Learning SQL

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Learning SQL

By Alan Beaulieu

Publisher: O'Reilly Media

Released: August 2005

Pages: 312

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.

Chapter 1 A Little Background
1. Introduction to Databases
2. What Is SQL?
3. What Is MySQL?
4. What's in Store
Chapter 2 Creating and Populating a Database
1. Creating a MySQL Database
2. Using the mysql Command-Line Tool
3. MySQL Data Types
4. Table Creation
5. Populating and Modifying Tables
6. When Good Statements Go Bad
7. The Bank Schema
Chapter 3 Query Primer
1. Query Mechanics
2. Query Clauses
3. The select Clause
4. The from Clause
5. The where Clause
6. The group by and having Clauses
7. The order by Clause
8. Exercises
Chapter 4 Filtering
1. Condition Evaluation
2. Building a Condition
3. Condition Types
4. NULL: That Four-Letter Word
5. Exercises
Chapter 5 Querying Multiple Tables
1. What Is a Join?
2. Joining Three or More Tables
3. Self-Joins
4. Equi-Joins Versus Non-Equi-Joins
5. Join Conditions Versus Filter Conditions
6. Exercises
Chapter 6 Working with Sets
1. Set Theory Primer
2. Set Theory in Practice
3. Set Operators
4. Set Operation Rules
5. Exercises
Chapter 7 Data Generation, Conversion, and Manipulation
1. Working with String Data
2. Working with Numeric Data
3. Working with Temporal Data
4. Conversion Functions
5. Exercises
Chapter 8 Grouping and Aggregates
1. Grouping Concepts
2. Aggregate Functions
3. Generating Groups
4. Group Filter Conditions
5. Exercises
6. 8-4 (Extra Credit)
Chapter 9 Subqueries
1. What Is a Subquery?
2. Subquery Types
3. Noncorrelated Subqueries
4. Correlated Subqueries
5. When to Use Subqueries
6. Subquery Wrap-up
7. Exercises
Chapter 10 Joins Revisited
1. Outer Joins
2. Cross Joins
3. Natural Joins
4. Exercises
Chapter 11 Conditional Logic
1. What Is Conditional Logic?
2. The Case Expression
3. Case Expression Examples
4. Exercises
Chapter 12 Transactions
1. Multiuser Databases
2. What Is a Transaction?
Chapter 13 Indexes and Constraints
1. Indexes
2. Constraints

Appendix A ER Diagram for Example Database
Appendix B MySQL Extensions to the SQL Language
1. Select Extensions
2. Combination Insert/Update Statements
3. Ordered Updates and Deletes
4. Multitable Updates and Deletes
Appendix C Solutions to Exercises
1. Chapter 3
2. Chapter 4
3. Chapter 5
4. Chapter 6
5. Chapter 7
6. Chapter 8
7. 8-4 (Extra Credit)
8. Chapter 9
9. Chapter 10
10. Chapter 11
Appendix D Further Resources
1. Advanced SQL
2. Database Programming
3. Database Design
4. Database Tuning
5. Database Administration
6. Report Generation
Colophon

Title:

Learning SQL

By:

Alan Beaulieu

Publisher:

O'Reilly Media

Formats:

Print
Ebook
Safari Books Online

Print:

August 2005

Ebook:

February 2009

Pages:

312

Print ISBN:

978-0-596-00727-0

| ISBN 10:

0-596-00727-2

Ebook ISBN:

978-0-596-10495-5

| ISBN 10:

0-596-10495-2

Description

Table of Contents

Product Details

About the Author

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Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

oreilly Learning SQL

4.1

(based on 12 reviews)

Reviewed by 12 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-10

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12/31/2008

(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Will take you from from zero to cruising speed with SQL

By Edmonton Linux Users Group

from Edmonton

Comments about oreilly Learning SQL:

This book should take you from zero to cruising speed with SQL in

a relatively short time. As the subtitle suggests, it's "A Pain-Free

Introduction to SQL..." and I agree. I haven't done database for several

years, and I found this book to be an excellent roadmap to both

re-learning and new learning.

Although the examples are all for MySQL 4.1.11 (Yeah! The database

I'll be using) on Windows (Ahem), differences in code are pointed out for

various other databases, notably Oracle and SQL Server. MySQL is just as

easy to install on Linux, so it was very easy to test examples and try the

exercises.

The author makes no claim to get into anything indepth, or even

into everything, period. However, what is presented is more than enough to

get most people started and productive, and there are further resources

recommended, including books and websites. Since I'm converting an

existing application to use a database backend, I was able to note some

specific techniques that will apply, so I'm ready to use them when the

time comes.

Recommended, for both an introduction and a review.

http://elug.ca/reviews/learning_sql.shtml (http://elug.ca/reviews/learning_sql.shtml)

12/8/2008

(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Using the example

By jaggi bn

from Undisclosed

Comments about oreilly Learning SQL:

the review of johns2947 was very helpful. I was using \ while using windows but after the clue from the reviewer johns2947 i changed the command accordingly and it worked.

thanks

jaggi bn

11/14/2008

(4 of 6 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

Failed to open file error

By johns2947

from Undisclosed

Comments about oreilly Learning SQL:

Check the name of your file. When you download it, it should be :

LearningSQLExample.sql

You can use that at is, without changing it to a .txt file

Make sure you opened the database first, as in the book instruction.

mysql> use bank;

then run source

11/14/2008

(4 of 7 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

Using the example

By johns2947

from Undisclosed

Comments about oreilly Learning SQL:

The example does work (in Windows) if you follow the directions in the book.

The book tells you to login to mysql and then to create a database named 'bank'.

mysql> create database bank;

Then run the command

mysql> use bank;

Now you can run the source command for the example that you downloaded.

For example, I downloaded the example into my e: drive, so the source command reads:

mysql> source e:learningsqlexample.sql;

Notes: Windows XP does not require the "/" or "\" for the root directory (such as C: or E:), but will need the "\" if you go to a subdirectory.

What a pain learning this stuff from a book is! Reminds me of the frustration of teaching myself DOS 3.1 !

11/3/2008

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Failed to open file error

By cj brown

from Undisclosed

Comments about oreilly Learning SQL:

Looks like the example needs to be compiled before I can use... I get this error.

-> source C:\Users\CJ\Desktop\LearningSQLExample_sql.txt;

ERROR:

Unknown command '\U'.

mysql: Character set 'JDesktopLearningSQLExample_sql.txt;' is not a compiled cha

racter set and is not specified in the 'C:\mysql\\share\charsets\Index.xml' file

Charset is not found

Any assistanve will be appreciated.

Respectfully,

CJ

9/1/2008

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Failed to open file error

By Anonymous

from Undisclosed

Comments about oreilly Learning SQL:

When I try to use the source command to populate my database, I get an error that says, "Failed to open file 'C:\file location', error: 2. What am I doing wrong?

6/11/2008

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

example section- is having a problem

By Anonymous

from Undisclosed

Comments about oreilly Learning SQL:

I can load the example just fine. The trick is that the example's file name does not match those in the book. So you just use the new name and it's gonna be fine.

2/13/2008

(1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great start

By Lance

from Undisclosed

Comments about oreilly Learning SQL:

I'm not finished working through this book yet but I am finding it very easy to follow with great examples.

I was not a complete beginner as I had a fairly firm grasp of basic queries but I chose this book to read cover to cover for a more structured learning curve and it's doing just that.

12/22/2007

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Very very good

By Anonymous

from Undisclosed

Comments about oreilly Learning SQL:

I did not finish to read the book yet, but so far it is very clear and user friendly. I have a good experience with Filemaker DBs but never used sql (or mysql) before. This book is the right one for the absolute beginners !

I have only one question: where can i find the example database (learning_sql.sql) ?

4/24/2007

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Excellent on many levels

By barry

from Undisclosed

Comments about oreilly Learning SQL:

I am thoroughly enjoying this book. It is very well written, moves well from topic to topic, provides just the right amount of content and examples, and does it in a friendly way free of jargon. It makes SQL seem much less daunting, which is exactly what I want from an introductory book.

Displaying reviews 1-10

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Chapter 1 A Little Background

Introduction to Databases

What Is SQL?

What Is MySQL?

What's in Store

Chapter 2 Creating and Populating a Database

Creating a MySQL Database

Using the mysql Command-Line Tool

MySQL Data Types

Table Creation

Populating and Modifying Tables

When Good Statements Go Bad

The Bank Schema

Chapter 3 Query Primer

Query Mechanics

Query Clauses

The select Clause

The from Clause

The where Clause

The group by and having Clauses

The order by Clause

Exercises

Chapter 4 Filtering

Condition Evaluation

Building a Condition

Condition Types

NULL: That Four-Letter Word

Exercises

Chapter 5 Querying Multiple Tables

What Is a Join?

Joining Three or More Tables

Self-Joins

Equi-Joins Versus Non-Equi-Joins

Join Conditions Versus Filter Conditions

Exercises

Chapter 6 Working with Sets

Set Theory Primer

Set Theory in Practice

Set Operators

Set Operation Rules

Exercises

Chapter 7 Data Generation, Conversion, and Manipulation

Working with String Data

Working with Numeric Data

Working with Temporal Data

Conversion Functions

Exercises

Chapter 8 Grouping and Aggregates

Grouping Concepts

Aggregate Functions

Generating Groups

Group Filter Conditions

Exercises

8-4 (Extra Credit)

Chapter 9 Subqueries

What Is a Subquery?

Subquery Types

Noncorrelated Subqueries

Correlated Subqueries

When to Use Subqueries

Subquery Wrap-up

Exercises

Chapter 10 Joins Revisited

Outer Joins

Cross Joins

Natural Joins

Exercises

Chapter 11 Conditional Logic

What Is Conditional Logic?

The Case Expression

Case Expression Examples

Exercises

Chapter 12 Transactions

Multiuser Databases

What Is a Transaction?

Chapter 13 Indexes and Constraints

Indexes

Constraints

Appendix A ER Diagram for Example Database

Appendix B MySQL Extensions to the SQL Language