Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Databases

Select Statement

Of all the SQL statements that exist, the Select statement is the one you will use most of the time. Queries are entirely about extracting data out of a database. To accomplish this feat, you use the Select statement. Figure 8.3 illustrates a very simple Select statement.

Figure 8.3. The * symbol in a Select statement is a shorthand way of telling the database to return all fields in a table.

When you run a SQL statement in the SQL window, the SQL window is replaced with the Datasheet view. If you recall from previous discussions, when you open a table to look at data, you are presented with a Datasheet view of the data contained ...