Posted by
Andy Brown
on 25 September 2023
We've been teaching SQL to advanced level for a long time now, but it's always been using Transact SQL (T-SQL), the Microsoft SQL Server dialect. If you have a MySQL database we can now teach you using your correct dialect and coding environment (let us know if you are interested in PostgreSQL, PL/SQL for Oracle or any other dialect).
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 30 August 2023
Should you write your SQL queries in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) or Azure Data Studio (ADS)? Read this blog to find out!
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 07 June 2023
One of the immediate and obvious ways to use AI tools is to boost your productivity as a programmer. This blog shows how you can use ChatGPT 4 and Google's Bard to write programs in SQL, Python, VBA, JQuery and Office Script (probably the 5 languages Wise Owl use most).
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 26 April 2023
The SQL Prompt utility from Redgate has an annual subscription cost, but on the plus side it will complete tedious joins for you (among many other things).
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 26 April 2023
The syntax of update queries in SQL is fiddly and hard to remember - much better to create a CTE and do updates through this!
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 01 February 2023
Although we currently just train in T-SQL for SQL Server, there are many other dialects of this database language: such as MySql and PL/SQL, for example. Which ones would you like Wise Owl to run courses in?
Posted by
Shaun Wantling
on 28 October 2022
A simple way to ensure that SSRS allocates colours consistently to different charts in an embedded table
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 06 October 2022
SQL Server 2022 is now in preview (you can download an evaluation copy). It includes new functions to split strings, trim text and truncate dates, among other things.
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 24 November 2021
You can use SQLCMD mode to parameterise the connection, database name, table name and select columns for a query - and much more besides, as this blog explains.
Posted by
Sam Lowrie
on 30 June 2021
Some of our poor delegates don't have the luxury of a home computer to install SQL on (even worse some have made bad life choices and picked a Mac). The good news is that you can still practise your SQL skills in your web browser, using the impressive SQL Fiddle site. Have no fear, SQL Fiddle is here, a browser based sandbox to bring you cheer!
Posted by
Sam Lowrie
on 28 April 2021
Normally when SQL Server Management Studio underlines words with what Microsoft call "red squigglies" it's because you haven't refreshed your local cache, but it could also be because of a recent bug - here's how to get round this!
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 22 March 2021
If you're using SQL Server with compatibility level 130 or greater you can now use the new String_Split function to divide a comma-delimited string into a table of values.
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 23 December 2020
Puzzled as to why there are two near-identical versions of Power BI Desktop? Wondering if web portal is anything like Power BI report server? Confused as to what a paginated report is? This blog answers all these questions, and more!
Posted by
Sam Lowrie
on 15 November 2023
Sam has a terrible sense of humour which is all too often inflicted on his delegates. Sadly, with this blog, on website viewers too ...
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 16 January 2020
Microsoft have brought out a new SQL editor called Azure Data Studio, to act as a substitute for SQL Server Management Studio, but this owl cannot see any justification for its existence!
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 10 January 2020
From SQL Server 2016 onwards you can choose to CREATE OR ALTER a procedure, trigger, view or function, as this blog explains.
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 25 November 2019
If you're working with different time zones, the AT TIME ZONE keywords introduced in SQL Server 2016 will make your life much easier - this blog explains how they work.
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 18 October 2019
Power BI improves with each monthly update. Will it reach a point where SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Services) becomes redundant? This detailed blog compares the two products, and considers the future of SSRS.
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 20 September 2019
The CONCAT function makes it much easier to join columns together, while the STRING_AGG and CONCAT_WS functions make it easier to create things like comma-delimited lists.
Posted by
Andy Brown
on 11 June 2019
If you're creating Reporting Services reports using multivalue parameters and stored procedures, you'll find this function to split a list of values into a single-table column useful.
