---
last_review: "2026-05-07"
last_reviewer: "Nina Rosnerski"
documented_code: [ ]
---

:::{tags} users, tutorial, query
:::

# Get tabular data #

In this short tutorial you will retrieve **structured tables** from LinkAhead with the `SELECT`
query and download the result as a spreadsheet. It builds directly on the search concepts
introduced in the tutorial [Finding data in LinkAhead](query_find.md).

## Prerequisites ##

- You need access to a LinkAhead instance with a web interface, with the demo data loaded.
    - For example the demo server at <https://demo.indiscale.com>.
    - Alternatively you can use a LinkAhead instance which you installed locally or which was
      provided by your university or company. In this case, if your instance does not contain the
      data used in the LinkAhead demo, you will need to adjust the queries to match your own data.
- Read‑only access is sufficient, no editing rights are required.

Make sure you can open the LinkAhead web interface and see the query field at the top of the page
(before you start typing any query).

## Retrieve a simple table ##

Click into the search bar and type:

```sql
SELECT price, electric FROM Guitar
```

Press <kbd>Enter</kbd> or click on the search 🔍 icon.

You will see a table with two columns (`price`, `electric`):

:::{figure} /.assets/images/tutorials/webinterface/query/search_select_table.png
:align: center
:alt: |-
:  A screenshot of LinkAhead, showing the query 'SELECT price, electric FROM Guitar'. Below the
:  query field, a table shows the results.

The SELECT result
:::

:::{note}

`SELECT` tells LinkAhead which properties you want (*price* and if the guitar is *electric*), and
`FROM Guitar` tells it to look at all records of the `Guitar` {term}`RecordType`.

:::

To view the record of a row in detail, click on the link icon at the start of that row.

## Filter the table data ##

Now, add a filter after the `FROM` clause:

```sql
SELECT price, electric FROM Guitar WITH price > 1000 AND electric = TRUE
```

Now the table only contains guitars that cost more than 1000 and are electric. Filtering in
`SELECT` queries works exactly as described in the
tutorial [Finding data in LinkAhead](query_find.md).

As with `FIND` queries, you can also filter tables for references:

```sql
SELECT date, quality_factor FROM MusicalAnalysis WHICH REFERENCES A Guitar WITH electric = TRUE
```

Each row of the resulting table now corresponds to one MusicalAnalysis {term}`Record` which has an
electric guitar.

## Referenced properties ##

To list properties of referenced records, enter this query:

```sql
SELECT quality_factor, MusicalInstrument.name, MusicalInstrument.price FROM MusicalAnalysis
```

Your result is a table which not only shows data of the selected MusicalAnalysis Records (the
`quality_factor`), but also data of Records referenced by each analysis.

To dig even deeper into the data, you can also nest the references:

```sql
SELECT quality_factor, MusicalInstrument.manufacturer.name FROM MusicalAnalysis
```

## Download the table ##

You can export a table by clicking on the **Export** button at the top of the table.

In some installations you can choose between several export formats (like "TSV" or "XLSX"),
although not all may be available if you are not
logged in. Download the file to your computer. You can now open it with your favorite tools to
analyse, plot, or share your data.

## Quick cheat‑sheet ##

| Step                    | Command                                     | What you’ll see                   |
|-------------------------|---------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| **Select columns**      | `SELECT price, electric FROM Guitar`        | Table with `price` & `electric`   |
| **Add a filter**        | `... WITH price > 1000`                     | Only rows matching the condition  |
| **Follow a reference**  | `... WHICH REFERENCES A Guitar`             | Only rows that reference a guitar |
| **Referenced property** | ``SELECT MusicalInstrument.price FROM ...`` | Data from referenced instrument   |
| **Download**            | Click **Export** → CSV/XLSX                 | Spreadsheet file download dialog  |

## What’s next? ##

Explore the full list of operators (`LIKE`, `IN`, date ranges, ...) in the
[LinkAhead Query Language specification](/reference/general/lql_reference.md).