Using CREATE in SQL Mode › Planning the Query

Planning the Query

You can chose among several methods to create a new query. You can use Guided or the CA Dataquery EDITOR available with CREATE function. And, you can access the EDITOR in any of the ways discussed in Accessing the EDITOR. Before you do any of these things, however, you should have a general idea about what you want to accomplish before you begin.

Prerequisites

Before creating a query, you should know the following:

• What data to report.
• The authorization IDs for the tables to be searched if the tables are not identified by your authorization ID.
• Whether to select only certain rows of data (for instance, only the data for certain zip codes).

You need to decide the following:

• Which database tables contain the data that you want.
• Whether to search more than one table.
• Which columns can be used to join tables. (See Understanding the Terminology for more information about the concept of joining tables.)

You should be familiar with the format definition options available with the execution panels as you plan your query. Getting a Report provides details about report format specifications, which include control breaks, subtotals, and totals.

Resources

CA Dataquery can provide online information about tables and columns for the SQL authorization ID shown on your USER PROFILE panel. (For details, see Using Administrative Functions.) The CA Dataquery Administrator can obtain a CA Datacom Datadictionary report that lists table and column names, along with other pertinent information.

Limitations

In writing a query or dialog, there are specific limitations to what you can do. You should not:

• Use words whose meanings might be misunderstood by CA Dataquery. (See the CA Dataquery Reference Guide for details.)
• Exceed the site-specific line limit of the EDITOR panel. (Line limits are dependent on certain installation parameters. See your CA Dataquery Administrator for site limits.)
• Join more than ten database tables or result tables.