SQL development tool - practice

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Guest

Hi all.

I was wondering whether there is some tool/application for SQL development
for machines running operating systems other than Windows Server editions.

I'm new to SQL and i'm trying to learn, so after 'playing' with SQL strings
and ADO recordsets in Access's VBE for a while i began to wonder whether
there exists an application that runs on Windows XP for example, and where
one can simply 'throw' a table from MS Access and start playing around with
various SQL statements, Views etc., primarily for testing/learning purposes.

If such a tool doesn't exist, what would you recommend to one who wishes to
practice as mentioned above?

Many thanks,
Alex
 
alexhatzisavas said:
Hi all.

I was wondering whether there is some tool/application for SQL development
for machines running operating systems other than Windows Server editions.

I'm new to SQL and i'm trying to learn, so after 'playing' with SQL strings
and ADO recordsets in Access's VBE for a while i began to wonder whether
there exists an application that runs on Windows XP for example, and where
one can simply 'throw' a table from MS Access and start playing around with
various SQL statements, Views etc., primarily for testing/learning purposes.

If such a tool doesn't exist, what would you recommend to one who wishes to
practice as mentioned above?

Many thanks,
Alex
Click to expand...

What is wrong with showing Access queries in SQL view?

Another option is to install the SQL Server Desktop Edition. It's somewhere
on your Access installation CD's, or you can download it for free from
Microsoft's website. It'll run on Windows 2000 or Windows XP. Then, you
can use the osql command-line utility to enter and run queries:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;325003

However, that approach is strictly for determined masochists. You would
learn a hell of a lot about SQL, but you would probably also make your
fingertips bleed.

Or, having installed the SQL Server Desktop Engine, you could download the
SQL Server Evaluation Edition and install the client tools. Although the
database engine expires, the tools don't, and the Enterprise Manager and the
Query Analyzer offer various ways of creating and running SQL.

Or, you could bimble along to www.mysql.com. Not only can you download the
perfectly good MySQL database engine for free, but also some reasonable
graphical tools for working with it.

Or, you could search Google and find lots of free client utilities for
working with all sorts of databases.
 
Hi, Alex.
I'm new to SQL and i'm trying to learn, so after 'playing' with SQL strings
and ADO recordsets in Access's VBE for a while i began to wonder whether
there exists an application that runs on Windows XP
Click to expand...

If you're new to SQL, then keep things simple and start with the Access SQL
View pane for typing the SQL statements. It does't have any bells and
whistles, but you'll see the SQL statement without any extra VBA verbage or
requirements, such as embedding the statement within a string, and using
concatenation and line continuations. There are limitations to the SQL View
pane, such as only one SQL statement per query, maximum number of characters,
maximum nested queries, limited complexity (don't worry -- it will be quite a
while before you can dream up a SQL statement that's too complex for Jet), et
cetera.

When you feel confident to move on to more complex statements or executing
batch statements, you'll have the basis for the SQL dialects that each
client/server database uses. You have quite a few choices, so I'll list a
few free or low-cost ones.

If you have Access 2000 or newer, then you can create an ADP project that
uses MSDE (Microsoft Database Engine) and create views (equivalent of
queries) on the tables you create. You won't have SQL Server's Enterprise
Manager and Query analyzer available, but you'll have the Access front end
interface and command line OSQL.

You may download and install the free SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (beta
3):

http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/express/sql

Oracle Personal Edition can be installed on Windows 2000/XP/Server 2003:

http://www.oracle.com/technology/tech/windows/faq.html

Download the free Oracle 9i Personal Edition:

http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/8i_personal/index.html

You may purchase the SQL Server 2000 Developer Edition for about $50 (shop
around and you'll find it cheaper on the Internet):

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/howtobuy/development.mspx

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips.

(Please remove ZERO_SPAM from my reply E-mail address so that a message will
be forwarded to me.)
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