Learning SQL

by Alan Beaulieu

Overview

SQL (Structured Query Language) is a standard programming language for generating, manipulating, and retrieving information from a relational database. If you're working with a relational database--whether you're writing applications, performing administrative tasks, or generating reports--you need to know how to interact with your data. Even if you are using a tool that generates SQL for you, such as a reporting tool, there may still be cases where you need to bypass the automatic generation feature and write your own SQL statements.

To help you attain this fundamental SQL knowledge, look to Learning SQL, an introductory guide to SQL, designed primarily for developers just cutting their teeth on the language.

Learning SQL moves you quickly through the basics and then on to some of the more commonly used advanced features. Among the topics discussed:

• The history of the computerized database
• SQL Data Statements--those used to create, manipulate, and retrieve data stored in your database; example statements include select, update, insert, and delete
• SQL Schema Statements--those used to create database objects, such as tables, indexes, and constraints
• How data sets can interact with queries
• The importance of subqueries
• Data conversion and manipulation via SQL's built-in functions
• How conditional logic can be used in Data Statements

Best of all, Learning SQL talks to you in a real-world manner, discussing various platform differences that you're likely to encounter and offering a series of chapter exercises that walk you through the learning process. Whenever possible, the book sticks to the features included in the ANSI SQL standards. This means you'll be able to apply what you learn to any of several different databases; the book covers MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and Oracle Database, but the features and syntax should apply just as well (perhaps with some tweaking) to IBM DB2, Sybase Adaptive Server, and PostgreSQL.

Put the power and flexibility of SQL to work. With Learning SQL you can master this important skill and know that the SQL statements you write are indeed correct.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780596552923
Publisher:	O'Reilly Media, Incorporated
Publication date:	08/22/2005
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	312
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Alan Beaulieu has been designing, building, and implementing custom database applications for over 13 years. He currently runs his own consulting company that specializes in designing Oracle databases and supporting services in the fields of Financial Services and Telecommunications. In building large databases for both OLTP and OLAP environments, Alan utilizes such Oracle features as Parallel Query, Partitioning, and Parallel Server. Alan has a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Research from the Cornell University School of Engineering. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife and two daughters.

Table of Contents

Preface;
Why Learn SQL?;
Why Use This Book to Do It?;
Structure of This Book;
Conventions Used in This Book;
How to Contact Us;
Using Code Examples;
Safari® Books Online;
Acknowledgments;
Chapter 1: A Little Background;
1.1 Introduction to Databases;
1.2 What Is SQL?;
1.3 What Is MySQL?;
1.4 What’s in Store;
Chapter 2: Creating and Populating a Database;
2.1 Creating a MySQL Database;
2.2 Using the mysql Command-Line Tool;
2.3 MySQL Data Types;
2.4 Table Creation;
2.5 Populating and Modifying Tables;
2.6 When Good Statements Go Bad;
2.7 The Bank Schema;
Chapter 3: Query Primer;
3.1 Query Mechanics;
3.2 Query Clauses;
3.3 The select Clause;
3.4 The from Clause;
3.5 The where Clause;
3.6 The group by and having Clauses;
3.7 The order by Clause;
3.8 Test Your Knowledge;
Chapter 4: Filtering;
4.1 Condition Evaluation;
4.2 Building a Condition;
4.3 Condition Types;
4.4 Null: That Four-Letter Word;
4.5 Test Your Knowledge;
Chapter 5: Querying Multiple Tables;
5.1 What Is a Join?;
5.2 Joining Three or More Tables;
5.3 Self-Joins;
5.4 Equi-Joins Versus Non-Equi-Joins;
5.5 Join Conditions Versus Filter Conditions;
5.6 Test Your Knowledge;
Chapter 6: Working with Sets;
6.1 Set Theory Primer;
6.2 Set Theory in Practice;
6.3 Set Operators;
6.4 Set Operation Rules;
6.5 Test Your Knowledge;
Chapter 7: Data Generation, Conversion, and Manipulation;
7.1 Working with String Data;
7.2 Working with Numeric Data;
7.3 Working with Temporal Data;
7.4 Conversion Functions;
7.5 Test Your Knowledge;
Chapter 8: Grouping and Aggregates;
8.1 Grouping Concepts;
8.2 Aggregate Functions;
8.3 Generating Groups;
8.4 Group Filter Conditions;
8.5 Test Your Knowledge;
Chapter 9: Subqueries;
9.1 What Is a Subquery?;
9.2 Subquery Types;
9.3 Noncorrelated Subqueries;
9.4 Correlated Subqueries;
9.5 When to Use Subqueries;
9.6 Subquery Wrap-up;
9.7 Test Your Knowledge;
Chapter 10: Joins Revisited;
10.1 Outer Joins;
10.2 Cross Joins;
10.3 Natural Joins;
10.4 Test Your Knowledge;
Chapter 11: Conditional Logic;
11.1 What Is Conditional Logic?;
11.2 The Case Expression;
11.3 Case Expression Examples;
11.4 Test Your Knowledge;
Chapter 12: Transactions;
12.1 Multiuser Databases;
12.2 What Is a Transaction?;
12.3 Test Your Knowledge;
Chapter 13: Indexes and Constraints;
13.1 Indexes;
13.2 Constraints;
13.3 Test Your Knowledge;
Chapter 14: Views;
14.1 What Are Views?;
14.2 Why Use Views?;
14.3 Updatable Views;
14.4 Test Your Knowledge;
Chapter 15: Metadata;
15.1 Data About Data;
15.2 Information_Schema;
15.3 Working with Metadata;
15.4 Test Your Knowledge;
ER Diagram for Example Database;
MySQL Extensions to the SQL Language;
Extensions to the select Statement;
Combination Insert/Update Statements;
Ordered Updates and Deletes;
Multitable Updates and Deletes;
Solutions to Exercises;
Chapter 3;
Chapter 4;
Chapter 5;
Chapter 6;
Chapter 7;
Chapter 8;
Chapter 9;
Chapter 10;
Chapter 11;
Chapter 12;
Chapter 13;
Chapter 14;
Chapter 15;
Colophon;