Mastering SQL [Paperback]

Martin Gruber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 2000 | Series: Mastering

This text instructs in the use of SQL, a programming and query language. It shows how to develop database applications, administer databases and work interactively with data. It gives explanations of relational database technology's conceptual underpinnings and it guides in an approach to problem solving that will help in the application of SQL techniques. In addition to the hands-on tutorial material, the book provides an SQL reference. The accompanying CD offers a collection of SQL compilers to try out and lets the reader test the examples in the book. The items covered include: developing applications that use SQL; designing and implementing databases; performing operations on data; analyzing and deriving data using complex queries; combining SQL with other languages; building applications that generate SQL dynamically; enforcing business rules on data; finding and correcting data anomalies; resolving concurrency issues; handling database errors programmatically; optimizing SQL operations; using dynamic and embedded SQL; and combining SQL and Java - SQLJ and JDBC.

Product Details

• Paperback: 976 pages
• Publisher: Sybex Inc (January 12, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0782125387
• ISBN-13: 978-0782125382
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.5 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,236,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Intro to SQL, August 7, 2000

By 

mchenryed - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mastering SQL (Paperback)

This book was extremely useful in learning SQL. I had virtually no SQL background prior to reading this book, but Gruber's writing soon made interacting with this powerful database easy. The book starts off with an introduction to databases and then quickly delves into how to query, insert and update data into a database.

The examples in the book are down to earth and illustrate what the author is attempting to show. The result sets are also clearly displayed. Helpful questions and answers appear at the end of each chapter. Gruber also covers more complex searching and eventually gets into the more complicated portions of SQL: rights management, indices, optimization and Java interaction. There is also a helpful (and lengthy) appendix at the end that covers SQL commands.

The first part of the book was extremely helpful to me. I felt confident in the what I was learning and Gruber's explanations made sense. However, the material was a bit a dry. The same data set was used throughout and while being helpful in the fact that it was familiar, it didn't liven up the book. I found the middle portion of book somewhat helpful; the information was sort of sketchy and wasn't as comprehensive as I would have hoped.

If one quickly wants to learn how to manipulate an SQL, this book is a definite must-have. It is easy to find information and the material was presented in a logical format. However, I'd go to a more heavy duty book on database management rather than this one for those topics.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Network Administrator, July 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Mastering SQL (Paperback)

I did not like this book at all I found it to be hard to read. The CD it comes with only has example tables for linux. It would be nice if sybex, would have included some tables usable with Microsoft or Oracle. I found that Sams SQL in X days and many others books to be more helpful and a better reference. From the rateing of 4 stars that I saw which induced me to buy the book makes me wonder if I will trust them in the future. Keep looking.

3.0 out of 5 stars Some Good Information, But a Hard Read, March 25, 2002

By 

Jeremy Patterson (Software Developer) (Upper Arlington, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mastering SQL (Paperback)

I have to agree with the other reviewer that it was a hard read, however, it is worth more than 1 star. I have it three because there is some good information, but it was definitely difficult to get through. It reads more like a reference book than a how to.