SQL Builder & PySpark Editor
A user-friendly editor for building SQL queries within your transforms
Open SQL Builder
When you create or update a transform, you will open the SQL Builder by default. SQL Builder is a form that organizes key components of a SQL query in several input fields, FROM, JOIN, SELECT, WHERE, GROUP BY, HAVING, ORDER BY.
Tip
The Ascend SQL Functions reference guide provides a list of query expressions and functions supported by the Ascend platform.
Compose SQL with Auto-Completion
Ascend offers an auto-completion feature to assist building SQL statements as you start typing in the SQL Builder. The auto-completion feature will suggest known alias, tables, column names, as well as SQL functions.
- For example, you can start typing c. under Select. This will automatically bring up all column names and a sample of the dataset for the table c. Next, select the column you are looking for such as VendorID then click Enter or Tab to complete the entry. When finished, click Create or Update to save the changes.
Information
It may take some time load the column suggestions if the upstream was recently created. In that case, you will see a small loading icon at top right corner of the auto-suggest form.
Information
Table and column names cannot start with numbers in Ascend.
Monitor Query Execution
There are 2 categories of SQL errors.
- Category 1 (prior to actual query execution) - These errors are typically SQL syntax related and appear at the bottom of the SQL Builder Form right above the Cancel button.
- Category 2 (at query execution) - These errors appear in the Error Bar with detailed descriptions and suggested actions.
Information
Category 2 errors are either labeled as Error in 'RED' or as Warning in 'YELLOW'. Warning usually indicates a transient issues that will recover automatically without user intervention, while Error generally cannot be recovered automatically and may require user intervention.
Help!
If you need assistance or have questions about specific errors, please contact customer support through Intercom or our Slack community.
Updated about 2 months ago