Oracle SQL By Example (4TH 10 Edition)

 “The book ...has enough depth for even a seasoned professional to pick up enough tips to pay back the price of the book many times over.”

–Dr. Paul Dorsey, President Dulcian, Inc., and President, New York Oracle Users Group

“Students find Oracle SQL by Example to be extremely helpful not only to their coursework but also in preparing them for future careers as Oracle DBAs and developers. The layout of the text is conducive to the learning process. It introduces a concept and then reinforces that concept with an exercise.”

–Betsy Jenaway, Coordinator, Malcomb Operations, and Senior Lecturer College of Management, Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI

The World's #1 Hands-On Oracle SQL Workbook–Fully Updated for Oracle 11g

Crafted for hands-on learning, tested in classrooms worldwide, and reorganized to deliver more skills even faster, this bookilluminates every Oracle SQL technique you need to know. Thoroughly updated for Oracle 11g, it focuses on the tasks that matter most, from simple queries to advanced data warehousing, and adds detailed coverage of Oracle’s powerful new SQL Developer tool. Step by step, hundreds of guided lab exercises will systematically strengthen your expertise in writing effective, high-performance SQL. You’ll acquire a powerful arsenal of useful skills–and an extraordinary library of real-world solutions.

• 100% focused on Oracle SQL for Oracle 11g, today's #1 database platform–not “generic” SQL!
• Understand the role of SQL, and key concepts such as data normalization and schema.
• Master core SQL techniques, including SELECT, WHERE, ORDER BY, and more.
• Make the most of functions: character, number, date, conversion, aggregate, and more.
• Build effective queries, subqueries, and joins–including complex joins.
• Work with tables, indexes, sequences, views, the Data Dictionary, and regular expressions.
• Secure databases using Oracle users, privileges, roles, and synonyms.
• Explore Oracle 11g’s advanced data warehousing features.
• Optimize Oracle SQL query performance.
• Avoid common pitfalls and solve common mistakes.
• For every database developer, administrator, designer, or architect, regardless of experience!

Foreword

Preface

Chapter 1: SQL and Data

Chapter 2: SQL: The Basics

Chapter 3: The WHERE and ORDER BY Clauses

Chapter 4: Character, Number, and Miscellaneous Functions

Chapter 5: Date and Conversion Functions

Chapter 6: Aggregate Functions, GROUP BY, and HAVING Clauses

Chapter 7: Equijoins

Chapter 8: Subqueries

Chapter 9: Set Operators

Chapter 10: Complex Joins

Chapter 11: Insert, Update, and Delete

Chapter 12: Create, Alter, and Drop Tables

Chapter 13: Indexes, Sequences, and Views

Chapter 14: The Data Dictionary, Scripting and Reporting

Chapter 15: Security

Chapter 16: Regular Expressions and Hierarchical Queries

Chapter 17: Exploring Data Warehousing Features

Chapter 18: SQL Optimization

Appendix A: Answers to Quiz Questions

Appendix B: SQL Formatting Guide

Appendix C: SQL*Plus Command Reference

Appendix D: STUDENT Database Schema

Appendix E: Table and Column Descriptions

Appendix F: Additional Example Tables

Appendix G: Navigating through the Oracle Documentation

Appendix H: Resources

Appendix I: Oracle Data Types

ONLINE ONLY

Web Site

Workshop Solutions

Scripts

Read Me Instructions

“The book...has enough depth for even a seasoned professional to pick up enough tips to pay back the price of the book

many times over.”

–Dr. Paul Dorsey, President, Dulcian, Inc., Oracle Magazine PL/SQL Developer of the Year 2007, and President

Emeritus, New York Oracle Users Group 

“This is a fascinating guide into the world of Oracle SQL with an abundance of well-collected examples. Without a doubt, this

book is helpful to beginners and experts alike who seek alternative ways to resolve advanced scenarios.”–Oleg Voskoboynikov, Ph.D., Database Architect

The World’s #1 Hands-On Oracle SQL Workbook–Fully Updated for Oracle 11g

Crafted for hands-on learning and tested in classrooms worldwide, this book illuminates in-depth every Oracle SQL technique you’ll need. From the simplest query fundamentals to regular expressions and with newly added coverage of Oracle’s powerful new SQL Developer tool, you will focus on the tasks that matter most. Hundreds of step-by-step, guided lab exercises will systematically strengthen your expertise in writing effective, high-performance SQL. Along the way, you’ll acquire a powerful arsenal of useful skills–and an extraordinary library of solutions for your real-world challenges with Oracle SQL.

Coverage includes

• 100% focused on Oracle SQL for Oracle 11g, today’s #1 database platform–not “generic” SQL!
• Master all core SQL techniques including every type of join such as equijoins, self joins, and outer joins
• Understand Oracle functions in depth, especially character, number, date, timestamp, interval, conversion, aggregate, regular expressions, analytical, and more
• Practice all types of subqueries, such as correlated and scalar subqueries, and learn about set operators and hierarchical queries
• Build effective queries and learn fundamental Oracle SQL Developer and SQL*Plus skills
• Make the most of the Data Dictionary and create tables, views, indexes, and sequences
• Secure databases using Oracle privileges, roles, and synonyms
• Explore Oracle 11g’s advanced data warehousing features
• Learn many practical tips about performance optimization, security, and architectural solutions
• Avoid common pitfalls and understand and solve common mistakes
• For every database developer, administrator, designer, or architect, regardless of experience!

Alice Rischert, formerly chair of Columbia University’s Database Application Development and Design program, has taught classes in Oracle SQL, PL/SQL, and database design to hundreds of students. Ms. Rischert’s wide-ranging technology experience encompasses systems integration, database architecture, and project management for a number of companies in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Ms. Rischert has presented on SQL and PL/SQL topics at Oracle conferences and has worked with Oracle since version 5.

Foreword     xxxi

Preface     xxxiv

Chapter 1: SQL and Data     1

Chapter 2: SQL: The Basics     49

Chapter 3: The WHERE and ORDER BY Clauses     101

Chapter 4: Character, Number, and Miscellaneous Functions     133

Chapter 5: Date and Conversion Functions     189

Chapter 6: Aggregate Functions, GROUP BY, and HAVING Clauses     263

Chapter 7: Equijoins     285

Chapter 8: Subqueries     323

Chapter 9: Set Operators     377

Chapter 10: Complex Joins     399

Chapter 11: Insert, Update, and Delete     429

Chapter 12: Create, Alter, and Drop Tables     503

Chapter 13: Indexes, Sequences, and Views     571

Chapter 14: The Data Dictionary, Scripting, and Reporting     615

Chapter 15: Security     661

Chapter 16: Regular Expressions and Hierarchical Queries     695

Chapter 17: Exploring Data Warehousing Features     741

Chapter 18: SQL Optimization     803

Appendix A: Answers to Quiz Questions     839

Appendix B: SQL Formatting Guide     855

Appendix C: SQL*Plus Command Reference     859

Appendix D: STUDENT Database Schema     873

Appendix E: Table and Column Descriptions     875

Appendix F: Additional Example Tables     881

Appendix G: Navigating the Oracle Documentation     887

Appendix H: Resources     893

Appendix I: Oracle Data Types     897

Index     899