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Conventions and Features in This Book

This book presents information using conventions designed to make the information readable and easy to follow. Before you start the book, read the following list, which explains conventions you will see throughout the book and points out helpful features in the book that you might want to use.

Conventions

Each chapter gives you a background explanation as well as a set of procedures for learning by doing. Each procedure is presented as a series of numbered steps (1, 2, and so on).
Notes labeled Tip provide additional information or alternative methods for completing a step successfully.
Notes labeled Important alert you to information you need to check before continuing.
Text that you type appears in bold.
SQL keywords appear in uppercase.
Visual Basic programming elements appear in italics.
A series of menu commands are shown separated by the pipe character ().
A plus sign (+) between two key names means that you must press those keys at the same time. For example, Press Alt+Tab means that you hold down the Alt key while you press the Tab key.

Other Features

Sidebars throughout the book provide more in-depth information about the topic. The sidebars might contain background information, design tips, or features related to the information being discussed.
Each chapter ends with a Quick Reference section. The Quick Reference section contains quick reminders of how to perform the tasks you learned in the chapter.

System Requirements

You will need the following hardware and software to complete the practice exercises in this book.

Note	Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 software are not included with this book! The CD-ROM packaged in the back of this book contains the code samples needed to complete the exercises. SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio 2005 software must both be purchased separately.

Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1, or Microsoft Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4
Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition or Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition. For Chapter 5, you will need Microsoft Visio 2003, which is included with Visual Studio 2005 Professional with MSDN Premium. Alternatively, you can execute most of the code in this book using Microsoft Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition, which is available as a free download from www.microsoft.com .
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express (included with Visual Studio 2005) or Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition
600 MHz Pentium or compatible processor (1 GHz Pentium recommended)
256 MB RAM (512 MB or more recommended)
Video monitor (800 — 600 or higher resolution) with at least 256 colors (1024 — 768 high- color 16-bit recommended)
CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
Microsoft mouse or compatible pointing device

Sample Files

The companion CD inside this book contains the sample files that you will use as you perform the exercises in the book. The files and step-by-step instructions in the chapters allow you to learn by doing, which is an easy and effective way to acquire and remember new skills.

Installing the Sample Files

Follow these steps to install the sample files on your computer so that you can use them with the exercises in this book.

Remove the companion CD from the package inside this book and insert it into your CD-ROM drive.

Note	An end user license agreement should open automatically. If this agreement does not appear, open My Computer on the desktop or Start menu, double-click the icon for your CD-ROM drive, and then double-click StartCD.exe.

Review the end user license agreement. If you accept the terms, select the accept option and then click Next.

A menu will appear with options related to the book.
Click Install Sample Files.
Follow the instructions that appear.

The sample files are installed to the following location on your computer:

My Documents\Microsoft Press\SQL DB Essentials SBS\\

Using the Sample Files

Each chapter in this book explains when and how to use any sample files for that chapter. When its time to use a sample file, the book will point you to the appropriate file or folder. The chapters are built around scenarios that simulate real programming projects so that you can easily apply the skills you learn to your own work. For SQL Script samples, you will typically open the file in SQL Server Management Studio, highlight the relevant portion of the script, and execute only that portion before proceeding. For Visual Studio projects, you will double-click the .sln file to open the project and navigate within Visual Studio to the relevant code.

Project	Description
Chapter 3	Scripts to learn how to create traces, to study how different actions against the database alter its performance, and to create some deadlock troubleshooting.
Chapter 6	Samples allow you to test each of the different ways to access database information using the different technologies that can be used.
Chapter 7	Samples show you how to perform select operations against the database to obtain different results.
Chapter 8	Samples demonstrate how to create and work with views.
Chapter 9	Samples demonstrate how to use programmable objects to retrieve information.
Chapter 10	AdoNet Samples folder: Shows you how to insert information using ADO.NET objects. Sample Codes folder: Includes different T-SQL scripts to insert information. SSIS folder: Contains samples about how to insert data using Integration Services.
Chapter 11	Samples to learn how to perform delete operations.
Chapter 11-Completed	Contains the final version after performance of all step-by-step operations in the chapter.
Chapter 12	Shows how to perform update operations against the database.
Chapter 12-Completed	Contains the final version after performance of all step-by-step operations in the chapter.

Uninstalling the Sample Files

Follow these steps to remove the sample files from your computer.

In the Control Panel, open Add Or Remove Programs.
From the list of Currently Installed Programs, select Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database Essentials Step by Step.
Click Remove.
Follow the instructions that appear to remove the sample files.

Note	Sample files for this book are on the companion CD.

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