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"Mastering Oracle SQL, Second Edition": Using SQL to Get Work Done with Oracle

July 14, 2004

Sebastopol, CA--SQL is the key to getting things done with the Oracle database. And the fully updated Mastering Oracle SQL, Second Edition (O'Reilly, US $39.95) is the key to putting SQL to work. "Mastery over the SQL language is one of the most vital requirements of a database developer or database administrator," according to authors Sanjay Mishra and Alan Beaulieu. "Knowing the power and flexibility of SQL will improve your productivity, allowing you to get more done in less time, and with increased certainty that the SQL statements you write are indeed correct."

Those who use Oracle SQL on a regular basis want to access the full power of SQL to write queries in an Oracle environment. They want a solid understanding of what's possible with Oracle SQL, creative techniques for writing effective and accurate queries, and the kind of hands-on information that leads to true mastery of the language. They want useful, expert best practices that can be put to work immediately. And Mishra and Beaulieu don't disappoint.

Fully revised and updated, this new edition covers all the most important and useful of Oracle's SQL features--including all the new SQL features and updates, large and small, introduced in Oracle Database 10g--and shows readers how to apply them to solve their specific problems and meet their particular needs. It includes real-world examples and the practical, useful elements readers need to tap into the unparalleled richness of SQL functionality that Oracle provides.

Readers will learn new tools, strategies, and techniques for using complex SQL features (including outer joins, correlated subqueries, hierarchical queries, grouping operations, and analytical queries); using DECODE and CASE to implement conditional logic in their SQL queries; writing SQL statements that operate against partitions, objects, and collections (such as nested tables and variable arrays); and using best practices to write efficient, maintainable SQL queries. And they'll learn about the following areas in which Oracle truly excels:

  • Regular expressions: New in Oracle Database 10g, regular expression support allows for querying and manipulating text based on patterns. Oracle's regular expression support stands head-and-shoulders above that of any competing database.
  • Interrow calculations: Oracle Database 10g's new MODEL clause enables people to cast query results into the form of a multidimensional array on which they can then perform spreadsheet-like calculations.
  • Recursive queries: Oracle has always had excellent support for recursive queries. This support is greatly enhanced in Oracle Database 10g.
  • Analytic and advanced GROUP BY functions: First introduced in Oracle8i Database, Oracle's suite of analytic and advanced grouping functions has been continuously enhanced with each new release. These functions are essential tools in any decision-support environment.
  • SQL/XML standard: Oracle fully supports the emerging SQL/XML standard and has strong support for storing, querying, and generating XML data.
  • For any administrator, developer, or programmer who works with Oracle, Mastering Oracle SQL, Second Edition is the essential guide to harnessing the untapped (and often overlooked) power of Oracle SQL.

    Additional Resources:

    Mastering Oracle SQL, 2nd Edition
    Sanjay Mishra, Alan Beaulieu
    ISBN: 0-596-00632-2, 492 pages, $39.95 US, $57.95 CA
    order@oreilly.com
    1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000

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