SSRS Reporting Services | Using SQL views exercise | Create a view as as basis for a report, then update it

This exercise is provided to allow potential course delegates to choose the correct Wise Owl Microsoft training course, and may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any format without the prior written consent of Wise Owl.

The answer to the exercise will be included and explained if you attend one of more of the courses listed below!

Software ==> SSRS Reporting Services  (99 exercises)
Version ==> SSRS 2016 and later
Topic ==> Using SQL views  (3 exercises)
Level ==> Relatively easy
Courses ==> Fast track SSRS  /  Advanced SSRS
Before you can do this exercise, you'll need to download and unzip this file (if you have any problems doing this, click here for help). Once you've done this:
  1. Go into SQL Server Management Studio;
  2. Open the SQL file you've just unzipped (you can press CTRL + O to do this); then
  3. Execute this script.

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This exercise involves creating a view to show which actors play which roles in which films, then amending it to take account of new column names.

You can choose to create and amend your view either using the built-in designer or by scripting it.  The choice, as Graham used to say, is yours!

Begin by creating a view called vwThesps to show a list of actors and the roles they've played in different films.  Your view should include these four columns:

Table Column New name to use
Film Title FilmName
Actor FullName ActorName
Role Role CharacterName
Film RunTimeMinutes Minutes

Now create a report called Role-playing based upon this view, grouping roles by actor:

Start of report

What the start of your report might look like.

 

It's time now to stop your view working!  In Management Studio, right-click on the Actor table and choose to change its design:

Changing actor table

Choose this short-cut menu option.

 

Rename the FullName column to ThespianName (the sort of thing IT departments do ...), then close the table, saving your changes.

Strangely, your report should still work even though it points to a field which no longer exists, but if you click on the Refresh Fields button in the Dataset Properties dialog box you will get an error.

Amend your view to accommodate the new field name, and refresh the list of dataset fields.  Everything should now work again!

Finally, please set the Actor table field name back to FullName (so that all of the other exercises still work), then save and close your report.

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