Microsoft SQL Server forum - Just being curious

Author

Just being curious

theintrepidfox@hotmail.com

2005-08-26, 1:23 pm

Hi Group

It's a rainy day and because of pure boredom have right-clicked a row
in EM and selected 'Properties'.

Just being curious what the dialog coming up is all about (call me
ignorant!) and where I can find more information (Keyword?)in BOL?

One thing I wonder however and maybe someone can answer this question
is that this dialog suggests that a table is nothing more than a query
and not a physical representation of data? I'm not an SQL expert and
thought data is stored in 'pages' and that those pages are the actual
tables? I got this idea as on the 'Query' tab, the table name is listed
as 'Query Name'.
However, if it's a query, I should be able to just type the table name
in Query Analyzer (like calling a system sp) and execution should
return the table data which it doesn't but says it's a table object?
But then again, the table object must be based on a query?

Just wondered.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Martin

Erland Sommarskog

2005-08-26, 8:23 pm

(theintrepidfox@hotm
ail.com) writes:
> It's a rainy day and because of pure boredom have right-clicked a row
> in EM and selected 'Properties'.
>
> Just being curious what the dialog coming up is all about (call me
> ignorant!) and where I can find more information (Keyword?)in BOL?

You clicked which row? There are many Properties dialogs in Enterprise
Manager.

> One thing I wonder however and maybe someone can answer this question
> is that this dialog suggests that a table is nothing more than a query
> and not a physical representation of data?

A table is not a query. But there is some funny command in EM "Open
Table" where you can view, insert and update data without typing
any queries yourself. EM will create those queries for you.

--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel@sommarskog.se

Books Online for SQL Server SP3 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/techin.../2000/books.asp

theintrepidfox@hotmail.com

2005-08-26, 8:24 pm

Hello Erland

Thanks for your answer and sorrry to everyone for posting twice.
Accident.
I clicked any row . SQL 2000. And as I noticed, there's a Help button
that explains some of the features. Feeling pretty stupid now.

But still, is a table object just a query which displays data in some
logical (to the user) format and if yes, where are the queries stored
that underlay the table object? Just being curious. Is there any
reading you can recommend on that topic?
Thanks by the way for the very good information on your website,
dynamic SQL in specific. Very helpful.

Martin

Stu

2005-08-26, 8:24 pm

Martin,

When you open a table in Enterprise Manager, you are actually opening a
query against that table in the Enterprise Manager Query Designer. A
table is a a table; there are no queries underlying a table object.
What the properties refer to in this scenario is the query being run
against the table in the Enterprise Manager.

Hope that helps clarify the confusion.
Stu

theintrepidfox@hotmail.com

2005-08-26, 8:24 pm

Thanks Stu!

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