Oracle SQL Interactive Workbook

ALICE RISCHERT chairs the Database Application Development and Design track at the Computer Technology and Application Program at Columbia University. She has taught Oracle SQL to hundreds of students and has presented at Oracle conferences. Rischert has worked with Oracle for over 10 years and currently consults on large Oracle data warehouse and system integration projects. Foreword by Peter Koletze

(NOTE: All chapters conclude with Test Your Thinking.)

Foreword.


Acknowledgments.


About the Author.


Introduction.


1. SQL and Data.


Data, Databases, and the Definition of SQL. Table Relationships. The Student Schema Diagram.



2. SQL: The Basics.


The SQL*Plus Environment. The Anatomy of a SELECT Statement. Editing a SQL Statement. The WHERE Clause: Comparison and Logical Operators. The ORDER BY Clause.



3. Character, Number, and Miscellaneous Functions.


Character Functions. Number Functions. Miscellaneous Single-]Row Functions.



4. Date and Conversion Functions.


Applying Oracle's Date Format Models. Performing Date and Time Math. Using the New Oracle 9i DATETIME Datatypes. Performing Calculations with the INTERVAL Datatype. Converting from One Datatype to Another.



5. Aggregate Functions, Group By, and Having.


Aggregate Functions. The GROUP BY and HAVING Clauses.



6. Equijoins.


The Two-Table Join. Joining Three or More Tables.



7. Subqueries.


Simple Subqueries. Correlated Subqueries. Inline Views, Scalar Subquery Expressions, and the Subquery WITH Clause. ANY, SOME, and ALL Operators in Subqueries.



8. Set Operators.


The Power of UNION and UNION ALL. The MINUS and INTERSECT Set Operators.



9. Complex Joins.


Outer Joins. Self-Joins.



10. Insert, Update, and Delete.


Creating Data and Transaction Control. Updating and Deleting Data.



11. Create, Alter, and Drop Tables.


Creating and Dropping Tables. Altering Tables and Manipulating Constraints.



12. Views, Indexes, and Sequences.


Creating and Modifying Views. Indexes. Sequences.



13. The Data Dictionary and Dynamic SQL Scripts.


The Oracle Data Dictionary Views. Dynamic SQL Scripts.



14. Security.


Users, Privileges, Roles, and Synonyms.



15. Advanced SQL Queries.


Advanced SQL Concepts and Analytical Functions. ROLLUP and CUBE Operators. Hierarchical Queries.



16. SQL Optimization.


The Oracle Optimizer and Writing Effective SQL Statements.



Appendix A. Answers to Self-Review 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.


Index.