Sql – How to create a foreign key in SQL Server

sqlsql servertsql

I have never "hand-coded" object creation code for SQL Server and foreign key decleration is seemingly different between SQL Server and Postgres. Here is my sql so far:

drop table exams;
drop table question_bank;
drop table anwser_bank;

create table exams
(
    exam_id uniqueidentifier primary key,
    exam_name varchar(50),
);
create table question_bank
(
    question_id uniqueidentifier primary key,
    question_exam_id uniqueidentifier not null,
    question_text varchar(1024) not null,
    question_point_value decimal,
    constraint question_exam_id foreign key references exams(exam_id)
);
create table anwser_bank
(
    anwser_id           uniqueidentifier primary key,
    anwser_question_id  uniqueidentifier,
    anwser_text         varchar(1024),
    anwser_is_correct   bit
);

When I run the query I get this error:

Msg 8139, Level 16, State 0, Line 9
Number of referencing columns in
foreign key differs from number of
referenced columns, table
'question_bank'.

Can you spot the error?

Best Answer

And if you just want to create the constraint on its own, you can use ALTER TABLE

alter table MyTable
add constraint MyTable_MyColumn_FK FOREIGN KEY ( MyColumn ) references MyOtherTable(PKColumn)

I wouldn't recommend the syntax mentioned by Sara Chipps for inline creation, just because I would rather name my own constraints.

Related Solutions

Sql – How to perform an IF…THEN in an SQL SELECT

The CASE statement is the closest to IF in SQL and is supported on all versions of SQL Server.

SELECT CAST(
             CASE
                  WHEN Obsolete = 'N' or InStock = 'Y'
                     THEN 1
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             END AS bit) as Saleable, *
FROM Product

You only need to use the CAST operator if you want the result as a Boolean value. If you are happy with an int, this works:

SELECT CASE
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FROM Product

CASE statements can be embedded in other CASE statements and even included in aggregates.

SQL Server Denali (SQL Server 2012) adds the IIF statement which is also available in access (pointed out by Martin Smith):

SELECT IIF(Obsolete = 'N' or InStock = 'Y', 1, 0) as Saleable, * FROM Product

Sql – Add a column with a default value to an existing table in SQL Server

Syntax:

ALTER TABLE {TABLENAME} 
ADD {COLUMNNAME} {TYPE} {NULL|NOT NULL} 
CONSTRAINT {CONSTRAINT_NAME} DEFAULT {DEFAULT_VALUE}
WITH VALUES

Example:

ALTER TABLE SomeTable
        ADD SomeCol Bit NULL --Or NOT NULL.
 CONSTRAINT D_SomeTable_SomeCol --When Omitted a Default-Constraint Name is autogenerated.
    DEFAULT (0)--Optional Default-Constraint.
WITH VALUES --Add if Column is Nullable and you want the Default Value for Existing Records.

Notes:

Optional Constraint Name:
If you leave out CONSTRAINT D_SomeTable_SomeCol then SQL Server will autogenerate
a Default-Contraint with a funny Name like: DF__SomeTa__SomeC__4FB7FEF6

Optional With-Values Statement:
The WITH VALUES is only needed when your Column is Nullable
and you want the Default Value used for Existing Records.
If your Column is NOT NULL, then it will automatically use the Default Value
for all Existing Records, whether you specify WITH VALUES or not.

How Inserts work with a Default-Constraint:
If you insert a Record into SomeTable and do not Specify SomeCol's value, then it will Default to 0.
If you insert a Record and Specify SomeCol's value as NULL (and your column allows nulls),
then the Default-Constraint will not be used and NULL will be inserted as the Value.

Notes were based on everyone's great feedback below.
Special Thanks to:
@Yatrix, @WalterStabosz, @YahooSerious, and @StackMan for their Comments.