SQL Standard – Where to Find SQL-86 First Standardization

sql-standard

This question is different but similar to this request looking for SQL-89.

The first draft of SQL is labeled SQL-86. Numerous references are made to it. Is this available to download? Wikipedia doesn't even have a page for it. I'm interested in it for historical reasons.

It seems to also be called

  • ANSI X3.135-1986
  • CAN/CSA Z243.47-88
  • ISO 9075:1987
  • SQL/1
  • NBS FIPS 127

The spec is cited in documents from the period as coming from ANSI Technical Committee X3H2.

I know there is webstore.ansi.org, but I can not find the X3.135-1986 document. I can however find X3.168-1989 spec which is available under X3.135-1992 Searching for both X3.168, and X3.135 do not permit me to buy the 1986 spec.

Best Answer

HTML SQL-86 Google Groups

I found some references about an HTML version of SQL-86.

The new URL for the HTML translation of SQL-86 is:

     http://speckle.ncsl.nist.gov/~sql/

The reason for this move is that I am taking a job in another lab and I had to get it off of my PC hard drive.

DWF

Unfortunately this link is broken, but I believe the OP is still working at NIST >as a Computer Scientist.

I've sent him a request via LinkedIN, and now I'm waiting for a reply.

The answer:

To Joan and others interested in SQL-86,

The 'HTML version' was a demonstration project that was never completed. Your best bet is to try to obtain the ANSI specification through interlibrary loan.

V/R, — David Flater National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S.A.

comp.databases Newsgroup Posting

I've found new references dated 12 Oct 89 about ANSI X3.135-1986: it's from newsgroup comp.databases where someone else was interested on this document. There is a response by Merrill Holt to the initial inquiry. Merrill Holt claims to be "a member of the X3H2 SQL and X3H2.1 RDA committees.", that seems likely as they're writing from a Sybase email address. He/she says,

The ANSI and ISO documents are identical (ISO 9075:1987 == ANSI X3.135-1986 and ISO 9075:1989 == ANSI X3.135-1989). All of these standards are known informally as SQL 1 as compared to future drafts which are referred to as SQL 2 and 3.

SQL 1   SQL 86  ANSI X3.135-1986   ISO 9075:1987 
        - level 1 DML & DDL 
        - level 2 DML & DDL 
        SQL 89  ANSI X3.135-1989   ISO 9075:1989 
        - level 1 DML & DDL 
        - level 2 DML & DDL 
        - IEF - new for 89

The answer points out to this company that may have the document:

Global Engineering 
2805 McGaw Ave 
Irvine, CA 92714

It turns out ISO does mention ISO 9075:1987 however they have it listed as obsolete and retired and are not currently selling it.

US Army Corps of Engineers

And I've found one available exemplar at:

US Army Corps of Engineers
Engineer Research and Development Center Library
3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS.
erdclibrary@ask-a-librarian.info

enter image description here

I'm not sure this is the original book covers.

Linda Hall Library

I've found one exemplar at Linda Hall Library

Other potential names

It seems some sources references this as ISO/TC 97/SC21/WG3 N117. However, I'm not sure how to read this or if this designation refers to the document or not. This source helps break down the acronyms.

  • TC refers to "Technical Committee"
  • SC refers to "Sub Committee"; 21 is Systems
  • WG is usually working group.
  • N117 may be a document or something published like a SQL spec.
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