How can I copy data from column A in Table A to column B in Table B?

[gecastill]

Using the SQL UPDATE statement how can I copy a columns data say from column A in Table A to column B in Table B?
Note that I am using Microsoft SQL Server 2000


I try doing the following:

UPDATE B SET B.column_B = A.column_A
FROM Table_A A, Table_B B
WHERE A.numID = B.numID AND A.Line = B.Line

but it did not work so I try this

UPDATE Table_B
SET column_B = (SELECT column_A FROM Table_A WHERE Table_A.numID = 233)
WHERE Table_B.numID = 233

When I do this one I get the following error msg:
Server: Msg 512, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
Subquery returned more than 1 value. This is not permitted when the subquery follows =, !=, <, <= , >, >= or when the subquery is used as an expression. The statement has been terminated.


I am trying to copy all the values of column A in Table A to column B in Table B.


Any suggestions or hints are welcome

[riziko]

Using the SQL UPDATE statement how can I copy a columns data say from column A in Table A to column B in Table B?
Note that I am using Microsoft SQL Server 2000

That first one looks correct. What error did you get?

UPDATE Table_B
SET column_B = (SELECT column_A FROM Table_A WHERE Table_A.numID = 233)
WHERE Table_B.numID = 233

When I do this one I get the following error msg:
Server: Msg 512, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
Subquery returned more than 1 value. This is not permitted when the subquery follows =, !=, <, <= , >, >= or when the subquery is used as an expression. The statement has been terminated.

I would guess that your WHERE clause is not correct. You could cheat by using SELECT TOP 1 column_A but that is not really a good solution.

It should look something like this (note the table alias):

UPDATE Employees
SET TotalSales = (SELECT sum(Orders.Amount) FROM Orders WHERE Orders.EmployeeID = e.EmployeeID)
FROM Employees e

[gecastill]

riziko,

I try your suggestion, but it did not work
UPDATE table_B SET column_B = (SELECT column_A FROM table_A WHERE table_A.numID = B.numID) FROM table_B B

I got the following Microsof SQL Server 2000 error:
Server: Msg 207, Level 16, State 3, Line 1
Invalid column name 'numID'.

I don't think it recognizes the column B.numID in the statement.





I may be better of trying to get this one working
UPDATE Table_B
SET column_B = (SELECT column_A FROM Table_A WHERE Table_A.numID = 233)
WHERE Table_B.numID = 233

When I do this one I get the following error msg:
Server: Msg 512, Level 16, State 1, Line 1 Subquery returned more than 1 value. This is not permitted when the subquery follows =, !=, <, <= , >, >= or when the subquery is used as an expression. The statement has been terminated.


The problem here is that it can't process more than one value