Create an Update Query

Caution   You cannot undo the action of executing an Update query. As a precaution, back up your data before executing the query.

Background information

You can change the contents of multiple rows in one operation by using an Update query. For example, in a titles table you can use an Update query to add 10% to the price of all books for a particular publisher.

When you create an Update query, you specify:

• The table to update.
• The columns whose contents you want to update.
• The value or expression to use to update the individual columns.
• Search conditions to define the rows you want to update.

For example, the following query updates the titles table by adding 10% to the price of all titles for one publisher:

UPDATE titles
SET price = price * 1.1
WHERE (pub_id = '0766')

Create an Update query

1. In the Database window, click Queries   under Objects, and then click New.
2. In the New Query dialog box, select Design Stored Procedure.
3. In the Add Table dialog box, add the table, view, or function you want to use to update, and then click Close.
4. On the Query menu click Append Query.

   Note    If more than one table is displayed in the Grid pane when you start the Update query, the Query Designer displays the Update Table dialog box to prompt you for the name of the table to update.

5. Define the data columns to update by adding them to the query. Columns will be updated only if you add them to the query.
6. In the New Value column of the Grid pane, enter the update value for the column. You can enter literal values, column names, or expressions. The value must match (or be compatible with) the data type of the column you are updating.

   Caution   The Query Designer cannot check that a value fits within the length of the column you are updating. If you provide a value that is too long, it might be truncated without warning. For example, if a name column is 20 characters long but you specify an update value of 25 characters, the last 5 characters might be truncated.

7. Define the rows to update by entering search conditions in the Criteria column.

   If you do not specify a search condition, all rows will be updated.

   Note   When you add a column to the Grid pane for use in a search condition, the Query Designer also adds it to the list of columns to be updated. If you want to use a column for a search condition but not update it, clear the check box next to the column name in the rectangle representing the table, view, or function . (  ).

When you execute an Update query by using the Run button on the Query Designer toolbar, a message appears indicating how many rows were changed.