SQL Server Triggers

Overview of SQL Server Triggers

A SQL Server trigger is a piece of procedural code, like a stored procedure which is
only executed when a given event happens. There are different types of events that can
fire a trigger. Just to name you a few, the insertion of rows in a table, a change in a
table structure and even a user logging into a SQL Server instance.

A trigger is a special kind of stored procedure that automatically executes when an

event occurs in the database server. An SQL trigger may call stored procedures or
user-defined functions to perform additional processing when the trigger is executed.
 Overview of SQL Server Triggers

There are three main characteristics that make triggers different than stored
procedures:

Triggers cannot be manually executed by the user.

There is no chance for triggers to receive parameters.

You cannot commit or rollback a transaction inside a trigger.

 Con’t…
• Trigger is a database object (procedure) that works as a watchdog for certain
event. Using database triggers we can catch this event and initiate some additional
action – such as logging or rejecting the action.

• A SQL trigger is a database object which fires when an event occurs in a

database. We can execute a SQL query that will "do something" in a database
when a change occurs on a database table such as a record is inserted or updated
or deleted. For example, a trigger can be set on a record insert in a database table.

• In simple words, we can say that, if you want to execute some pre-processing or
post-processing logic before or after the Insert, Update, or Delete in a table then
you need to use Triggers.
 Con’t…

A trigger description contains three parts:

Event: A change to the database that activates the trigger.

Condition: A query or test that is run when the trigger is activated.

Action: A procedure that is executed when the trigger is activated and its

condition is true.
 Con’t…
Why do we need DML Triggers in SQL Server?

• DML Triggers are used to enforce business rules and data integrity. These triggers
are very much similar to constraints in the way they enforce integrity.

• So, with the help of DML Triggers, we can enforce data integrity which cannot be
done with the help of constraints that is comparing values with values of another
table, etc.
 How to create triggers?
We can create triggers by using the CREATE TRIGGER statement. The statement

specifies the table on which a trigger is defined, the events for which the trigger

executes, and the particular instructions for the trigger.

Syntax

Create trigger trigger_name

[Before | After) [ Insert | Update | Delete]

on [Table_Name]

[ for each row | for each column ]

[ trigger_body ]
 Con’t…
Now let me break down this syntax and explain each and every part in detail.

Create Trigger
These two keywords are used to specify that a trigger block is going to be declared.

Trigger_Name
It specifies the name of the trigger. Trigger name has to be unique and shouldn’t repeat.

( Before | After )
This specifies when the trigger will be executed. It tells us the time at which the trigger is initiated, i.e, either
before the ongoing event or after.

Before Triggers are used to update or validate record values before they’re saved to the database.
 Con’t…
After Triggers are used to access field values that are set by the system and to effect changes in other records.
The records that activate the after trigger are read-only. We cannot use After trigger if we want to update a
record because it will lead to read-only error.

[ Insert | Update | Delete ]

These are the DML operations and we can use either of them in a given trigger.

on [ Table_Name ]
We need to mention the table name on which the trigger is being applied. Don’t forget to use on keyword and
also make sure the selected table is present in the database.

[ for each row | for each column ]

• Row-level trigger gets executed before or after any column value of a row changes

• Column Level Trigger gets executed before or after the specified column changes

• [ trigger_body]
 Con’t…
Where the Triggers are Created in SQL Server?
• In SQL Server, the Triggers are created within the Trigger folder which you can find when you expand the table as
shown in the below image.
 Categories of Triggers
Triggers can be divided into three main categories

1. DDL Triggers

2. DML Triggers

3. Logon triggers
 1. DDL Triggers
ª In SQL Server we can create triggers on DDL statements (like CREATE, ALTER and DROP)
and certain system-defined Stored Procedures that does DDL-like operations.

ª This type of trigger is fired against DDL statements like Drop Table, Create Table or Alter
Table. DDL Triggers are always After Triggers.

ª These triggers are created at the database level or server level based on the type of DDL event.

ª These triggers are useful in the below cases.

Prevent changes to the database schema

Audit database schema changes

To respond to a change in the database schema

 2. DML Triggers

In SQL Server we can create triggers on DML statements (like INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE)

and Stored Procedures that do DML-like operations.

 Basically, DML triggers are classified into two main types: -

a. After trigger (using FOR/AFTER CLAUSE)

The After trigger (using the FOR/AFTER CLAUSE) fires after SQL Server finishes the execution of

the action successfully that fired it. That is once the DML statement (such as Insert, Update, and

Delete) completes its execution, this trigger is going to be fired

Example: If you insert a record/row into a table then the trigger related/associated with the insert

event on this table will fire only after the row passes all the constraints, such as primary key

constraint and some rules. If the record/row insertion fails, SQL Server will not fire the After
 b.Instead of Trigger (using INSTEAD OF CLAUSE)

• The Instead of Trigger (using the INSTEAD OF CLAUSE) fires before SQL Server starts the execution of

the action that fired it. This is different from the AFTER trigger that fires after the action that caused it to fire.

We can have an INSTEAD OF insert/update/delete trigger on a table that successfully executed but does not

include the actual insert/update/delete to the table. INSTEAD OF triggers executes instead of the firing

statement. In other words, this type of trigger replaces the firing statement. This is very useful in cases where

you need to have cross database referential integrity. Specifies that the DML trigger launches instead of the

triggering SQL statement, thus, overriding the actions of the triggering statements. You can't specify

INSTEAD OF for DDL or logon triggers.

• Example: If you insert a record/row into a table then the trigger related/associated with the insert event on

this table will fire before the row passes all the constraints, such as primary key constraint and some rules. If

the record/row insertion fails, SQL Server will fire the Instead of Trigger.
 con’t…

As we have already understood how to create a trigger, now let’s understand the two variants of the

trigger those are Before insert and After insert. in order to implement them, let’s create a student

table with various columns as shown below:

Example:

CREATE TABLE Student(

studentID INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,

FName VARCHAR(20), LName VARCHAR(20), Address VARCHAR(30),

City VARCHAR(15), Marks INT, PRIMARY KEY(studentID)

);
 con’t…

Let’s try to use the first variant i.e, Before Insert

CREATE TRIGGER calculate

before INSERT

ON student

FOR EACH ROW

SET new.marks = new.marks+100;

Here when we insert data into the student table automatically the trigger will be
invoked. The trigger will add 100 to the marks column into the student column.
 con’t…

Now let’s use the second variant i.e, After Insert

 To use this variant we need one more table i.e, Percentage where the trigger will store the results. Use the

below code to create the Percentage Table.

create table Final_mark(

per int );
 con’t…

Now let us use the after insert trigger

CREATE TRIGGER total_mark

after insert

ON student

FOR EACH ROW

insert into Final_mark values(new.marks);

Here when we insert data to the table, total_mark trigger will store the result in the Final_mark table.
 3.Logon Triggers

 Logon triggers are a special type of triggers that fire when a LOGON event of SQL
Server is raised. This event is raised when a user session is being established with SQL
Server that is made after the authentication phase finishes, but before the user session is
actually established. Hence, all messages that we define in the trigger, such as error
messages, will be redirected to the SQL Server error log. Logon triggers do not fire if
authentication fails. We can use these triggers to audit and control server sessions, such
as to track login activity or limit the number of sessions for a specific login.

 This type of trigger is fired against a LOGON event before a user session is established
to the SQL Server.
 con’t…

• These triggers in SQL Server fire in response to a LOGON event. LOGON

triggers fire after successful authentication and before establishing the user

session.

• LOGON triggers are created at the server level and are useful below cases.

1.To audit login activity

2.To control the login activity

 Syntax for creating SQL Trigger

The syntax for creating a DML Triggers in SQL Server:

You can create a DML Trigger in SQL Server by using the following syntax
 Enabling and disabling DML triggers on a table

• Navigate to triggers folder at the table level, select the trigger, Right click on trigger and Click
on Enable/Disable to Enable or disable the trigger using SSMS.
• Disabling specific SQL Server trigger on a table using T-SQL.
• Disable trigger trigger_name on table name
• DISABLE TRIGGER TR_UPD_Locations2 on Locations
 Operations in Triggers

Dropping a trigger on a table.

• To drop a DML trigger on the table using SQL Server management studio, navigate to the Triggers folder under
the table. Select the table you want to drop, Right click on the trigger and click on Delete. Click Ok.
• Syntax: Drop Trigger Trigger_Name
• DROP TRIGGER TRL_UPD_Locations2
 con’t…

Display A Trigger

The below code will display all the triggers that are present.

Syntax: SHOW TRIGGERS;

The below code will display all the triggers that are present in a particular database.

SHOW TRIGGERS

IN database_name;

Eg: SHOW TRIGGERS IN CCI;

In the above example, all the triggers that are present in the database named CCI will be displayed.
 Examples

-- Create Employee table

CREATE TABLE Employee
( Id int Primary Key,
Name nvarchar(30),
Salary int,
Gender nvarchar(10),
DepartmentId int )

GO
-- Insert data into Employee table

INSERT INTO Employee VALUES (1,'Pranaya', 5000, 'Male', 3)

INSERT INTO Employee VALUES (2,'Priyanka', 5400, 'Female', 2)
INSERT INTO Employee VALUES (3,'Anurag', 6500, 'male', 1)
INSERT INTO Employee VALUES (4,'sambit', 4700, 'Male', 2)
INSERT INTO Employee VALUES (5,'Hina', 6600, 'Female', 3)
 con’t…

Example1: For Insert DML trigger

• Create a Trigger that will restrict the INSERT operation on the Employee table.
CREATE TRIGGER trInsertEmployee
ON Employee
FOR INSERT
AS BEGIN
PRINT 'YOU CANNOT PERFORM INSERT OPERATION' ROLLBACK TRANSACTION
END
Let’s try to insert the following record into the employee table.
INSERT INTO Employee VALUES (6, ‘Saroj’, 7600, ‘Male’, 1)
When you try to execute the above Insert statement it gives you an error
 Example2: For Update DML Trigger

Create a Trigger which will restrict the UPDATE operation on the Employee table.
CREATE TRIGGER trUpdateEmployee
ON Employee
FOR UPDATE
AS
BEGIn
PRINT 'YOU CANNOT PERFORM UPDATE OPERATION'
ROLLBACK TRANSACTION
END
Let’s try to update one record in the Employee table
UPDATE Employee SET Salary = 90000 WHERE Id = 1
When you try to execute the above Update statement it will give you the following error
 Example3: For Delete DML Triggers

Create a Trigger which will restrict the DELETE operation on the Employee table
CREATE TRIGGER trDeleteEmployee
ON Employee
FOR DELETE
AS
BEGIN
PRINT 'YOU CANNOT PERFORM DELETE OPERATION'
ROLLBACK TRANSACTION
END
Let’s try to delete one record from the Employee table
DELETE FROM Employee WHERE Id = 1
When we try to execute the above Delete statement, it gives us the below error
 Example4: For Insert/Update/Delete DML Trigger

Create a trigger that will restrict all the DML operations on the Employee table.

Now let’s create a trigger that will restrict all the DML Operations on the Employee table.

CREATE TRIGGER trAllDMLOperationsOnEmployee

ON Employee

FOR INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE

AS

BEGIN

PRINT 'YOU CANNOT PERFORM DML OPERATION'

ROLLBACK TRANSACTION

END

Now, you cannot perform any DML operations on the Employee table because those operations are restricted by a trigger called
 Example 5: Drop triggers

DROP Trigger TrggerName

Example:

DROP TRIGGER trDeleteEmployee

DROP TRIGGER trInsertEmployee

DROP TRIGGER trUpdateEmployee

 Example 6

Create a Trigger which will restrict all the DML operations on the Employee
table before 1 pm.
ALTER TRIGGER trAllDMLOperationsOnEmployee
ON Employee
FOR INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE
AS
BEGIN
IF DATEPART(HH,GETDATE()) < 13
BEGIN
PRINT 'INVALID TIME'
ROLLBACK TRANSACTION
END
 Questions

1. Create a trigger that prevents modification of salary values in the employee table?
Given information about Employee table.
create database TriggersSQL
create table Employee(
Id int primary key ,
fname varchar(20),
sex char,
salary int

insert into Employee values(11,'Ali','M',4000)

insert into Employee values(12,'Biruktawit','F',3000)
insert into Employee values(13,'Birukt','F',30)
Note: your trigger need to display the following error message
Raiserror (‘Salary information should not be modified',16,1)
 con’t…

go
create trigger SalaryTrigger
on Employee
for update
as
if (update(salary))
begin
Raiserror ('Slary information should not be modified',16,1)
rollback transaction
end
go

update Employee set salary =salary+10

 Question

2 The following code is also used to prevent deletion of more than 5 books at a time
from books table.

create table Books(

Book_title varchar(20) primary key ,
Author varchar(20),
Edition int
)

insert into Books values('How 2progrm java','Sams',4)

insert into Books values('How 2progrm C++','Jonson',4)
insert into Books values('databse maangment','Elmasri',7)
insert into Books values('Internet Engineering','Salling',4)
insert into Books values('Network sequirity','Staling',4)
insert into Books values('jjj','oo',9)
insert into Books values('pary','Jonson',4)
insert into Books values('uu','Jonson',4)
 con’t..

go
create trigger Trdelete_book
on Books
for delete
as
if (select count(*) from deleted ) >5
begin
Raiserror('Hey buddy u cant delete book more than 5',16,1)
rollback transaction
end
go

delete from Books where Edition=4

delete from Books where Book_title='How 2progrm java'
select * from Books
 Exercise

1. Use the table structure shown below:

Stud_Course (studID, courseNo,CourseTitle, CrHr)
Write a trigger to prevent insertion of record at a point where the total sum of Credits taken by the student exceeds 180
credit hours.
create table Stud_Course (
studID int,
courseNo int,
CourseTitle varchar(50),
CrHr int
)
drop table stud_course
insert into Stud_Course values(1,11,'dbms',5)
insert into Stud_Course values(14,11,'dbms',18)
insert into Stud_Course values(14,11,'d',140)
insert into Stud_Course values(14,11,'db',20)