Product Description

Create dynamic client/server applications using PL/SQL and the comprehensive information contained in this authoritative volume. Expert Oracle insiders cover the features of PL/SQL, explain scripting semantics and syntax, and fully detail the PL/SQL functionality of Oracle Database 10g. You’ll learn how to write powerful PL/SQL programs, interact with Oracle databases, perform complex calculations, and handle error conditions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30389 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 896 pages

From the Inside Flap
Write Robust PL/SQL Applications

Create dynamic client/server applications using PL/SQL and the comprehensive information contained in this authoritative volume. Expert Oracle insiders cover the features of PL/SQL, explain scripting semantics and syntax, and fully detail the PL/SQL functionality of Oracle Database 10g. You’ll learn how to write powerful PL/SQL programs, interact with Oracle databases, perform complex calculations, and handle error conditions. Plus, you’ll get insider programming tips and techniques and real-world examples from the Oracle community.

Develop, tune, and debug PL/SQL programs that access Oracle databases from a wide variety of environments Use PL/SQL block structures, variables, datatypes, expressions, operators, and statements Regulate and recover from errors using exceptions and exception handlers Deploy subprograms, procedures, functions, packages, and triggers Accomplish intersession communication with DBMS_PIPE and DBMS_ALERT Write object-oriented PL/SQL applications Manage large sets of data using PL/SQL records and objects Work with Oracle Net Services, external procedures, Java libraries, and C shared libraries Perform object-oriented programming using transient objects, inheritance, type evolution, and attribute chaining Automate database tasks with DBMS_JOB and DBMS_SCHEDULER and add e-mail functionality with UTL_SMTP and UTL_MAIL

From the Back Cover

Write Robust PL/SQL Applications

Create dynamic client/server applications using PL/SQL and the comprehensive information contained in this authoritative volume. Expert Oracle insiders cover the features of PL/SQL, explain scripting semantics and syntax, and fully detail the PL/SQL functionality of Oracle Database 10g. You’ll learn how to write powerful PL/SQL programs, interact with Oracle databases, perform complex calculations, and handle error conditions. Plus, you’ll get insider programming tips and techniques and real-world examples from the Oracle community.

• Develop, tune, and debug PL/SQL programs that access Oracle databases from a wide variety of environments
• Use PL/SQL block structures, variables, datatypes, expressions, operators, and statements
• Regulate and recover from errors using exceptions and exception handlers
• Deploy subprograms, procedures, functions, packages, and triggers
• Accomplish intersession communication with DBMS_PIPE and DBMS_ALERT
• Write object-oriented PL/SQL applications
• Manage large sets of data using PL/SQL records and objects
• Work with Oracle Net Services, external procedures, Java libraries, and C shared libraries
• Perform object-oriented programming using transient objects, inheritance, type evolution, and attribute chaining
• Automate database tasks with DBMS_JOB and DBMS_SCHEDULER and add e-mail functionality with UTL_SMTP and UTL_MAIL

About the Author
Scott Urman (Foster City, CA) is a senior member of the diagnostic and defect technical staff in the Language Group of Oracle Support Services, where he aids users of Oracle's various language products (PL/SQL, OCI, and the Oracle precompilers). In addition, he reviews Oracle technical documentation, writes white papers on Oracle languages, and makes technical presentations both inside Oracle and at meetings of Oracle User's Groups. Scott is the best-selling author of Oracle Press' Oracle PL/SQL Programming and Oracle8 PL/SQL Programming.

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

Customer Reviews

Comprehensive
I "subscribe" to this author and publisher for texts on this topic. I like the writing style and layout of the book. There enough explanation to be thorough, and enough practical examples to be useful outside of pure theoretical discussion. Plus, there are plenty of references in the appendix, so those pages are essentially a "Nutshell."

However, I think I prefer the layout of the 9i edition. The flow was nicer: a structured outline, then some examples. In the 10g edition, the flow seems to have changed: a briefer description in paragraph form, then a lot more examples.

Not written by educators... Obviously
Let me start by stating that I agree with Frank N. Loreti's review of this book, and one part in particular: this book was not written by educators. And I would like to add that they don't seem to be terribly good writers, either.

Some examples from the first three chapters (plus one page of chapter 4) to illustrate my point:

On page 72, it reads: "Boolean variables, when combined with an IF-THEN block, do not need to be provided with a comparison value if only comparing to TRUE." First, Boolean variables aren't "combined" with an IF-THEN, they are *used* as part of the [Boolean] condition of the IF-THEN. And second, writing that they don't need to be provided is, educationally speaking, not very wise; it suggests that it's a specific feature of the language, a short cut if you will, when in fact it's a mere consequence of how the evaluation of Boolean expressions work.

On pages 108 and 109, I think it's a glaring omission that the writers don't mention whether the PL/SQL CASE statement uses 'fall-thru' or not. For several reasons, I don't expect this to be the case, but if it's not used, how is the 'CASE with different variables' treated? In other words, in the example at the bottom of page 109, is only Steve printed, or all names? Come to think of it: in the example before it, what happens if the conditions in the CASE overlap? (E.g., change the second WHEN-condition to
v_price BETWEEN 30 AND 50
What happens then if v_price equals 35? Will only the first WHEN-statement block be executed? Will both be executed? Will an exception be thrown? Less likely, but not impossible: maybe a compile-time error is given?) It's hard for me to understand how any decent programmer can overlook the fact that these 'details' need to be discussed.

On page 110, loops are discussed: "We cover three different types here: Simple loops. The most basic kind of loop, they include LOOP, END LOOP, and some method of EXIT." Since 'different types' of loops are discussed, the plurality in 'Simple loops' suggests that there are several types of simple loops --and it seems they are called the 'LOOP', and 'END LOOP'... or something. Of course, this is not the case: there's only one type of simple loop. It starts with the keyword LOOP which is followed by a statement block that may/should contain an EXIT statement, and it ends with the keywords END LOOP.

You don't have to be a professional writer to sense that you can't end a section with a couple of bullet points (just like, apparently and unfortunately, you can't end a chapter without a useless summary) so you'll need at least an extra line of text, but unfortunately the writers of this book don't have the finesse to cross that bridge unnoticed. For example, at the beginning of chapter 4 a list of topics for that chapter is given in bullet points, followed by the following recommendation:

"As these features are demonstrated, think about how they can be used to improve the functionality, performance and design of your applications."

It's suggestions like these that simply make my toes curl.

Add to all this the absence of a decent structure (the books keeps jumping from simple features to advanced features and back, fragmenting the explanation of both), and the authors should consider themselves lucky I'm still giving this book 3 stars...

Best Choice
When I started studing PL/SQL...
I got recommanded this book.
Now I satisfied my choice because of contents of this book.
I recommand this book.