Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference, Second Edition [Paperback]

Steven Feuerstein (Author), Bill Pribyl (Author), Chip Dawes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0596004729 | ISBN-13: 978-0596004729 | Edition: Second Edition

Like most PL/SQL programmers, you've found Oracle PL/SQL Programming to be a reference book you can't do without. Packed with examples and recommendations, it's a book that has helped everyone, from Oracle Forms developers to database administrators, make the most of PL/SQL. But you can't always carry it with you, and even at your desk there are times when you just need a reminder, a quick answer to a problem you're up against. For times like those, PL/SQL experts Stephen Feuerstein, Bill Pribyl, and Chip Dawes have written a new edition of Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference. Updated for Oracle9i, this little book is easy to take with you and use anywhere for quick problem solving.

The second edition of the Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference boils down the most vital information from Oracle PL/SQL Programming into a convenient quick reference to PL/SQL basics. This compact book will be indispensable for new and seasoned Oracle database developers alike. It summarizes features available in Oracle9i and provides essential information on PL/SQL block structure, fundamental language elements, control statements, and use of procedures, functions, packages, triggers, Oracle objects, external procedures, and methods of calling Java classes from PL/SQL.

O'Reilly's Pocket References have become a favorite among developers and database administrators everywhere. By providing a wealth of important details in a concise, well-organized format, these handy books deliver just what you need to complete the task at hand. When you've reached a sticking point in your work and need to get to a solution quickly, the new edition of Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference is the book you'll want to have.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steven Feuerstein is considered one of the world's leading experts on the Oracle PL/SQL language. He is the author or coauthor of Oracle PL/SQL Programming, Oracle PL/SQL Best Practices, Oracle PL/SQL Programming: Guide to Oracle8i Features, Oracle PL/SQL Developer's Workbook, Oracle Built-in Packages, Advanced Oracle PL/SQL Programming with Packages, and several pocket reference books (all from O'Reilly & Associates). Steven is a Senior Technology Advisor with Quest Software, has been developing software since 1980, and worked for Oracle Corporation from 1987 to 1992.

Bill Pribyl, author, teacher, and software consultant,is the primary author of Learning Oracle PL/SQL and the coauthor of Oracle PL/SQL Programming and its companion pocket reference, all published by O'Reilly & Associates. An Oracle user since 1986, Bill has consulted on many aspects of using Oracle products. He recently spearheaded PLNet.org, a Web-based repository where developers can share open source PL/SQL.

Chip Dawes has been building and maintaining systems on relational databases since 1988 and with Oracle since 1990. He is currently a consultant with D&D Technologies, a Chicago consultancy. He enjoys working with, lecturing on, and writing about Oracle database administration, client server application development, and Unix system administration. Chip is an Oracle Certified Professional and earned computer science and aerospace engineering degrees from St. Louis University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; Second Edition edition (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596004729
• ISBN-13: 978-0596004729
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,521,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Only "OK", May 18, 2000

By 

Andrew Harbick (Harrisonburg, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference (Paperback)

I've worked with Oracle for quite a while, and I've tinkered with PL/SQL, triggers, etc. on and off during the time that I used Oracle. Recently, I needed to write a really simple PL/SQL program to assist in doing a backfill. I bought this book expecting to pluck out details quickly for writing this program. Unfortunately, there was no index, and the table of contents was a little too high-level to help you find specific information. Finally, once you locate an appropriate section, the text is terse and the examples are quite basic.

I concede that I probably should've bought "Oracle PL/SQL Language" the book for which this is a reference for my particular need. Just beware, however, that this book is solely a reference, and is hard to use unless you already know PL/SQL.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great pocket reference, 2nd edition WITH INDEX now, April 3, 2003

By 

Gregor Theis (Meerbusch Deutschland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference (Paperback)

This small booklet "ORACLE PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference" in this new 2nd edition is exactly what you need as PL/SQL (PL/SQL is the ORACLE procedural language extension of SQL) programmer (and is even more important for casual PL/SQL programmer).

"ORACLE PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference" assumes that you are running at least ORACLE 8i and it covers ORACLE 9i as well (ORACLE 9i features are marked as such).

The content and coverage of the book is very good from my perspective. Even the more exotic features that I just can't remember, like e.g. the AUTHID stuff for PL/SQL procedures, are covered in this book. Even if you do not remember the exact keyword to look something up in the index, the book is still small enough to brose over every page in a couple of minutes to find your solution. All of the ORACLE 9i features (that I know of) are explained like e.g. "bulk binds" (cool PL/SQL performance feature).

The language and the new index are very good.

Even though this is a relatively small book, there are examples for almost every topic covered (although not big ones).

This is NOT the right book to learn PL/SQL and it will not teach you any SQL. If you want to learn PL/SQL, I recommend the other books (by the same authors) from O'Reilly that are all VERY good.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Handy but could be easier to access topics, June 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference (Paperback)

There is no index and only a scanty table of contents. You are forced to go to the area and browse for information. It is a short book, and scanning works, but an index would be more efficient.