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APPENDIX E
Glossary of Common
SQL Commands
*
The asterisk character returns all the columns of a particular table.

ALTER DATABASE
ALTER DATABASE database_name;

The ALTER DATABASE statement changes the size or settings of a database.

ALTER USER
ALTER USER user

The ALTER USER statement changes a user’s system settings such as a

BEGIN TRANSACTION
1> BEGIN TRANSACTION transaction_name
2> transaction type
3> if exists
4> begin

The BEGIN TRANSACTION statement signifies the beginning of a user transac-

CLOSE CURSOR
close cursor_name

The CLOSE cursor_name statement closes the cursor and clears it of data. To
completely remove the cursor, use the DEALLOCATE CURSOR statement.
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COMMIT TRANSACTION
COMMIT;

The COMMIT TRANSACTION statement saves all work since the beginning of the transaction
(since the BEGIN TRANSACTION statement was executed).

CREATE DATABASE
CREATE DATABASE database_name;

The CREATE DATABASE statement creates a new database. Many different options can be
supplied, such as the device on which to create the database and the size of the initial
database.

CREATE INDEX
CREATE INDEX index_name
ON table_name(column_name1, [column_name2], ...);

An index can order the contents of a table based on the contents of the indexed field(s).

CREATE PROCEDURE
CREATCCREATE PROCEDURE procedure_name
[[(]@parameter_name
datatype [(length) | (precision [, scale])
[= default][output]
[, @parameter_name
datatype [(length) | (precision [, scale])
[= default][output]]...[)]]
[with recompile]
AS SQL_statements

The CREATE PROCEDURE statement creates a new stored procedure in the database. This
stored procedure can consist of SQL statements and can then be executed using the
EXECUTE command. Stored procedures support the passing of input and output parameters
and can return an integer value for status checking.

CREATE TABLE
CREATE TABLE table_name
( field1 datatype [ NOT NULL ],
field2 datatype [ NOT NULL ],
field3 datatype [ NOT NULL ]...)

The CREATE TABLE statement creates a new table within a database. Each optional field is
provided with a name and data type for creation within that table.
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CREATE TRIGGER
CREATE TRIGGER trigger_name
ON table_name
FOR {insert, update, delete}
AS SQL_Statements

The CREATE TRIGGER statement creates a trigger object in the database that will execute
its SQL statements when its corresponding table is modified through an INSERT, UPDATE,
or DELETE. Triggers can also call stored procedures to execute complex tasks.

CREATE USER
CREATE USER user

The CREATE USER statement creates a new user account, complete with user ID and
password.

CREATE VIEW
CREATE VIEW <view_name> [(column1, column2...)] AS
SELECT <table_name column_names>
FROM <table_name>

A view is often described as a virtual table. Views are created by using the CREATE VIEW
statement. After a view is created, it can be queried, and data within the view can be
modified.

DEALLOCATE CURSOR
DEALLOCATE CURSOR cursor_name E

The DEALLOCATE CURSOR statement completely removes the cursor from memory and
frees the name for use by another cursor. You should always close the cursor with the
CLOSE CURSOR statement before deallocating it.

DECLARE CURSOR
DECLARE cursor_name CURSOR
FOR select_statement

The DECLARE CURSOR statement creates a new cursor from the SELECT statement query.
The FETCH statement scrolls the cursor through the data until the variables have been
loaded. Then the cursor scrolls to the next record.

DROP DATABASE
DROP DATABASE database_name;
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The DROP DATABASE statement completely deletes a database, including all data and the
database’s physical structure on disk.

DROP INDEX
DROP INDEX index_name;

The DROP INDEX statement removes an index from a table.

DROP PROCEDURE
DROP PROCEDURE procedure_name

The DROP PROCEDURE statement drops a stored procedure from the database; its function
is similar to the DROP TABLE and DROP INDEX statements.

DROP TABLE
DROP TABLE table_name;

The DROP TABLE statement drops a table from a database.

DROP TRIGGER
DROP TRIGGER trigger_name

The DROP TRIGGER statement removes a trigger from a database.

DROP VIEW
DROP VIEW view_name;

The DROP VIEW statement removes a view from a database.

EXECUTE
EXECUTE [@return_status = ]
procedure_name
[[@parameter_name =] value |
[@parameter_name =] @variable [output]...]]

The EXECUTE command runs a stored procedure and its associated SQL statements.
Parameters can be passed to the stored procedure, and data can be returned in these
parameters if the OUTPUT keyword is used.

FETCH
FETCH cursor_name [into fetch_target_list]
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The FETCH command loads the contents of the cursor’s data into the provided program
variables. After the variables have been loaded, the cursor scrolls to the next record.

FROM
FROM <tableref> [, <tableref> ...]

The FROM statement specifies which tables are used and/or joined.

GRANT
GRANT role TO user

or
GRANT system_privilege TO {user_name | role | PUBLIC}

The GRANT command grants a privilege or role to a user who has been created using the
CREATE USER command.

GROUP BY
GROUP BY <col> [, <col> ...]

The GROUP BY statement groups all the rows with the same column value.

HAVING
HAVING <search_cond>

The HAVING statement is valid only with GROUP BY and limits the selection of groups to E
those that satisfy the search condition.

INTERSECT
INTERSECT

The INTERSECT statement returns all the common elements of two SELECT statements.

ORDER BY
ORDER BY <order_list>

The ORDER BY statement orders the returned values by the specified column(s).

REVOKE
REVOKE role FROM user;
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or
REVOKE {object_priv | ALL [PRIVILEGES]}
[, {object_priv | ALL [PRIVILEGES]} ] ...
ON [schema.]object
FROM {user | role | PUBLIC} [, {user | role | PUBLIC}] ...

The REVOKE command removes a database privilege from a user, whether it be a system
privilege or a role.

ROLLBACK TRANSACTION
ROLLBACK TRANSACTIONROLLBAKC;

The ROLLBACK TRANSACTION statement effectively cancels all work done within a trans-
action (since the BEGIN TRANSACTION statement was executed).

SELECT
SELECT [DISTINCT | ALL]

The SELECT statement is the beginning of each data retrieval statement. The modifier
DISTINCT specifies unique values and prevents duplicates. ALL is the default and allows
duplicates.

SET TRANSACTION
SET TRANSACTION (READ ONLY | USE ROLLBACK SEGMENT);

The SET TRANSACTION command enables the user to specify when a transaction should
begin. The READ ONLY option locks a set of records until the transaction ends to ensure
that the data is not changed.

UNION
UNION

The UNION statement returns all the elements of two SELECT statements.

WHERE
WHERE <search_cond>

The WHERE statement limits the rows retrieved to those meeting the search condition.