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Course

Transactions and Error Handling in SQL Server

IntermediateSkill Level

4.8+

Updated 01/2025

Learn to write scripts that will catch and handle errors and control for multiple operations happening at once.

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SQLProgramming

4 hr

14 videos

52 Exercises

3,850 XP

16,178

Statement of Accomplishment

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Course Description

It is critical to know how to handle errors and manage transactions when programming SQL scripts. Unhandled errors can be very harmful and can cause unexpected situations, such as inconsistent data in your database, or even worse, errors can lead you to make wrong business decisions. In this course, you will learn how to handle errors and discover how to manage transactions in case of an error. Additionally, you will study what happens when two or more people interact at the same time with the same data. You will practice all these concepts using two datasets, one of them based on bank accounts and the other one on an electric bike store.

Prerequisites

Intermediate SQL Server

1

Starting with error handling

To begin the course, you will learn how to handle errors using the TRY...CATCH construct that provides T-SQL. You will study the anatomy of errors, and you will learn how to use some functions that can give you information about errors.

The TRY...CATCH syntax

Your first error-handling script

Nesting TRY...CATCH constructs

Error anatomy and uncatchable errors

Anatomy review

Correcting compilation errors

Giving information about errors

Error function syntax

Using error functions

Using error functions in a nested TRY...CATCH

2

Raising, throwing and customizing your errors

In this chapter, you will deepen your knowledge of handling errors. You will learn how to raise errors using RAISERROR and THROW. Additionally, you will discover how to customize errors.

RAISERROR syntax

CATCHING the RAISERROR

THROW with or without parameters

THROW without parameters

Executing a stored procedure that throws an error

THROW with parameters

Customizing error messages in the THROW statement

Ways of customizing error messages

Concatenating the message

FORMATMESSAGE with message string

FORMATMESSAGE with message number

3

Transactions in SQL Server

In this chapter, you will be introduced to the concept of transactions. You will discover how to commit and rollback them. You will finish by learning how to return the number of transactions and their state.

Transactions

Transaction statements

Correcting a transaction

Rolling back a transaction if there is an error

Choosing when to commit or rollback a transaction

@@TRANCOUNT and savepoints

Modifiers of the @@TRANCOUNT value

Checking @@TRANCOUNT in a TRY...CATCH construct

Using savepoints

XACT_ABORT & XACT_STATE

XACT_ABORT behavior

XACT_ABORT and THROW

Doomed transactions

4

Controlling the concurrency: Transaction isolation levels

This chapter defines what concurrency is and how it can affect transactions. You will learn exciting concepts like dirty reads, repeatable reads, and phantom reads. To avoid or allow this reads, you will explore, one by one, the different transaction isolation levels.

Transaction isolation levels

Concurrency phenomena

Using the READ UNCOMMITTED isolation level

READ COMMITTED & REPEATABLE READ

Choosing the correct isolation level

Prevent dirty reads

Preventing non-repeatable reads

SERIALIZABLE isolation level

Prevent phantom reads in a table

Prevent phantom reads just in some rows

Setting READ COMMITTED SNAPSHOT to ON

Comparing WITH (NOLOCK) & READ UNCOMMITTED

Avoid being blocked

Congratulations!

Transactions and Error Handling in SQL Server

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FAQs

What error handling techniques does this course teach in SQL Server?

You will learn to use TRY CATCH constructs, RAISERROR, and THROW to handle and raise errors. You will also learn to create custom error messages for better error management.

What datasets are used to practice transaction management?

You will practice using two datasets: one based on bank accounts and another from an electric bike store, applying transaction and error handling concepts to realistic scenarios.

Does this course cover what happens when multiple users modify the same data?

Yes. The course teaches you what happens when two or more people interact simultaneously with the same data, covering concurrency and its implications for data consistency.

Why is learning transaction management important for SQL developers?

Unhandled errors can cause inconsistent data or lead to wrong business decisions. Transaction management ensures your database remains consistent even when errors occur during operations.

What SQL Server knowledge do I need before starting?

You should complete Introduction to SQL Server and Intermediate SQL Server. No other prerequisites are required for this beginner-level course.

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