Oracle PL/SQL Programming (Nutshell Handbooks)

Oracle is the most popular database management system in use today, and PL/SQL plays a pivotal role in current and projected Oracle products and applications. PL/SQL is a relatively new programming language providing procedural extensions to the SQL relational database language and to an ever-growing number of Oracle development tools, including SQL*Plus, Oracle Forms, Oracle Graphics, Oracle Reports, and Oracle Developer 2000 (formerly the Cooperative Development Environment (CDE)). It offers a myriad of data types, and such features as cursors, loops, conditional and sequential control statements, exception handlers, records, tables, and constructs for developing modular code (functions, procedures, and packages). Originally a rather limited tool, PL/SQL is now a mature and effective language for developers. Although PL/SQL is very important to Oracle customers, it has not received the attention -- by Oracle Corporation and outside vendors and authors -- that it deserves. Oracle PL/SQL Programming fills a huge gap in the Oracle market. It provides developers with a single, comprehensive guide to building applications with PL/SQL -- and building them the right way. It's packed with strategies, code architectures, tips, techniques, and fully realized code. The book comes with a disk containing many examples of PL/SQL programs that readers can use immediately or as starting points for further development.

ORACLE PL/SQL Programming is the first book devoted exclusively to the PL/SQL language, a rich procedural extension to the Oracle RDBMS and to SQL. You'll get the basics - datatypes, control statements, exception handlers, records, and built-in functions. Beyond these basics, you'll learn the most advanced and powerful language constructs, including PL/SQL tables, cursor variables, and the wide array of built-in packages that extend PL/SQL. The book provides numerous, real-world examples and dozens of utilities you can put to use in your own applications. It also offers guidelines for an effective coding style, as well as the tips and techniques necessary to build modular, maintainable applications.