Learning Oracle PL/SQL

PL/SQL, Oracle's programming language for stored procedures, delivers a world of possibilities for your database programs. PL/SQL supplements the standard relational database language, SQL, with a wide range of procedural features, including loops, IF-THEN statements, advanced data structures, and rich transactional control--all closely integrated with the Oracle database server.

Knowing where to start with Oracle's procedural language is not always obvious to a newcomer, especially considering the language's feature set and the sheer size of the official documentation (not to mention Oracle's ever-increasing number of pre-built PL/SQL programs). But Learning Oracle PL/SQL offers the signposts and guidance you need to come up to speed on the language, delivered in a manageable number of pages while covering all the essentials.

Topics include:

• PL/SQL--what is it, and why use it? Why use PL/SQL instead of Java?
  
• Syntax and examples of all core language constructs
  
• Creating, using, and reusing stored procedures, functions, and packages
  
• Building web-based applications using PL/SQL features available "out of the box" (such as PL/SQL Server Pages)
  
• Securing PL/SQL programs against attack
  
• Benefits of third-party developer tools and integrated development environments
  
• Connecting PL/SQL to email, Java, and the Internet

Meticulously crafted with all-new examples downloadable from examples.oreilly.com/learnoracle, the book addresses language features available in all versions of Oracle, from Oracle7 to Oracle8i to Oracle9i.

Learning Oracle PL/SQL was written by PL/SQL experts Bill Pribyl and Steven Feuerstein, whose easy-to-read style and attention to detail has made other O'Reilly books (such as the bestselling Oracle PL/SQL Programming) very popular among Oracle developers worldwide. Learning Oracle PL/SQL is meant for a wide range of target audiences, including both beginning programmers and those already experienced with other programming languages. Whether you are a new developer, a crossover programmer from another database system, or a new database administrator who needs to learn PL/SQL, this book will get you well on your way. It is the perfect introduction to Oracle PL/SQL Programming, also by Pribyl and Feuerstein.

Table of Contents

Preface 

1. PL/SQL: What, When, and Where

      What Is PL/SQL? 

      Why Use PL/SQL? 

      What You Need to Get Started with PL/SQL 

2. Fundamentals

      PL/Lingo 

      Running Your First PL/SQL Program 

      Introduction to Program Structure 

      Variables 

      Common Operators 

      Conditional Logic 

      Executing in Circles: Loop Statements 

      Code Formatting: Requirements and Guidelines 

      Some Advanced Fundamentals 

3. Let's Code!

      Some Background on the Example 

      A First Programming Exercise 

      Retrieving a Book Count with a Function 

      Make Your Code Resilient 

      Using PL/SQL Packages to Organize Code 

      Going to the Next Level 

      Now What? 

4. Go Web, Young Man

      Introduction to HTML 

      Using PL/SQL to Create Web Pages 

      What Else? 

5. Fetch!

      What's the Big Deal? 

      A Simple-Minded Approach to Retrieving One Row 

      Retrieving More than One Row Using a Cursor 

      Presenting Query Results via a Web Page 

      Building a Web-Based Search Page Using Dynamic SQL 

      Advanced Data Retrieval Topics 

6. Keeping House

      Organize Your Code 

      Use Tools to Write Code Effectively 

7. Security: Keep the Bad Guys Out

      Oracle Security Primer 

      Organizing Accounts to Improve Security 

      Analyzing the Library System's Requirements 

      Keeping a Trail of Database Changes 

      Special Security Topics for PL/SQL Developers 

8. Communicating with the Outside World

      Sending Internet Email from PL/SQL 

      Using the Mail Sender in the Library System 

      Receiving Email Inside the Database 

      Fetching Data from a Remote Web Site 

      Integration with Other Languages 

9. Intermediate Topics and Other Diversions

      Riding the Software Lifecycle 

      Lists o' Stuff (Collections) in PL/SQL 

      Exception-Handling Packages 

      Transaction Control 

      The PL/SQL Compiler 

      Managing Patron and Librarian Privileges 

      Still More PL/SQL Features 

"Making Good" of Database Programming 

      The Evidence 

      The Problem 

      Answering the Objections 

      What to Do 

Glossary 

Index