Introduction

Locating information in SQL Server is as important as storing it. SQL Server 2000 goes beyond its standard support for Structured Query Language (SQL) with full-text search and English query capabilities. Each of these two components has a distinct role in adding value to the data stored in SQL Server. This chapter reviews their configuration and use in detail; you will learn how to configure each of these features for use in your applications.

Microsoft English Query is an optional component included with SQL Server and can be installed to take advantage of free-form English search capabilities. Users can be allowed to ask questions using common English expressions and receive their results from the database server. This capability allows developers to extend their applications to include ad hoc search capabilities in solutions such as decision support systems. Instead of understanding and issuing complex SQL statements, users can ask questions such as How many widgets did we sell last month in the Northeast? and receive valid results from SQL Server. With usability in mind, Microsoft English Query has been enhanced to decrease development time, with Visual Studio integration and new wizards to create basic English Query projects.

With the addition of the text data type in SQL Server 7.0, support for searching and locating information in text fields has become the task of the Full-Text Search component in SQL Server. Full-text searching allows users to locate specific and pattern-matched content in any text field using T-SQL statements. Using...