could somebody give me an example of how to write a cursor that will up date fields within a table from a table of the same design. this will be used to update existing data and to add new.

OK From what I think I understand of your problem you do not need to use a
cursor.

If they are in the same database you can easily do

UPDATES

UPDATE A
SET A.Field = B.Field
FROM TABLE1 A JOIN TABLE2 B
ON A.KeyCol = B.KeyCol

Even if not in the same DB you can use this

INSERTS

INSERT TABLE1(col list)
SELECT <T2 Col List)
FROM TABLE2 T2 LEFT OUTER JOIN TABLE1 T1
ON T2.KeyCol = T1.KeyCol
WHERE T1.KeyCol IS NULL


If ths is not what you mean then can you please expand a little.

--

----------------------------

Allan Mitchell MCSE,MCDBA, (Microsoft SQL Server MVP)
www.allisonmitchell.com - Expert SQL Server Consultancy.
www.SQLDTS.com - The site for all your DTS needs.
I support PASS - the definitive, global community
for SQL Server professionals - http://www.sqlpass.org


"shane" <anonymous (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

used to update existing data and to add new.

Right, avoid using cursors in SQL Server unless the set is very small. The
whole point of T-SQL is to use "set" processing, not interative processing,
because it is wildly more efficient. I came to SQL from SAS, where
everything is just a looping through each record in a table and I used to
use cursors alot. Try not to.

"Allan Mitchell" <allan (AT) no-spam (DOT) sqldts.com> wrote

thanks for that
When would you use a cursor and a trigger then

Cheer

----- Allan Mitchell wrote: ----

OK From what I think I understand of your problem you do not need to use
cursor

If they are in the same database you can easily d

UPDATE

UPDATE
SET A.Field = B.Fiel
FROM TABLE1 A JOIN TABLE2
ON A.KeyCol = B.KeyCo

Even if not in the same DB you can use thi

INSERT

INSERT TABLE1(col list
SELECT <T2 Col List
FROM TABLE2 T2 LEFT OUTER JOIN TABLE1 T
ON T2.KeyCol = T1.KeyCo
WHERE T1.KeyCol IS NUL


If ths is not what you mean then can you please expand a little

--

---------------------------

Allan Mitchell MCSE,MCDBA, (Microsoft SQL Server MVP
www.allisonmitchell.com - Expert SQL Server Consultancy
www.SQLDTS.com - The site for all your DTS needs
I support PASS - the definitive, global communit
for SQL Server professionals - http://www.sqlpass.or


"shane" <anonymous (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote in messag
news:F475DFC4-5F6E-4C13-B88D-20CC94AD5B14 (AT) microsoft (DOT) com..
used to update existing data and to add new

A cursor is generally,not always, slower despite the bad press. Even Joe
Celko concedes this point when calculating running totals in one of his
publications. I only ever use a cursor when the logic is so complicated,
the data I am working with is small and there is most definitely no other
way of doing it. I will explore woraround using temp tables first before
cursors.

Triggers

I use triggers to implement complicated business logic when enforcing a
relationship. They are essentially a special type of stored proc. Remember
though that they may increase the transaction time for your other
statements.



--

Allan Mitchell MCSE,MCDBA, (Microsoft SQL Server MVP)
www.allisonmitchell.com - Expert SQL Server Consultancy.
www.SQLDTS.com - The site for all your DTS needs.
I support PASS - the definitive, global community
for SQL Server professionals - http://www.sqlpass.org


"shane" <anonymous (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

Thankyo

----- Allan Mitchell wrote: ----

A cursor is generally,not always, slower despite the bad press. Even Jo
Celko concedes this point when calculating running totals in one of hi
publications. I only ever use a cursor when the logic is so complicated
the data I am working with is small and there is most definitely no othe
way of doing it. I will explore woraround using temp tables first befor
cursors

Trigger

I use triggers to implement complicated business logic when enforcing
relationship. They are essentially a special type of stored proc. Remembe
though that they may increase the transaction time for your othe
statements



--

Allan Mitchell MCSE,MCDBA, (Microsoft SQL Server MVP
www.allisonmitchell.com - Expert SQL Server Consultancy
www.SQLDTS.com - The site for all your DTS needs
I support PASS - the definitive, global communit
for SQL Server professionals - http://www.sqlpass.or


"shane" <anonymous (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote in messag
news:91329030-29F2-4F24-BBC6-291BB539159F (AT) microsoft (DOT) com..