Writing actual code is not something we've had to do yet with SAP HANA; we've been using the graphical modeling tools provided in the Studio. This is one of the strong points of the system. Writing SQL code in itself is relatively easy. It doesn't take much training to be able to write a simple SELECT statement. After a couple of tries, we can add a JOIN or two, GROUP BY, ORDER BY, and we think that we've mastered everything SQL has to offer.

The truth of the matter is, of course, very different. Writing complex SQL is DIFFICULT. Writing a large SQL instruction to do half of what the graphical calculation view we built in the previous chapter can do, without bringing the machine to its knees, is not something that many developers can do, especially those who are not specialized database developers.

Graphical developments and wizards are great things; however, there are some things you just cannot do with them. Complicated developments...