I am a retailer whose software back-end has just been upgraded from Access
to SQL Server 2000. (The front-end is an independently-written shop Point Of
Sale system)

While I know a fair bit about computers, I know nothing about SQL Server.
And frankly, I don't want to know much. I don't need to build any new
databases, program SQL, or "be an administrator". All I need to know about
is how to go into the raw data like I did in Access and change that data.

(The front-end software has some limitations, and I have found it easier in
the past to go into the dB through Access and search-and-replace, and
generally edit the data as though I was in Excel).

What is the easiest and quickest way to learn the skills I need for doing
the same thing under SQL Server 2000?

Is there a particular book or site that you could recommend?

Is there in fact a tool in existence that mimics Excel in the editing of SQL
data??

Hi James,

For simplicity MS access will give you the easest way to view/modify
the data, it is normal in installations of the type you have that you
have the MSDE version of SQL server, if this is the case then there are
no user tools out of the box to help you with viewing/editing data.

There are some 'free' tools out there but in a lot of cases you will
spend a lot of time trying to learn these tools, you can use excel to
view and modify your databases but this harder than access to do, and
it does not view the data in quite the same way as access would.

Good luck

Alex

You can use Enterprise Manager, which is a client tool that comes with
SQL Server, or you can just use Access as a front end to connect to the
SQL Server database. Do some google searching and you should find
plenty of tutorials/explanations.

"James R" <x@y.com> wrote in message news:4261ee90$1@quokka.wn.com.au...
> I am a retailer whose software back-end has just been upgraded from Access
> to SQL Server 2000. (The front-end is an independently-written shop Point
Of
> Sale system)
>
> While I know a fair bit about computers, I know nothing about SQL Server.
> And frankly, I don't want to know much. I don't need to build any new
> databases, program SQL, or "be an administrator". All I need to know about
> is how to go into the raw data like I did in Access and change that data.

Unfortunately you'll have to become somewhat of an administrator. You
should at the very least understand the backup model of SQL Server, ensure
you're making backups and even more so, make sure you can restore them.

>
> (The front-end software has some limitations, and I have found it easier
in
> the past to go into the dB through Access and search-and-replace, and
> generally edit the data as though I was in Excel).
>
> What is the easiest and quickest way to learn the skills I need for doing
> the same thing under SQL Server 2000?

Well, if you understand the SQL language, then, Query Analyzer is ultimately
your best bet.

If not, you can look into using Access as a front end tool to SQL 2000.

>
> Is there a particular book or site that you could recommend?
>
> Is there in fact a tool in existence that mimics Excel in the editing of
SQL
> data??

Probably, but I' not sure I'd trust it.:-)

>
>

Hi

No one has seemed to mention Books Online which is an invaluable resource
that comes with SQL Server. The latest version is downloadable at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/techinf...2000/books.asp

These links may also be useful:
http://www.aspfaq.com/show.asp?id=2423

If you have MSDE then you will not have Enterprise Manager a list of
alternative tools to administer
SQL Server can be found at http://www.aspfaq.com/show.asp?id=2442

John

"James R" <x@y.com> wrote in message news:4261ee90$1@quokka.wn.com.au...
>I am a retailer whose software back-end has just been upgraded from Access
> to SQL Server 2000. (The front-end is an independently-written shop Point
> Of
> Sale system)
>
> While I know a fair bit about computers, I know nothing about SQL Server.
> And frankly, I don't want to know much. I don't need to build any new
> databases, program SQL, or "be an administrator". All I need to know about
> is how to go into the raw data like I did in Access and change that data.
>
> (The front-end software has some limitations, and I have found it easier
> in
> the past to go into the dB through Access and search-and-replace, and
> generally edit the data as though I was in Excel).
>
> What is the easiest and quickest way to learn the skills I need for doing
> the same thing under SQL Server 2000?
>
> Is there a particular book or site that you could recommend?
>
> Is there in fact a tool in existence that mimics Excel in the editing of
> SQL
> data??
>
>

On 17 Apr 2005 07:21:55 -0700, pb648174 wrote:

>You can use Enterprise Manager, which is a client tool that comes with
>SQL Server, or you can just use Access as a front end to connect to the
>SQL Server database. Do some google searching and you should find
>plenty of tutorials/explanations.

Hi pb648174,

I don't think using Enterprise Manager is a good recommendation. Though
it does permit data entry in tables, it is actually not intended to be
used for that - and frankly, it shows. There are many issues with using
EM as data entry tool. Too many to be able to rely on it.

Some examples include:
* EM uses a different "default date" than the SQL Server engine. To use
a datetime to store just the time, SQL Server expects you to use the
default date part of Jan 1, 1900. But if you enter just a time part in a
datetime column in EM, the date part used will be Dec. 31, 1899. If you
also enter "time-only" datetime data from other source, all comparisons
will fail.
* When updating a view, EM sometimes uses the source of the view to do a
direct update to the underlying base tables instead. This will bypass
any triggers declared to execute on updates to the view. I didn't test
it, but it might even bypass security checks.

Some other weaknesses of EM, and some of it's strengths (for it is
actually rather good at the job it is designed for - which is to manage
the SQL Servers in an enterprise) are documented at
http://www.aspfaq.com/show.asp?id=2455

Best, Hugo
--

(Remove _NO_ and _SPAM_ to get my e-mail address)

To follow up here BOL is a great tool. The section 'How To' is a good place
to start. However, the problem with BOL is knowing the question to ask.

A down and dirty start is SQL Server Step by Step. This is real basic and
focuses on using Enterprise Manager mainly. Very little if any TransAct
involved here.

However, to get into the raw data, you can still use MS Access. My creating
a MS Access Project, you can connect to the SQL database and view various
objects such as tables, views, stored procedures, etc. You can also create
whatever front end using forms and reports in order to manipulate and
retrieve information in a quick fashion.


Akinja


"John Bell" <jbellnewsposts@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:42628de7$1$26335$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk...
> Hi
>
> No one has seemed to mention Books Online which is an invaluable resource
> that comes with SQL Server. The latest version is downloadable at
> http://www.microsoft.com/sql/techinf...2000/books.asp
>
> These links may also be useful:
> http://www.aspfaq.com/show.asp?id=2423
>
> If you have MSDE then you will not have Enterprise Manager a list of
> alternative tools to administer
> SQL Server can be found at http://www.aspfaq.com/show.asp?id=2442
>
> John
>
> "James R" <x@y.com> wrote in message news:4261ee90$1@quokka.wn.com.au...
>>I am a retailer whose software back-end has just been upgraded from Access
>> to SQL Server 2000. (The front-end is an independently-written shop Point
>> Of
>> Sale system)
>>
>> While I know a fair bit about computers, I know nothing about SQL Server.
>> And frankly, I don't want to know much. I don't need to build any new
>> databases, program SQL, or "be an administrator". All I need to know
>> about
>> is how to go into the raw data like I did in Access and change that data.
>>
>> (The front-end software has some limitations, and I have found it easier
>> in
>> the past to go into the dB through Access and search-and-replace, and
>> generally edit the data as though I was in Excel).
>>
>> What is the easiest and quickest way to learn the skills I need for doing
>> the same thing under SQL Server 2000?
>>
>> Is there a particular book or site that you could recommend?
>>
>> Is there in fact a tool in existence that mimics Excel in the editing of
>> SQL
>> data??
>>
>>
>
>
>

"James R" <x@y.com> wrote in message news:<4261ee90$1@quokka.wn.com.au>...
> I am a retailer whose software back-end has just been upgraded from Access
> to SQL Server 2000. (The front-end is an independently-written shop Point Of
> Sale system)
>
> While I know a fair bit about computers, I know nothing about SQL Server.
> And frankly, I don't want to know much. I don't need to build any new
> databases, program SQL, or "be an administrator". All I need to know about
> is how to go into the raw data like I did in Access and change that data.
>
> (The front-end software has some limitations, and I have found it easier in
> the past to go into the dB through Access and search-and-replace, and
> generally edit the data as though I was in Excel).
>
> What is the easiest and quickest way to learn the skills I need for doing
> the same thing under SQL Server 2000?
>
> Is there a particular book or site that you could recommend?
>
> Is there in fact a tool in existence that mimics Excel in the editing of SQL
> data??

Hello James;

I'm not a computer guru just an 'educated user' and part time amateur
developer. As I see it you still want to proceed as you did before
with Access to modify data on the SQL Server. This is possible and
simple. All you have to do is link to the tables from within Access.
They will then be manipulated exactly as you did before but they will
be stored on the SQL Server. The real trick here is to use and ODBC
connection to the table. You can either create a Data Set Name
directly or use the wizards provided by Access. The first step is to
try to link to the table you will need to specify that the "File of
type" is an ODBC database which requires you scroll to the bottom of
the "File of type" pull down list to find it on the Link conversation
box. It will then work you through the process to create a DSN and
you will then be able to link to and manipulate the tables through
Access as you did before.

However, I'm not certain whether you have someone looking after your
back end database. If not, then the warnings offered elsewhere in
previous replies are critical. You must learn to protect your data
and do backups and be able to restores your data. If this is your
total responsibility you better get started because it could cost you
everything if the data is critical to your business.

Cheers;

Bill