Oracle SQL and PL/SQL Handbook: A Guide for Data Administrators, Developers, and Business Analysts [Paperback]

John Adolph Palinski (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201752948 | ISBN-13: 978-0201752946 | Publication Date: August 18, 2002

Oracle SQL and PL/SQL Handbook is designed as both a basic reference as well as a how-to guide. It offers thorough coverage of Oracle's SQL query language and PL/SQL programming language. It focuses on the practical aspects of using SQL and PL/SQL to most effectively extract usable information from Oracle systems. Thus it is of use not only to database administrators, but also to business managers, developers, and power users. The book's initial chapters offer a complete introduction to the relational database environment, including a discussion of how to use the logical data model to understand the database. From there, Oracle database objects are covered, along with uses of the Data Definition Language (DDL), the Data Control Language (DCL), and the Data Manipulation Language (DML). Throughout the book frequently used commands and content are stressed, and numerous examples of SQL techniques are provided. In addition, most of the book's chapters provide practice questions designed to reinforce concepts covered.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Concise and practical, this indispensable volume brings the world’s most popular Relational Database Management System (RDBMS), its query language SQL, and its programming language PL/SQL into clear focus for today’s busy database professional or business analyst. Covering the most commonly used Oracle features, Oracle SQL and PL/SQL Handbook is ideal for the developer or business user challenged with implementing, maintaining, and retrieving mission-critical data within the Oracle database environment.

Broadly designed as both a basic reference and how-to, this book offers extensive coverage of Oracle’s SQL language and database concepts, providing an excellent review for the Oracle certification exams. The initial chapters offer a complete introduction to the relational database environment, including a discussion of how to use the logical data model to understand the database. Oracle database objects are explored, along with uses of the Data Definition Language (DDL), the Data Control Language (DCL), and the Data Manipulation Language (DML). Later chapters offer complete coverage of the Select command used to retrieve information from the database. Also included are coverage of Oracle’s new analytic functions, a chapter on performance-tuning techniqes needed for complex SQL, and a detailed overview of Oracle’s PL/SQL language. In addition, many chapters provide practice questions designed to reinforce newly introduced concepts, as well as numerous examples of SQL techniques.

The broad-based and comprehensive coverage also includes:

Understanding the database using entity relationship diagrams and database schema diagrams

Applying the Data Definition, Data Control, and Data Manipulation languages to create and maintain the database

Using the SQL language to retrieve information from the database

Creating special business information using Oracle’s new analytic functions

Making your SQL perform better with common troubleshooting techniques

Producing business information with business objects

Using Java with PL/SQL

Authoritative and practical, Oracle SQL and PL/SQL Handbook provides today’s administrator and business analyst alike with the most comprehensive sourcebook of solutions and techniques for improving their use of Oracle.

0201752948B07152002

About the Author

John Adolph Palinski is a Supervisor of Computer Applications for the Omaha Public Power District where he has developed and implemented numerous Oracle systems. He is also an instructor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. A Certified Oracle Professional Developer, he has taught SQL, PL/SQL, and Developer 2000 courses and is the author of Oracle Database Construction Kit (Que, 1997). He is a frequent contributor to Oracle periodicals such as Oracle Internals and Oracle Professional. He also provides on-site training through his consulting company, Realistic Software Training.

0201752948AB07152002

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Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional (August 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201752948
• ISBN-13: 978-0201752946
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,104,342 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Balanced for for business and technical readers, August 24, 2002

By 

Mike Tarrani "www.tarrani.com" (Deltona, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Oracle SQL and PL/SQL Handbook: A Guide for Data Administrators, Developers, and Business Analysts (Paperback)

This is an excellent book aspiring DBAs, developers who need to get up to speed in Oracle, IT business systems analysts and business power users.

Since this book has such a wide potential audience I'll highlight the chapters that will be of most interest to each segment. All readers will benefit from the introduction and chapter 1, which explains relational databases and entity-relationship diagrams. In particular, the E-R diagrams plus the clear discussion of keys and joins are the roadmap to the data and need to be understood by less technical users who want to fully exploit the power of SQL and PL/SQL, which are covered later in the book.

Chapters 2 and 3 cover material that more technical users will find useful: "Building the Database with the Data Definition Language" and "The Data Control and Data Manipulation Languages and the Data Dictionary". I especially liked the fact that my favorite utility, TOAD, was covered in this section - if you are a new DBA chances are you already use it. If you're a developer, chances are that you'll add it to your development environment.

The heart of this book is in Chapters 4-12. These chapters are for all readers, and they thoroughly cover SQL*Plus in detail. By the time you've finished these chapters (assuming you work through the practice exercises and put in effort) you'll be a SQL*Plus power user.

Chapter 13 covers data warehouses and shows how to use Oracle Discoverer 4.0. This material is for both technical and business users. The remaining chapters cover PL/SQL, which is aimed at the technical users. The coverage of PL/SQL is not nearly as deep as the coverage of SQL*Plus. Since most business users and the intended technical audience will benefit more from the in-depth treatment of SQL*Plus, the PL/SQL material is, in my opinion, a good introduction that can be followed up in a book, such as "Oracle9i PL/SQL Programming" by Scott Urman.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Many errors in text, October 4, 2003

By 

J. A. Patel (Councel Bluffs, IA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oracle SQL and PL/SQL Handbook: A Guide for Data Administrators, Developers, and Business Analysts (Paperback)

Palinski is full of errors, confusing and sometimes contradictory explanations. It seems to have been written by someone who is unfamiliar with Oracle, and just blindly compiled material from different sources.

I had to check every topic by referring to other documents and manuals.

In the beginning, you see this book is like college text, not for working Oracle person. I have more than 15 years experience in Oracle and did not find it useful.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reference and How To for, November 7, 2002

By 

Helen (Auckland, New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oracle SQL and PL/SQL Handbook: A Guide for Data Administrators, Developers, and Business Analysts (Paperback)

I originally started an on-line training course to learn Oracle SQL however, the course was so confusing and dull that I thought the only way to learn was a 'do it yourself'.

At the bookstore there were a couple of books that covered the topic but a quick browse through the books dictated this was the book for me! The others just seemed to be too 'techie' and boring.

This book guides you through the A - Z of relational Databases. From the creation of tables, populating them and then retrieving, amending and deleting information - this is a one stop shop.

There are examples to show the user exactly how to write things and also what is retrieved with each query. Everything is explained in an easily interpreted manner.

There is also a database that comes with the book and you can practice what you have learned there and then. The quiz at the end of every chapter to review what you have just learned - is also very helpful.

This should be the beginners handbook/bible to SQL - I have recommended it to everyone that I work with!