Learning Oracle PL/SQL: Oracle Development Languages

by Bill Pribyl, Steven Feuerstein, Debby Russell (Editor)

Overview

PL/SQL, Oracle's programming language for stored procedures, delivers a world of possibilities for your database programs. PL/SQL supplements the standard relational database language, SQL, with a wide range of procedural features, including loops, IF-THEN statements, advanced data structures, and rich transactional control—all closely integrated with the Oracle database server. Knowing where to start with Oracle's procedural language is not always obvious to a newcomer, especially considering the language's feature set and the sheer size of the official documentation (not to mention Oracle's ever-increasing number of pre-built PL/SQL programs). But Learning Oracle PL/SQL offers the signposts and guidance you need to come up to speed on the language, delivered in a manageable number of pages while covering all the essentials. Topics include:

• PL/SQL—what is it, and why use it? Why use PL/SQL instead of Java?
• Syntax and examples of all core language constructs
• Creating, using, and reusing stored procedures, functions, and packages
• Building web-based applications using PL/SQL features available "out of the box" (such as PL/SQL Server Pages)
• Securing PL/SQL programs against attack
• Benefits of third-party developer tools and integrated development environments
• Connecting PL/SQL to email, Java, and the Internet

Meticulously crafted with all-new examples downloadable from examples.oreilly.com/learnoracle, the book addresses language features available in all versions of Oracle, from Oracle7 to Oracle8i to Oracle9i. Learning Oracle PL/SQL was written by PL/SQL experts Bill Pribyl and Steven Feuerstein, whose easy-to-read style and attention to detail has made other O'Reilly books (such as the bestselling Oracle PL/SQL Programming) very popular among Oracle developers worldwide. Learning Oracle PL/SQL is meant for a wide range of target audiences, including both beginning programmers and those already experienced with other programming languages. Whether you are a new developer, a crossover programmer from another database system, or a new database administrator who needs to learn PL/SQL, this book will get you well on your way. It is the perfect introduction to Oracle PL/SQL Programming, also by Pribyl and Feuerstein.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780596001803
Publisher:	O'Reilly Media, Incorporated
Publication date:	12/01/2001
Edition description:	1ST
Pages:	424
Sales rank:	685,119
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.19(h) x 1.09(d)

About the Author

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.

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.

Table of Contents

Copyright; Dedication; Preface; Is This Book for You?; Other Books in This Series; Why This Book?; Which Oracle and PL/SQL Versions?; Organization of This Book; Conventions Used in This Book; Comments and Questions; Acknowledgments; Chapter 1: PL/SQL: What, When, and Where; 1.1 What Is PL/SQL?; 1.2 Why Use PL/SQL?; 1.3 What You Need to Get Started with PL/SQL; Chapter 2: Fundamentals; 2.1 PL/Lingo; 2.2 Running Your First PL/SQL Program; 2.3 Introduction to Program Structure; 2.4 Variables; 2.5 Common Operators; 2.6 Conditional Logic; 2.7 Executing in Circles: Loop Statements; 2.8 Code Formatting: Requirements and Guidelines; 2.9 Some Advanced Fundamentals; Chapter 3: Let's Code!; 3.1 Some Background on the Example; 3.2 A First Programming Exercise; 3.3 Retrieving a Book Count with a Function; 3.4 Make Your Code Resilient; 3.5 Using PL/SQL Packages to Organize Code; 3.6 Going to the Next Level; 3.7 Now What?; Chapter 4: Go Web, Young Man; 4.1 Introduction to HTML; 4.2 Using PL/SQL to Create Web Pages; 4.3 What Else?; Chapter 5: Fetch!; 5.1 What's the Big Deal?; 5.2 A Simple-Minded Approach to Retrieving One Row; 5.3 Retrieving More than One Row Using a Cursor; 5.4 Presenting Query Results via a Web Page; 5.5 Building a Web-Based Search Page Using Dynamic SQL; 5.6 Advanced Data Retrieval Topics; Chapter 6: Keeping House; 6.1 Organize Your Code; 6.2 Use Tools to Write Code Effectively; Chapter 7: Security: Keep the Bad Guys Out; 7.1 Oracle Security Primer; 7.2 Organizing Accounts to Improve Security; 7.3 Analyzing the Library System's Requirements; 7.4 Keeping a Trail of Database Changes; 7.5 Special Security Topics for PL/SQL Developers; Chapter 8: Communicating with the Outside World; 8.1 Sending Internet Email from PL/SQL; 8.2 Using the Mail Sender in the Library System; 8.3 Receiving Email Inside the Database; 8.4 Fetching Data from a Remote Web Site; 8.5 Integration with Other Languages; Chapter 9: Intermediate Topics and Other Diversions; 9.1 Riding the Software Lifecycle; 9.2 Lists o' Stuff (Collections) in PL/SQL; 9.3 Exception-Handling Packages; 9.4 Transaction Control; 9.5 The PL/SQL Compiler; 9.6 Managing Patron and Librarian Privileges; 9.7 Still More PL/SQL Features; Chapter 10: Afterword: "Making Good" of Database Programming; 10.1 The Evidence; 10.2 The Problem; 10.3 Answering the Objections; 10.4 What to Do; Glossary; Colophon;