which you posted is also a great resource!

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Check out my blog at https://pianorayk.wordpress.com/

Luis Cazares SSC Guru Points: 183706 More actions · Answer 2

You can also check the stairways on this site.

There are also lots of videos explaining how to work with SSMS, as well as books.

As mentioned, one option is to just press F1 which will take you directly to the help or as it's commonly known, Books OnLine (BOL).

Luis C.
General Disclaimer:
Are you seriously taking the advice and code from someone from the internet without testing it? Do you at least understand it? Or can it easily kill your server?

How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help: Option 1 / Option 2

Eric M Russell SSC Guru Points: 125561 More actions · Answer 3

First, learn what a table is, and what relational data is. I also suggest the Stairway tutorials found here as a study guide. In your case, specifically the following as a starting point:

Stairway to Database Design

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/stairway/72400/

Stairway to T-SQL DML

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/stairway/75773/

"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004339 More actions · Answer 4

maylar (4/1/2016)
I've just installed SQL Server Express 2014 on my development machine, and I'm looking at the Management Studio Object Explorer. It's a bit daunting and not really intuitive. Is there a tutorial around that walks a beginner through the process of creating tables and entering data?

It's not the end-all to be-all but it's a great introductory article, especially if you read through the discussion that follows it. See the following...

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Database+Design/72054/

... and then go from there.

--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)

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004339 More actions · Answer 5

Just to add to the opportunity...

At the end of March, 2016, Microsoft announced that the Developer's Edition is now FREE! Please see the following URL for details.

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/dataplatforminsider/2016/03/31/microsoft-sql-server-developer-edition-is-now-free/

Based on a majority of questions on these fine forums here at SSC, you should also be made aware of the link for "Books Online" so that you can learn to help yourself. Here's that link...

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms130214(v=sql.120).aspx

--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)

MadAdmin SSChampion Points: 11261 More actions · Answer 6

In SSMS, Click on

VIEW\Template Explorer OR Ctrl+Alt+T

and you will have a list of most stuff.

So you dont have to remember syntax of how to create table, index, view etc, cos I can't.

Catch-all queries done right [/url]
Gail Shaw's Performance Blog[/url]

maylar Old Hand Points: 356 More actions · Answer 7

MadAdmin (4/5/2016)
In SSMS, Click on
VIEW\Template Explorer OR Ctrl+Alt+T
and you will have a list of most stuff.
So you dont have to remember syntax of how to create table, index, view etc, cos I can't.

Thanks, but I was looking for "how to" using the SSMS IDE. I'll muddle through it, I'm sure.

j-1064772 SSCertifiable Points: 5316 More actions · Answer 8

MadAdmin (4/5/2016)
In SSMS, Click on
VIEW\Template Explorer OR Ctrl+Alt+T
and you will have a list of most stuff.
So you dont have to remember syntax of how to create table, index, view etc, cos I can't.

Never had the curiousity to look into the Template explorer. Interesting !

This is a good suggestion.

lnoland SSCommitted Points: 1753 More actions · Answer 9

MadAdmin (4/5/2016)
In SSMS, Click on
VIEW\Template Explorer OR Ctrl+Alt+T
and you will have a list of most stuff.
So you dont have to remember syntax of how to create table, index, view etc, cos I can't.

I would add that, in addition to all the stuff which comes in the template explorer out of the box, you can add your own templates as well. I created a separate subfolder just for my own templates and its loaded with stuff -- a lot of it stuff that I've learned right here (thanks, guys).

- Les

lnoland SSCommitted Points: 1753 More actions · Answer 10

maylar (4/5/2016)
MadAdmin (4/5/2016)
In SSMS, Click on
VIEW\Template Explorer OR Ctrl+Alt+T
and you will have a list of most stuff.
So you dont have to remember syntax of how to create table, index, view etc, cos I can't.
Thanks, but I was looking for "how to" using the SSMS IDE. I'll muddle through it, I'm sure.

For the IDE, just remember, the right mouse-button is your friend. Pretty much every level of the object explorer has its own context menu and you can do just about everything from those context menus so explore away (NOTE: be sure to check out the "Tasks" menu item -- lots of good stuff is filed away there).

- Les

MadAdmin SSChampion Points: 11261 More actions · Answer 11

lnoland (4/6/2016)
MadAdmin (4/5/2016)
In SSMS, Click on
VIEW\Template Explorer OR Ctrl+Alt+T
and you will have a list of most stuff.
So you dont have to remember syntax of how to create table, index, view etc, cos I can't.
I would add that, in addition to all the stuff which comes in the template explorer out of the box, you can add your own templates as well. I created a separate subfolder just for my own templates and its loaded with stuff -- a lot of it stuff that I've learned right here (thanks, guys).
- Les

I never thought of adding stuff to it.

Will do.

Catch-all queries done right [/url]
Gail Shaw's Performance Blog[/url]

maylar Old Hand Points: 356 More actions · Answer 12

So far the online docs have been worthless. I don't need to learn about databases, I just need to understand how to navigate within this admin tool. I've worked with Oracle for many years but never SQL Server.

Thanks for the "right click is your friend" note - indeed there are lots of tools just a click away.

I'm sure I'll be hanging around here for a while.

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004339 More actions · Answer 13

maylar (4/7/2016)
So far the online docs have been worthless. I don't need to learn about databases, [font="Arial Black"]I just need to understand how to navigate within this admin tool[/font]. I've worked with Oracle for many years but never SQL Server.
Thanks for the "right click is your friend" note - indeed there are lots of tools just a click away.
I'm sure I'll be hanging around here for a while.

Ah. Got it. Considering the title of this thread is "Where to start", here's where to start with the very basics.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb934498.aspx

The next step would appear to be...

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms174173.aspx

Some Google searches that can provide other resources (used them to find the two links above)

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=how+to+use+ssms

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=features+of+ssms

--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)

Rich Mechaber SSChampion Points: 11130 More actions · Answer 14

Funny, I've had the reverse problem migrating to using Toad for Oracle: where is everything I know in SSMS? Chacun a son gout, as they say. 🙂

Here's an old but still useful bookmark I had saved that might be useful to you: https://www.simple-talk.com/sql/learn-sql-server/management-studio-improvements-in-sql-server-2008/[/url].

I like a minimal view in SSMS, with only the Object Explorer visible. It's hierarchical and, to me at least, pretty straightforward: servers, databases, DB objects (tables, SPs, functions, views, etc.). SPs, TVFs, scalar UDFs, etc. are in the "Programmability" folder.

One thing that may be different for you from Oracle: In SQL Server, there are 2 separate security pieces for people: logins (scoped at the server level, therefore under the "Server, Security" tab and users (scoped at the DB level, therefore under Databases, your database, Security, Users).

I find it much easier to query different databases in SSMS than in Oracle, b/c you don't have to change the connection or log in separately for each database: you just include USE mydatabase; at the top of each query and you'll execute scripts against that DB (assuming you have the necessary permissions).

Rich