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Query Syntax

Query Syntax

You can execute SQL queries against your Virtual SQL Server just as you would query a traditional SQL Server database.

Select Statements

The following syntax diagram outlines the supported SELECT syntax:

SELECT {
  [ TOP <numeric_literal> | DISTINCT ]
  {
    *
    | {
      <expression> [ [ AS ] <column_reference> ]
      | { <table_name> | <correlation_name> } .*
  } [ , ... ]
  }
  [ INTO csv:// [ filename= ] <file_path> [ ;delimiter=tab ] ]
  {
    FROM <table_reference> [ [ AS ] <identifier> ]
  } [ , ... ]
  [ [
      INNER | { { LEFT | RIGHT | FULL } [ OUTER ] }
    ] JOIN <table_reference> [ ON <search_condition> ] [ [ AS ] <identifier> ]
  ] [ ... ]
  [ WHERE <search_condition> ]
  [ GROUP BY <column_reference> [ , ... ]
  [ HAVING <search_condition> ]
  [ UNION [ ALL ] <select_statement> ]
  [
    ORDER BY
    <column_reference> [ ASC | DESC ] [ NULLS FIRST | NULLS LAST ]
  ]
  [
    LIMIT <expression>
  [
    { OFFSET | , }
    <expression>
  ]
  ]
} | SCOPE_IDENTITY()
 
<expression> ::=
  | <column_reference>
  | @ <parameter>
  | ?
  | COUNT( * | { [ DISTINCT ] <expression> } )k
  | { AVG | MAX | MIN | SUM | COUNT } ( <expression> )
  | NULLIF ( <expression> , <expression> )
  | COALESCE ( <expression> , ... )
  | CASE <expression>
      WHEN { <expression> | <search_condition> } THEN { <expression> | NULL } [ ... ]
    [ ELSE { <expression> | NULL } ]
    END
  | <literal>
  | <sql_function>
 
<search_condition> ::=
  {
  <expression> { = | > | < | >= | <= | <> | != | 
                 LIKE | NOT_LIKE | IN | NOT_IN | IS_NULL | IS_NOT_NULL | 
                 AND | OR | CONTAINS | BETWEEN 
               } [ <expression> ]
  } [ { AND | OR } ... ]

Insert Statements

The INSERT statement specifies the columns to be inserted and the new column values. You can specify the column values in a comma-separated list in the VALUES clause:

INSERT INTO <table_name>
  ( <column_reference> [ , ... ] )
VALUES
  ( { <expression> | NULL } [ , ... ] )
 
<expression> ::=
  | @ <parameter>
  | ?
  | <literal>

Update Statements

To issue an UPDATE query, provide a comma-separated list of columns and new column values as name-value pairs in the SET clause, as shown below:

UPDATE 
  <table_name> 
SET 
  { <column_reference> = <expression> } [ , ... ] 
WHERE 
  Id = <expression>  } [ { AND | OR } ... ]
 
<expression> ::=
  | @ <parameter>
  | ?
  | <literal>

Delete Statements

The DELETE statement requires:

  • The table name in the FROM clause
  • The primary key for the row in the WHERE clause

This format is shown below:

DELETE FROM <table_name> 
WHERE { 
  Id = <expression> 
} [ { AND | OR } ... ]
 
<expression> ::=
  | @ <parameter>
  | ?
  | <literal>