Introduction

A database is used to store data in an organized manner. Queries

are used to retrieve the desired data easily and accurately from
database. In other words we can say that a query is a sort of
question asked from a database.

A query is one of the most important feature of any DBMS. Using

a query, we can retrieve and display data from one or more tables
in a database.

LibreOffice Base allows us to create a query and even save it as

an object in a database. This helps us to run the query multiple
times as and when required.

Using a query, we can specify the fields that we want to display

and also the criterion based on which the records to be filtered.
For example In a Student database, if we want to display the
names and marks of the students in a particular class from the
Result table, who have scored less than 320 aggregate marks.

Queries

A query is to collect specific information from the pool of data. A

query helps us to join information from different tables and filter
that information

OR

Queries are commands that are used to define the data structure
and also to manipulate the data in the database.

Creating a Query

A query can be created in three ways. In this chapter we will learn

the first two methods to create a query.

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1. Using a Wizard

2. In Design View

3. In SQL view
Creating a Query Using a Wizard

Consider the following table: Table1 (created in database: School)

Rno Name Class Fees

1 Anil X 2500

2 Anuj XI 3000

3 Ashish XII 3200

Let us create a query that will display Roll number, Name, Class
from table “Table1” whose Roll number is 3.

To create a query using a wizard, follow the following steps.

1. Open the School database. Click on Queries button present in

the Database Pane.

2. In the Tasks Area, click on Use Wizard to Create Query… option

3. The Query Wizard will open.

Query Wizard
4. Select the required table and then select the required
fields(Name, Class and Rno) from the “Available fields” window to
“Field in the Query” window and click on Next Button.

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Query Wizard Field Selection

NOTE: Clicking on >> button moves all fields to “Fields in the

Query” area.

6. Select the ascending or descending order of any particular field

of the table. Since we do not want to set in a particular order, so
we click on Next button.

7. The next step is to set the search conditions or the criteria on

the basis of which records will be filtered from the table.
Query wizard criteria

NOTE: Since we want to display the detail of student having roll

number 3 so we set roll number as 3 in above step

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9. Steps 4, 5 and 6 given in the Steps Pane are not required if

there is no numeric field involved in the query. So skip these
steps.

10. The next step to give alias name i.e. the column header name
will be displayed when we run the query. Click on Next after
writing alias name.
Query Wizard Alias

NOTE: By default the field names will be displayed as column

headers. Some times field names are not user friendly, so an alias
name which is more readable is required. For example change the
default field name Rno to Roll Number.

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11. The last step of the Query wizard displays the entire overview
of the query.
Libre Office Base Query Wizard Overview

12. Click on Finish button.

NOTE:

1. Once the query is created, it can be edited in Design view.

NOTE: Last Step of Query Wizard includes the following (Query

Wizard Overview).

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Name of the Query – By default, the name of the query is

Query_Table1.

The action to be performed after the wizard finishes – By default

Display Query option will be selected. Click and select the Modify
Query radio button if the query has to be edited in the Design
view.

Complete detail of the query – This section contains a summary

about the query that has been created.
Creating a Query in Design View

Another way to create a query is using the Design view. This is a

more flexible method.

Consider the following table: Table1 (created in database: School)

Rno Name Class Fees

1 Anil X 2500

2 Anuj XI 3000

3 Ashish XII 3200

Let us create a query that will display Roll number, Name, Class
from table “Table1” whose Roll number is 3

1. Click Queries icon on the Objects Pane in the Database Window.

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2. Click Create Query in Design View… icon in the Tasks Pane. The
Query Design Window appears. In the middle of the window the
Add Table or Query dialog box is displayed as shown below
 Quer
y Design View

3. Click on the “Table1” table to be used in the query and then

click on Add Button. Alternatively double click on
the “Table1” table.

4. Click Close button in the Add Table or Query dialog box to close
it.
5. Next step is to select the fields. For our query we want to
display Roll number, Name and Class. So in the list box
of “Table1” table, double click on the required field.

NOTE: Observe that the Visible Check Box is by default selected.

This means that all these three fields will be visible when you run
the query. In the grid, there is a row titled Alias. It can be used to
display meaningful names in the output. For example, instead of
Rno, we would just like to display Roll Number.

To sort the records in either ascending or descending order of a

particular field, the Sort row is given in
the grid. Select ascending or descending from the drop down of
Sort row.

6. Write 3 in Criteria row below the Roll number Column.

Query Design-View
NOTE: Once the query is designed, click Run Query ( ) button on
the toolbar or press F5 key. The query result will be displayed in
the Tables Pane area.

7. Click on Save button to save the query.

NOTE: By default, the name of the Query is Query1. To run the

query again, double click on the query name. To close the Query
window, click on on close button on the top right corner of the
window.

Editing a Query

1. Right click on the Query Name Which you want to edit in the
Objects Area of the Database window.

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2. Select Edit option from the drop down menu. The Query Design
window will be displayed.

3. Make the required changes like change the Alias, apply criteria
or edit the existing criteria etc.

4. Click on Save and close the Query window.

Working with Numerical Data

Consider the following table: Table1 (created in database: School)

Rno Name Class Fees

1 Anil X 2500

2 Anuj XI 3000

Ashis
3 XII 3200
h

Let us create a query that will display maximum fees from the
table “Table1”.

1. In the Database Window, click Create Query in Design View…

button to open the Query Design Window.

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2. Select the required field. For our query we want to display
Fees. So in the list box of “Table1” table, double click on the
required field.

3. Select the function “Maximum” from the drop down list of

functions under “Fees” Column as shown below.

Design Query using Function

4. Press F5 to run the query.

SUMMARY

• A query is used to retrieve and display data from one or more

tables in a database.

• A specific search criteria is given to the DBMS to view the

desired information.

• The result of the query is displayed in tabular form with field

names in columns and the records in rows.

• A query can be created in three ways.

■ Using a Wizard

■ In Design View

■ In SQL view