Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference, 4th Edition

A Guide to Oracle's PL/SQL Language Fundamentals

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A Guide to Oracle's PL/SQL Language Fundamentals

By Steven Feuerstein, Bill Pribyl, Chip Dawes

Publisher: O'Reilly Media

Released: October 2007

Pages: 180

The fourth edition of this popular pocket guide provides quick-reference information that will help you use Oracle's PL/SQL language, including the newest Oracle Database 11g features. It's a companion to Steven Feuerstein and Bill Pribyl's bestselling Oracle PL/SQL Programming.

This concise guide boils down the most vital PL/SQL information into an accessible summary of:

Fundamental language elements (e.g., block structure, datatypes, declarations)

Statements for program control, cursor management, and exception handling

Records, procedures, functions, triggers, and packages

Calling PL/SQL functions in SQL

Compilation options, object-oriented features, collections, and Java integration

The new edition describes such Oracle Database 11g elements as PL/SQL's function result cache, compound triggers, the CONTINUE statement, the SIMPLE_INTEGER datatype, and improvements to native compilation, regular expressions, and compiler optimization (including intra-unit inlining). In addition, this book now includes substantial new sections on Oracle's built-in functions and packages.

When you need answers quickly, the Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference will save you hours of frustration.

Chapter 1 Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference
1. Introduction
2. PL/SQL Language Fundamentals
3. Variables and Program Data
4. Conditional and Sequential Control
5. Loops
6. Database Interaction
7. Cursors in PL/SQL
8. Exception Handling
9. Records in PL/SQL
10. Collections in PL/SQL
11. Built-in Functions and Packages
12. Stored Procedures and Functions
13. Triggers
14. Packages
15. Calling PL/SQL Functions in SQL
16. Object-Oriented Features
17. Compilation
18. Java Language Integration

Title:

Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference, 4th Edition

By:

Steven Feuerstein, Bill Pribyl, Chip Dawes

Publisher:

O'Reilly Media

Formats:

Print
Ebook
Safari Books Online

Print:

October 2007

Ebook:

February 2009

Pages:

180

Print ISBN:

978-0-596-51404-4

| ISBN 10:

0-596-51404-2

Ebook ISBN:

978-0-596-10282-1

| ISBN 10:

0-596-10282-8

Steven Feuerstein

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.

View Steven Feuerstein's full profile page.
Bill Pribyl

Bill Pribyl is the primary author of "Learning Oracle PL/SQL" and the coauthor of Oracle PL/SQL Programming and its companion pocket reference, all from O'Reilly Media. He is oddly proud of having used PL/SQL to write TCP/IP networking clients, tnsping callouts, near-realtime commodity price loaders, and transcendental functions. Bill, who holds a degree in physics from Rice University, is the former editor of the IOUG technical journal (Select) and former president of the South Central Oracle Users Group. At home with his family in Houston, Texas, Bill's current nonbillable titles include Webmaster for his neighborhood civic club, "IT Guy" for his son's Boy Scout troop, and Eucharistic Adoration Coordinator for his church. Visit Bill's firm at http://www.datacraft.com.

View Bill Pribyl's full profile page.
Chip Dawes

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.

View Chip Dawes's full profile page.

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oreilly Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference, Fourth Edition

5.0

(based on 2 reviews)

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1/30/2010

5.0

A book for every PL/SQL Developer's Desk

By jt_canada

from Nova Scotia, Canada

About Me Designer, Developer

Pros

Accurate
Concise
Easy to understand
Helpful examples
Well-written

Cons

Needs electronic copy too

Best Uses

Expert
Intermediate
Novice

Comments about oreilly Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference, Fourth Edition:

If you're a PL/SQL developer, then you already know about Steven Feuerstein. This book does not replace his Oracle PL/SQL Programming text, but is a handy pocket guide which provides you with some simple reminders of syntax, usage and sample code.
In many instances it will also describe some of the nuances and differences between PL/SQL delivered with 9i, 10g and 11g versions of the Oracle database.
The only downside to an otherwise perfect book is the lack of electronic copy. I'm of the opinion that if you shell out for a hard copy book, a CD copy should come with it. I don't care if it is protected by a proprietary reader, but it should be searchable. Sure, the pocket reference is there to make searching quick, but there are times when I'm at my laptop without a book handy.

As an aside, I also have to recommend the other books in the Oracle series. I've read many many oracle books over the past 15 years, from the likes of O'Reilly, Osborne/Oracle Press, Prentice Hall, Apress -- and I can easily admit that the O'Reilly / Feuerstein series are the best. (Incidentally, I've seen his presentations live at UKOUG conference -- and he does not disappoint in person either.
Buy this book. Buy the whole series. And remember to keep getting the updates/new versions. The description of new features must not be missed!

12/6/2007

(2 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Excellent reference on PL/SQL programming and syntax

By jdruin

from Undisclosed

Comments about oreilly Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference, Fourth Edition:

Oracle PL/SQL Language Pocket Reference

Steven Feuerstein

O'Reilly _ 4th Edition

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596514044/index.html

This book covers the most common topics in PL/SQL in a compact format. The format is "pocket reference" which is considerably smaller than a standard book. The information is still complete. It appears the publisher accomplished this by eliminating blank pages between chapters, avoiding the use of large type for chapter headings, and beginning the next chapter a few lines after the previous. This format is convenient for people who need to use the reference often.

The items covered are numerous and relevant making the book a good value. The reference does not cover the SQL language itself outside the context of PL/SQL programming. It also does not go into extreme detail on how Oracle is working behind the scenes. It focuses on how to perform the task at hand then moves onto the next topic. This is good for those just looking for an answer but would not provide the detail to someone studying the inner workings of Oracle itself.

Some of the items covered that I found most useful were:

Cursors

Exception handling

Transaction management

Syntax of various loops and the case statement

Bulk operations

Packages

Procedures

Syntax of triggers

Differences between 9i and 10g

Functions

Overall this is an inexpensive, quality reference for those who program PL/SQL.