Reply to: Learning SQL recommendations

[MrMark]

Lynn Beighley's Head First SQL is pretty good if you want to get a good understanding of the basic principles and build from there - although not everybody gets along with the chatty style and slightly too-cute jokes of the Head First books, I have found them pretty effective for stuff I wasn't already familiar with or hadn't done in a while.

After that, just throw caution to the wind and try Joe Celko's SQL for Smarties (Third Edition), although be aware that it focuses on getting things done using standard SQL rather than the proprietary extensions database vendors (especially Microsoft) graft on to make life easier for people who don't understand sets and declarative programming and are too lazy to learn. In other words, it shows you how to do it the right way

As you're working specifically with MySQL, I can also recommend Schwartz et al.'s High Performance MySQL (Second Edition) which, balancing the purist approach of Celko's book, is full of info about what's actually going on under the hood and how to get the best from it.

More than a little quirky (as it's my blog) but there are (or were) some good links on learning Mysql on here ... One of which is this one

[MarillionFan]

Had a check my stuff was all T-SQL. Better off with the books Nick has suggested

[Cliphead]

Thanks all, ordered some books from Amazon.

[Bright Spark]

This one has good tutorials, main thing is to find examples and get the sample data and practice with them

http://www.mysqltutorial.org/mysql-s...uery-data.aspx

[TheFaQQer]

I read Larry Ullman's "PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Web Sites" but that was more for the php side of things.

[NickFitz]

Anyway, I need to start with actually learning to write a query. No books anybody can recommend?

Lynn Beighley's Head First SQL is pretty good if you want to get a good understanding of the basic principles and build from there - although not everybody gets along with the chatty style and slightly too-cute jokes of the Head First books, I have found them pretty effective for stuff I wasn't already familiar with or hadn't done in a while.

After that, just throw caution to the wind and try Joe Celko's SQL for Smarties (Third Edition), although be aware that it focuses on getting things done using standard SQL rather than the proprietary extensions database vendors (especially Microsoft) graft on to make life easier for people who don't understand sets and declarative programming and are too lazy to learn. In other words, it shows you how to do it the right way

As you're working specifically with MySQL, I can also recommend Schwartz et al.'s High Performance MySQL (Second Edition) which, balancing the purist approach of Celko's book, is full of info about what's actually going on under the hood and how to get the best from it.

[Zippy]

I actually did that some time ago but unless I learned this stuff for myself my post count in tech would equal Alexei's lunch threads

Anyway, I need to start with actually learning to write a query. No books anybody can recommend?

I bought an O'Reilly one for PHP and MySQL (for my first contract) and found it very useful. I had done SQL before though so it may not be for you.
Try one of the 'for Dummies' range - I've found them to be rather good.

[Cliphead]

You could start with a specific query you have to write, have a go at writing it, post the query here with a request for suggestions for improvement and , err, duck.

I actually did that some time ago but unless I learned this stuff for myself my post count in tech would equal Alexei's lunch threads

Anyway, I need to start with actually learning to write a query. No books anybody can recommend?

[Zippy]

Basics, basics...

I understand the concept of a library but wouldn't know where to start. I can create a db, tables, fields, keys but that's about it.

You could start with a specific query you have to write, have a go at writing it, post the query here with a request for suggestions for improvement and , err, duck.

[Cliphead]

I have no idea what level you are thinking

Basics, basics...

I understand the concept of a library but wouldn't know where to start. I can create a db, tables, fields, keys but that's about it.

[EternalOptimist]

Thanks, just need to put the time in and learn. I have half an idea but getting it right at the beginning to fill in the gaps is important.

I have no idea what level you are thinking, so apologies if I am teaching granny to suck eggs, but make your stuf reusable and parameterised.
switchable. build a library

[Cliphead]

right. cant help unless you have a specific problem then. knowing there is a risk of bad habits is actually a good thing, it's the peeps who think 'oh yeah , i'll remember all this next year' who will get in too deep.

Thanks, just need to put the time in and learn. I have half an idea but getting it right at the beginning to fill in the gaps is important.

[EternalOptimist]

ClientCo have a custom written app using MySQL as the backend DB. Eventually I'm going to have to create reports and otherwise do the DBA thing.

For years I've been creating and sort of maintaining MySQL and PostresSQL databases but actually creating queries I've never had to do much with.

Got Navicat and can connect remotley but I want to learn the basics before using graphical tools. Using that I'm creating thngs using trial and error, sure way to get bad habits.

right. cant help unless you have a specific problem then. knowing there is a risk of bad habits is actually a good thing, it's the peeps who think 'oh yeah , i'll remember all this next year' who will get in too deep.

[Cliphead]

Generally, or are you using a specific app ?

ClientCo have a custom written app using MySQL as the backend DB. Eventually I'm going to have to create reports and otherwise do the DBA thing.

For years I've been creating and sort of maintaining MySQL and PostresSQL databases but actually creating queries I've never had to do much with.

Got Navicat and can connect remotley but I want to learn the basics before using graphical tools. Using that I'm creating thngs using trial and error, sure way to get bad habits.

[EternalOptimist]

Generally, or are you using a specific app ?