Get help with software downloading in the Data Pub Thursday 4.30-6.00 p.m.
All data journalists can benefit from learning Structured Query Language or SQL, the language behind database managers. Whether you're hunting for evidence in large databases, needing to mash data tables together, or building an interactive database for your news organization, SQL is a tool for making these data skills possible. This course introduces SQL with an emphasis on how it can help reporters manage data for deeper investigative dives into that data.
These sessions introduce the SQL model and cover the basics of writing SQL queries. Familiarity with spreadsheets is helpful but no experience with SQL or databases is assumed.
Attendees should install software before the session, and they can get installation help at the Data Pub Thursday between 4.30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Microsoft Access is the way to start and it’s only available on Windows.
If not Access, the Windows users should either install SQL Server Express 2014 found here:https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42299.
They should select ExpressAdv 32BIT\SQLEXPRADV_x86_ENU.exe for the correct 32-bit installer or ExpressAdv 64BIT\SQLEXPRADV_x64_ENU.exe for the correct 64-bit installer. If they’re not sure which to use, then have them install the 32-bit by default. The software is free but not open source.
Or they can go open source (and free) by installing PostgreSQL from herehttp://www.postgresql.org/download/. From that page, there are both 32-bit and 64-bit installers. Once PostgreSQL is installed, they should next install Navicat on top of that found here: http://www.navicat.com/download/navicat-for-postgresql. They’ll have to use the 14-day trial version unless they want to purchase it outright.
For Mac users, we’re recommending PostgreSQL for Mac followed by Navicat on top of that. PostreSQL is found here http://www.enterprisedb.com/products-services-training/pgdownload#osx and Navicat here: http://www.navicat.com/download/navicat-for-postgresql.
You can get installation help at the Data Pub Thursday between 3 p.m. and 4.30 p.m.