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UPDATE in order to normalize

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PalaDolphin
Starting Member

4 Posts

Posted - 2012-08-18 : 14:02:34

This is probably a very basic thing to do, but I'm having difficulty.

In short, what I think I want to do is UPDATE INTO based on a SELECT query in order to normalize a table (I hope I'm getting that terminology right).

I have a table `quotes` (from Criminal Minds) with columns Episode, Quote, Author, Character, FullName, Actor. I've created seperate tables with unique values for `Character` (which is just the last name) and `Author`, since there are several quotes per each author and character. These new tables have been given a auto_increment primary key, author_id and char_id respectively. I've now added those columns to the `quotes` tables so I can link them.

What I want to do is execute an SQL statement that will update the `quotes` table fields author_id and char_id based on Author and Character fields so I can eventually eliminate them.

So, for the case of `Character` table, fields Character, FullName, and Actor will be moved to that table and replaced by char_id. Same with `Author` table.

I just don't know the syntax. I think it should be something like:

UPDATE `quotes`
SET quotes.char_id = new_id
WHERE new_id=(SELECT Character.char_id
FROM Character, quote
WHERE Character.Character = quote.Character);

Is that even close to where I should go with this or what?

Sincerely,

-=- PalaDolphin

visakh16
Very Important crosS Applying yaK Herder

52326 Posts

Posted - 2012-08-18 : 15:16:13

its really close!


UPDATE q
SET q.char_id = c.new_id
FROM `quotes` q
INNER JOIN Character c
ON c.lastname = q.Character


UPDATE q
SET q.author_id = a.new_id
FROM `quotes` q
INNER JOIN Author a
ON a.lastname = q.Author

I've assumed the column names so make sure you put actual names in your query based on placeholders above

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SQL Server MVP
http://visakhm.blogspot.com/

PalaDolphin
Starting Member

4 Posts

Posted - 2012-08-19 : 12:49:26

INNER JOIN! I knew it was something like that.

-=- PalaDolphin

visakh16
Very Important crosS Applying yaK Herder

52326 Posts

Posted - 2012-08-19 : 13:46:47

hope it solved your issue

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SQL Server MVP
http://visakhm.blogspot.com/

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