Recommended books about Oracle

Application Express, or APEX, is one of the most innovative products to come out of Oracle in years. APEX is an application development framework for developing database�|backed applications. It�fs easy enough to get started in that power users can quit storing data in random spreadsheets and instead centralize their data in the powerful Oracle database, all without developer help. Developers arent left out, however. Those who choose to can go deep and leverage the full power and flexibility of Oracles database engine.

Getting started with APEX is easy. Learning how to take full advantage of APEX is the problem. It was the problem, that is, until this book came along. In Pro Oracle Application Express, authors John Scott and Scott Spendolini open the �ghood�h of APEX and expose the full power behind its easy�|to�|use GUI interface. They show you what you need to know to produce powerful, professionally polished applications, things such as user-authentication models, approaches to layout and navigation, how to integrate Ajax, how to deal with localization issues such as time zones and translations, how to customize the look and feel of an APEX web site, and much, much more.

The authors are well�|qualified to write on APEX. John Scott runs ShellPrompt, a hosting service that handles many large-scale APEX applications, some of which he is paid to develop. John is a hard�|core APEX developer. His coauthor, Scott Spendolini, is one of the original creators of APEX. Both John and Scott now base their fulltime careers on developing APEX applications. Pro Oracle APEX is your opportunity to learn APEX from the very best.

Being quite new to APEX and PL/SQL, I was anxious to find a book that would actually provide me with useful methods for implementing improvements to my APEX application. This book does that. After reading the chapters on Authentication and Authorization, I was able to implement my own authentication and authorization schemes in my app. This book is great for those developers who are not yet experts in APEX and who may not yet feel totally comfortable with all of its capabilities.

I'm now making my second pass through this book in more detail but I have found this book to meet my needs perfectly by providing a very comprehensive overview of what can be done with APEX. If you are thinking about developing a product with APEX or adding an APEX component to your current architecture then this is a great place to start. More details are provided as you get further and further into the design and development process.

I was disappointed to find that the sample code was not made available unless I purchase the sister e-book for $10.

I am an intermediate user of Apex but always wanted to do something more impressive in my reports and layouts. I also never liked the way I handled the LDAP. This book made the LDAP authenication a lot clearer to do and also has some great tips on reports that jump out at you. I also didn't use a lot of the HTML features just because I didn't know how but this book also brought a lot to light in that area. This book is a good buy for someone with a basic knowledge of APEX looking for some of those answers they just never get to in the classes.

Oracle's Application Express (aka ApEx, formerly HTMLDB) is an amazing foundation for developing database-driven web applications. It is easy for a novice, yet very flexible for a software developer. Unfortunately, there have not been any good references published until now. Scott and Spendolini have created a wonderful reference and tutorial that surpasses anything else out there.

The chapters on Ajax and JavaScript and the APEX Dictionary were extremely helpful to me as a developer.

I was disappointed that there was no section on validation.

Overall, it was excellent, and if I could give 4.5 stars, I would.

Tom Hubbard
Software Developer

You know the rudiments of the SQL query language, yet you feel you aren't taking full advantage of SQL's expressive power. You'd like to learn how to do more work with SQL inside the database before pushing data across the network to your applications. You'd like to take your SQL skills to the next level.

Let's face it, SQL is a deceptively simple language to learn, and many database developers never go far beyond the simple statement: SELECT FROM WHERE . But there is "so" much more you can do with the language. In the "SQL Cookbook," experienced SQL developer Anthony Molinaro shares his favorite SQL techniques and features. You'll learn about:

Window functions, arguably the most significant enhancement to SQL in the past decade. If you're not using these, you're missing out

Powerful, database-specific features such as SQL Server's PIVOT and UNPIVOT operators, Oracle's MODEL clause, and PostgreSQL's very useful GENERATE_SERIES function

Pivoting rows into columns, reverse-pivoting columns into rows, using pivoting to facilitate inter-row calculations, and double-pivoting a result set

"Bucketization," and why you should never use that term in Brooklyn.

How to create histograms, summarize data into buckets, perform aggregations over a moving range of values, generate running-totals and subtotals, and other advanced, data warehousing techniques

The technique of "walking a string," which allows you to use SQL to parse through the characters, words, or delimited elements of a string

Written in O'Reilly's popular Problem/Solution/Discussion style, the "SQL Cookbook" is sure to please. Anthony's credo is: "When it comes down to it, we all go to work, weall have bills to pay, and we all want to go home at a reasonable time and enjoy what's still available of our days." The "SQL Cookbook" moves quickly from problem to solution, saving you time each step of the way.

The thing I like about the O'Reilly 'Cookbook' series is that you may not have to use them for months, but when you need them they are there with the answers. And oftentimes finding the "one answer" that has been eluding you for hours or even days is worth the price of the book.
This book falls into that category. What's really nice is that the author provides solutions for 5(!) different databases. And he does a good job explaining the solutions, making it easy to extrapolate them to solve similar queries.

This book is great for those times when you say "there must be an easier way to do this". It's concise, readable, and easy to find your way around.
I almost never have time to plough through a two-inch thick book to learn a single technology in agonizing detail. More usually I have an immediate problem needing an immediate fix. And this book fills that need. Furthermore since it covers Oracle, Sybase and Sql Server and addresses both similarities and differences between them it's good for those of us who have to bounce between different DBMSs on a daily basis.

Buy this book. You will not regret it.

Content is excellent, with good examples. I was able to solve a prloblem the very first time I used it. The issue I have is more with Amazon in that I ordered this book in a shipment of 4 others, so it was over a month before I cracked this one open. To my dismay, the binding is not glued on and the book is falling apart. Amazon customer service has not even responded to my three emails asking for resolution.

I am a certified DB2 / Oracle DBA and a programmer. Even though, I can get through some of chapters very fast, I certainly have enjoyed reading it so far. One thing I like the most is to see how a problem is solved in many different databases including DB2, Oracle, MS-SQL, MySQL, and PostSQL!

I found this book to be very complete. Providing solutions for multiple DBMSs was greately appreciated. I have been in I.T. for a long time and I have read many many books on all types of subjects. I often (too often) am disappointed with books I purchase. However, sometimes I am pleasantly surprised... this is one of those time.

I create numerous queries using all types of tools. As such, I sometimes insert the wrong syntax into a query. This book helps to quickly correct the error. In addition, it has given me some "tricks" that I was unaware of that have helped to simplify some of my queries.

It would be very advantageous to have the info in this book on a searchable site or application

Buy it, read it, and keep it close by to reference to.

"Offers hundreds of hints, tips, and tricks of the trade that can be useful to any DBA wanting to achieve maximum performance of Oracle applications. No Oracle library would be complete without this book." --Ken (Dr. DBA) Jacobs, Vice President of Product Strategy for Server Technologies, Oracle Corporation

"Rich is the first and last stop for Oracle Database technology and performance tuning. His knowledge is a vital tool that you need to successfully negotiate the waters of Oracle database development." --Mike Frey, Principal Architect, Navteq

Great book for Oracle database professionals who want to deepen their understanding of the manifold factors that affect performance. I learned a ton of instantly useful information during my first pass through the book. I now keep this book within arm's reach as a reference, using it frequently to address tuning issues as they arise.

In my opinion, this is the best Oracle press I've ever read in its quality. The book is well organized, has extensive tested examples and the author's strong experience apparantly added to the value of the book.
For those who want to be specialized in Oracle database tuning, this book is a must.
I wish all Oracle books would be in this level of quality.

Hi,

This book is great for DBA and Developper alike. I would recommend it to anyone working with Oracle, even if you're not working to solve performance issues. With all those tips at hand never your application will suffer from poor programming.

Guillaume

I highly recommend this book as a handy reference to keep at your desk. It is full of handy tips and a great assessment for reviewing your own environnment.

I love reading this book. I typically read a few pages before bed. It's filled with lots of practical examples and suggestions. Very thorough explanations. Some of the examples could do with a little more explaining but overall it's still very useful.

SQL is the language of databases. It's used to create and maintain database objects, place data into those objects, query the data, modify the data, and, finally, delete data that is no longer needed. Databases lie at the heart of many, if not most business applications. Chances are very good that if you're involved with software development, you're using SQL to some degree. And if you're using SQL, you should own a good reference or two.

Now available in an updated second edition, our very popular "SQL Pocket Guide" is a major help to programmers, database administrators, and everyone who uses SQL in their day-to-day work. The "SQL Pocket Guide" is a concise reference to frequently used SQL statements and commonly used SQL functions. Not just an endless collection of syntax diagrams, this portable guide addresses the language's complexity head on and leads by example. The information in this edition has been updated to reflect the latest versions of the most commonly used SQL variants including:

Oracle Database 10g, Release 2 (including

the free Oracle Database 10g Express Edition (XE))

Microsoft SQL Server 2005

MySQL 5

IBM DB2 8.2

PostreSQL 8.1 database

"SQL Pocket Guide - 2nd Edition" is a short reference book for SQL DML (Data Manipulation Language), transaction control statements, datatypes, datatype conversion, table creation, and table modification. As the title indicates, this book is a "Pocket Guide" for the 4 major database platforms (Oracle, MS SQL Server, MySQL, and DB2). DO NOT EXPECT this book to be a complete reference or learning guide. Like most pocket guides, only people that already know the topic will find this text most useful. I own BOTH the 1st & 2nd editions. Due to my extensive use of the 1st edition, I purchased the 2nd edition released in 2006. This is the single most used book in my library! In fact, it is never on the book shelf! It's on my desk, in my bag, and travels with me on location. I work on a variety of database platforms with the 2 biggies being MS SQL Server & Oracle. I know the language, but at times can forget the exact syntax needed for the platform I'm working with. This book provides me with an extremely efficient way to "refresh" my memory and because it covers the 4 major platforms, I'm usually covered with this ONE small book.

The layout of the 2nd edition has been reorganized alphabetically by keyword and now covers: Oracle 10g including Oracle Express Ed, Microsoft SQL Server 2005, IBM DB2 release 8.2, MySQL 5.0, and PostgreSQL 8.1. As the layout of the 2nd edition has dramatically changed since the 1st edition and is now organized alphabetically by keyword (the keyword represented on each page is listed at the bottom of the page), you can quickly find the page you're looking for by flipping through the book and looking at the bottom right corner of the page. This is MUCH MUCH easier and faster! The new edition still has a very good Index, if you can't find what you're looking for on a flip-through pass.

Also new in the 2nd ed. is an extensive listing of datatypes, datatype conversions, and syntax variation for table creation and modification. This was a complaint in other reviews specific to the 1st ed., as missing. NOT SO in the new 2nd edition! PLEASE CHECK THE DATE OF THE REVIEW YOU'RE READING to ensure it pertains to the 2nd edition.

I was so impressed with this book... I actually bought TWO copies of the 2nd edition -- one for me and one for a co-worker -- AND passed my 1st edition on to another co-worker. For those "Now, how do I write that..." moments, this book can save you HOURS! I also like seeing the different examples and sample result sets for the different platforms. If the book doesn't cover what I'm looking for, I can always go to a more extensive reference book.

A comprehensive and detailed SQL reference with sample code and result sets to make the content clear. An excellent pocket guide to take anywhere.

this pocket book is useful in that it touches on command sets from mysql, sql server, and also oracle. this cross platform approach is helpful when learning sql, or if one was to switch from one enterprise level system to the next. this mini book was shipped out in a timely fashion. i can say that the reference available in this book was well worth the moderate expense, as well as the shipping time.

I'm writing a review because of how impressed I've become with this over time. I have several SQL references and this gets used by far the most. I'm a big O'Reilly fan and I think I bought this title in addition to the Nutshell book because it was cheap and I also wanted multiple SQL reference books so I could have some at home as well as the office.

I at first assumed that the Pocket guide would be inferior to the Nutshell book but I've found the reverse to be true for me. The strengths of this book are passages are always straight to the point, with tons of examples, and ALWAYS is very clear on relevant differences between different flavors of SQL (DB2, Oracle, SQL Server, & MySQL) without any blah blah blah.

For knuckleheads who have worked in so many languages that they can't remember any syntax anymore, and who prefer a good terse example to a big syntax tree, this reference is highly recommended.

I love this little book since I work with many RDBMs and need use different syntaxes to accomplish the same thing. That's what this reference is good for - to remind you of material that you've forgotten.

Four for the price of one! "Oracle Database 10g OCP Certification All-in-One Exam Guide" is the only book that offers thorough exam prep and a great on-the-job reference for both the latest OCA and OCP exams. Also includes the Boson's Oracle self-assessment engine to get experience taking the test in the environment it will be given.

PRO's:
- Detailed guide covering material on OCA and OCP exams
- OCA is Part 1, OCP is Part 2 of book

CON's:
- Author is VERY long-winded.
- Not enough use of diagrams
- Not updated for Oracle 10g Release 2 (current exam topic)

If you like long, boring discussions on a topic so much that by the end of the section you forgot what the main point was, then this book is for you! However, if you like short and straight to the point, you won't get that here.

The author tends to ramble on forever on each topic. It makes reading not only boring, but confusing. Use of a few simple diagrams like those found in the Sybex books would have gone a long way. It would have clarified the point without lenghty paragraphs. I found that the author tends to repeat himself often, too.

The main problem with this style of writing is that you will miss cruicial details because they're burried deep in a sea of text. Also, you CANNOT quickly skim through the book for a brief refresher.

I would have rather seen the book written such that the main points were stated first, followed by supporting detail and a diagram or two. So, you would be able to quickly skim through the first sentence of each paragraph or so to get the gist without deep reading.

It's painful to read through this book!

Giving it 3 stars because as painful as it is to read through, I am learning from it and it will help me pass the exam. But it could have been MUCH better.

I recently took the Oracle 10g Administration Workshop class and purchased this book in preparation for the OCA exam. While the book itself did a great job of covering some of the basic, under-the-hood topics you need to know (not just for the test, but to be a decent DBA), it fell short in a few areas.

1. The screen shots and examples in the book aren't consistent with the latest versions of Oracle Enterprise Manager/Database Control. The version I downloaded and installed for Windows just a few weeks ago was occasionally different than the images I saw in the examples. Sometimes, the differences were minor (just a slight variation on the name of a link, for instance), but other times they were a little more severe (columns that don't appear in the version I downloaded, or functionality that seems to have been moved).

2. The last chapter in Part 1 of the book covers a topic that's an objective for the OCP test, not the OCA one (at least according to the Oracle site as of this morning). Not a big deal and it's good info to know, but if you're studying specifically for the exam you might not want to spend time on info that isn't directly relevant.

3. I could live with 1 and 2 above, but this is by far the worst part... The companion CD includes practice tests for the OCA and OCP exams, one of the main reasons I bought this book. Before I cracked open the book, I took the test labeled "OCA" to get a sort of baseline read on my current preparedness. Having taken the instructor-lead course Oracle recommends for preparation, I thought I should do reasonably well.

I scored a 23%. To make matters worse, the questions themselves were baffling, at times covering subjects I hadn't even heard of. I was completely disheartened. Did I sleep through my $3000 class, or was I just that dumb (please don't answer that)?

A couple of days later, I figured it out: the software was bunk. The tests were mislabeled (that is, the one labeled "OCA" was actually the practice test for the more advanced "OCP" certification exam and vice versa).

Furthermore, many of the questions themselves have typos. I found a few, for instance, that don't actually state the question, going right from the background info to the possible answers. You'd get a "question" that looked like this:

Jill has four bananas. Mike has three apples.

A) Monkey.
B) Six.
C) Spaghetti.
D) None of the above.

Or, in at least one case, a question that told you what the actual answer was before giving you the choices:

What's 4+2?

B is the correct answer. 4+2 equals 6.

A) 3
B) 6
C) 18
D) Pi

One last beef with the included practice tests... After completing the test, you're given the option of reading a review of the questions you missed. Great feature that all practice test software should give you. While reviewing your misses, though, there's an utterly useless "References" portion that always just refers you back to the text. Doesn't tell you which page to look at for more info, or even which chapter. Just ever-so-helpfully tells you that there's more info on that question SOMEWHERE in the book. Thanks for nothing.


Clearly, more of my problems were with the companion CD than with the book itself. If I reviewed only the text on its own merits, I'd probably give it 4 stars instead of just three. Likewise, the CD would only get 2 on its own.

Again, though, it's imperative that you don't rely solely on this text for the exam (or for learning the software itself, for that matter). Download it and install it, get familiar with EM as it is now. Look on the Oracle site to find out whether or not the exam topics have changed. And, if you can afford it (or sweet talk your employer into it), take an instructor-lead class. It's a requirement for the OCP cert, anyway.

Oh, and in case you wanted to know... I took the test yesterday and did, indeed, pass.

I passed OCA exam thanks to this book and with a little help of SelfTest software.
Very good writing. Authors definitely know the subject practically.
It is a good reading on Oracle RDBMS internals. And more entertaining than the Oracle Concepts Guide.
Again - their writing style is excellent, they do not over-complicate things and manage to explain complicated subjects simply and clearly.
I wish they wrote something on efficient oracle design :).

This book is very good not just for clearing OCP but also reference for novice as well as experienced DBAs . The authors have covered the exam syllabus very concisely without leaving anything yet keeping the volume to a minimum .
However for the part 2 exam , one might have to read oracle manuals thoroughly especially for resource management and scheduler concepts .
The pratice test CD that comes with the book is very helpful.

The Most Complete Guide to Maximizing Oracle Recovery Manager

Deploy a rock-solid data backup and disaster recovery strategy with the in-depth guidance of this authoritative volume. From the exclusive publishers of Oracle Press books, Oracle Database 10g RMAN Backup & Recovery shows you, step by step, how to set up RMAN-ready databases, create reliable backup tapes and discs, and perform accurate Oracle system restores. Find out how to use RMAN from the command line and from Enterprise Manager, generate meaningful lists and reports, and automate administrative tasks using third-party media management tools. Plus, you'll learn to perform incremental backups, Flashback recoveries, and database cloning.

• Set up, configure, and maintain Oracle Database 10g RMAN
• Use RMAN recovery catalogs, target database packages, and control files
• Centralize backup tape management using Oracle Secure Backup
• Perform online, offline, and incremental system backups
• Monitor and tune performance with Enterprise Manager Grid Control and Database Control
• Accomplish complete and partial RMAN database restores
• Improve functionality using VERITAS NetBackup, EMC NetWorker Module, and Tivoli Storage Manager
• Overcome human errors using Flashback Versions Query and Transaction Query
• Create clone and standby databases from tape and disc backups
• Work with Real Application Cluster (RAC) databases and sync-and-split hardware technologies

RMAN is the present and the future of Oracle solution for backup.
It has a simple concept, but a great variety of commands, by this way, as a solution for all the complexity inside the RMAN solution, Oracle Database 10g RMAN Backup & Recovery come as a special "friend" to help us discovering all posibilities inside Oracle RMAN software.

I had no idea about backup and recovery but after reading this book and trying out the examples, I can say with confidence I can recover a RMAN backed database. Written extremly well!!! One of the good technical boooks I have read....

Backup and Recovery is one of the most critical tasks that a DBA has to perform. Sadly, it is also one of the most misunderstood. RMAN should be the tool of choice for backup and recovery for Oracle databases. There is so much that can be done with RMAN.

What Robert and Matthew do is break it down piece by piece. There is a great intro and they build on that in subsequent chapters. If you want to link RMAN directly with your backup software (i.e. Veritas, EMC, Legato, etc..) then the authors show you how. I used the Veritas piece to link RMAN in and it worked flawlessly. They go over the latest features including block changing files (for faster incremental backups), merging level 1 and level 0 backups (for faster recoveries without the overhead of backing up the whole database), and even cover what the flash recovery area is and how to use it. There is so much great material packed in this book. Yeah, you can try and read Oracle's docs, but rather than just show you how to do it, the authors also teach you why to do it.

You can read this book chronologically or use it as a reference. The authors writing style make this book a great joy to read. They also include a lot of great examples in case you like to learn by seeing.

I would highly recommend this book if you are an Oracle DBA, whether you use RMAN or not. Afterall, RMAN is what you should be using :).

We had to install and configure Oracle10g 4 node RAC with ASM+FLASHBACK and implement backup/recovery procedures using RMAN and Veritas Netbackup. This book covers everything I need to know in depth.

I had bought his book on Oracle 9i RMAN Backup and Recovery...
And very much impressed with the technical details and examples given in the book... Same way, the book on 10g also excels in technical depth and details...

Get a thorough understanding of Oracle Database 10g from the most comprehensive Oracle database reference on the market, published by Oracle Press. From critical architecture concepts to advanced object-oriented concepts, this powerhouse contains nearly 50 chapters designed to enlighten you. Upgrade from earlier versions, use SQL, SQL Plus, and PL/SQL. Get code examples and access popular documentation PDFs--plus a full electronic copy of the book on the included CD-ROM. Go beyond the basics and learn security, text searches, external tables, using Java in Oracle, and a great deal more.

This book is a great resource for the new or experienced DBA. With so many configuration options and infrequently used features it is nice to have one source for all of this information.

Also, the CD which accompanies the book makes carrying the book and searching it much faster.

Very bulky, Really covers a great deal. Not good for new programmer who wasnts to learn Oracle from Scrach.

This book is excellent to know the basics of the Oracle 10g Administration, as its name says, is a complete reference about the whole database software, includes a big part of PL/SQL and complete chapters about tuning tips and security, It's a must for an Oracle DBA, but I put only 4 stars because I think Lonely tried to cover a lot of things in this book, and obvious, it only mention the keys for eache point; and if you want the complete solution for one topic, you need to consult other resureces like OTN. Whatever, is an excelent reference.

Price about $20 less than Borders. Like the book says "it is a complete reference". Very helpful.

This is the best book about Oracle 10g I have ever used. It can be read from one end to the other getting comprehensive knowledge of Oracle features. Or you can use it as a reference looking up just in one chapter. Each chapter is independent and clearly explain about the topic in such a manner that you can easily understand it even if you have not read the rest of the book.

I would say this is a must have book if your going to use Oracle 10g. As some one else said it is not a book about configuration, it is a book about the features.

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�fll learn how to write powerful PL/SQL programs, interact with Oracle databases, perform complex calculations, and handle error conditions.

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.

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...

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.

This is the best pl/sql book ever!! It's a complete reference for PL/SQL programation lenguaje, that covers from the basics topics like data types to advanced fueatures like inter-session comunication. Its includes hundreds of examples, online code and a complete reference for Oracle 10g packages and utilitys. This is the ultimate PL/SQL book.

This is book did help me learn PL/SQL; however, it did it in a very painful manner. The book could have easily been condensed to half the size and still convey the same information, only clearly and to the point. Many of the chapters have long coding examples that are followed by a line-by-obvious-line description about what is going on. It's tempting to skip the code explanations; however, there is the occasional hidden piece of useful information in them that forces you to sift through the junk. To make matters worse, much of the code is needlessly commented. You know what type of comments I'm talking about; there will be a comment that reads '-- declare a variable of type varchar' and then a declaration immediately afterward. Wow, thanks for doubling the code size and killing some more trees. Topping that off, in some of the examples, the comments don't actually match what the code is doing. Grrr.

I invested a lot of time in reading this book and after it was all said and done my feeling on it was, meh, I guess I learned something. The book is pretty good, it's just needlessly big, too big and time consuming for the value that it brings to your skill set.

For the past ten years, O'Reilly's "Oracle PL/SQL Programming" has been the bestselling book on PL/SQL, Oracle's powerful procedural language. Packed with examples and helpful recommendations, the book has helped everyone--from novices to experienced developers, and from Oracle Forms developers to database administrators--make the most of PL/SQL.

The fourth edition is a comprehensive update, adding significant new content and extending coverage to include the very latest Oracle version, Oracle Database 10"g" Release 2. It describes such new features as the PL/SQL optimizing compiler, conditional compilation, compile-time warnings, regular expressions, set operators for nested tables, nonsequential collections in FORALL, the programmer-defined quoting mechanism, the ability to backtrace an exception to a line number, a variety of new built-in packages, and support for IEEE 754 compliant floating-point numbers.

The new edition adds brand-new chapters on security (including encryption, row-level security, fine-grained auditing, and application contexts), file, email, and web I/O (including the built-in packages DBMS_OUTPUT, UTL_FILE, UTL_MAIL, UTL_SMTP, and UTL_HTTP) and globalization and localization.

Co-authored by the world's foremost PL/SQL authority, Steven Feuerstein, this classic reference provides language syntax, best practices, and extensive code, ranging from simple examples to complete applications--making it a must-have on your road to PL/SQL mastery. A companion web site contains many more examples and additional technical content for enhanced learning.

If you're doing database application development in the Oracle environment, you're going to have to know PL/SQL, the company's extended query and update language. If you want your programs to exploit the special capabilities of Oracle software, you'll need to know the language well. That's where the third edition of Oracle PL/SQL Programming comes into play. It's an absolutely comprehensive reference (as well as a rather extensive tutorial) on PL/SQL, ideally suited to answering your questions about how to perform some programming tasks and reminding you of the characteristics of functions, triggers, and other elements of the database programmer's toolkit. The new edition covers calls to Java methods from within PL/SQL programs, autonomous transactions, object type inheritance, and the new Timestamp and XMLType data types. There's also more information about server internals--the way PL/SQL programs are run--than before, better enabling readers to optimize their code for fast and safe execution.

Steven Feuerstein takes care to explain, with prose and example code, the characteristics of PL/SQL elements. In explaining number conversions, for example, he explores Oracle's different ways of formatting numbers, then details the behavior of the to_number function under different conditions (with and without a specified format model, and with National Language Support information attached). It's a helpful approach that will have readers using the index to locate places in which Feuerstein mentions language elements of interest. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to use Oracle PL/SQL in all its manifestations through Oracle9i. Fundamentals of program structure (loops, cases, exceptions, etc.) and execution get attention, as do data types, transaction management, triggers, and the object-oriented aspects of the language. There's also coverage of calls to external Java and C programs.

This is The Ultimate PL/SQL reference. Although the book isn't written as a reference, it serves as a more useful reference than the Oracle documentation. This book will show you 99% of PL/SQL functionality, and 110% of what you need to know. Steven Feuerstein always manages to write at a level which is not dry like 99% of all tech books out there. What a refreshing perspective he has for PL/SQL.

This book can be used for learning or refreshing on certain PL/SQL topics, but it isn't the best layout for someone new to PL/SQL, who needs that hand holding step by step approach. For now, novices might want to choose another book to learn the ropes, then get this book to serve as their #1 reference after they know the basics.

By the time I got through the first three chapters, I came across PL/SQL and SQL Plus functionality that I consider essential to the role of an Oracle developer, of which about half of my peers do not fully know. 95% of my peers, and their peers would learn multiple things they did not know before simply by reading through the first three chapters. Steven covers the majority of necessary "tribal knowledge" that an Oracle developer just needs to know here, before going into the more functional and applicable details in the rest of the text.

The rest of the book is ordered in a fashion so that you can easily go straight to the functionality that you need to learn, refresh, or learn more about. If I need to brush up on triggers, exception handling, collections, etc., I simply jump to the chapter aptly named for each piece.

The real brilliant part of Steven's writing for these individual sections is that after he covers all of the details of a certain topic, Exception Handling, for instance, he provides well written suggestions on how to really apply this topic in the most appropriate manner, where most books would just leave the topic alone, after covering the "how-to"! After Steven explains all of the ins and outs of exception handling (which he does in a much more thorough fashion than all other documentation), he then goes on to teach you how to actually USE the tool he has explained. The exception handling chapter has sections on "Building an Effective Error Management Architecture" and "Making the Most of PL/SQL Error Management". Instead of just showing his readers "How do I do that?", he shows them How, and then proceeds to pour his expertise into the What, When, and Why of the subject.

The sections explaining each "core" PL/SQL functionality are the most in depth explanations I have seen in any documentation, with code examples for literally every bullet point in the book. The code examples are all in anonymous blocks which can literally be copied and pasted into an IDE. There are also many more code examples not in the book that are available online in a zip file.

Extra kudos to Steven for including sections on xml types and http data manipulation which are highly sought after skills in software development.

My only complaint is that I wish there was a search-able PDF file of the book that came with it, like Oracle Press books have. If there was, I would use it for ALL PL/SQL questions that I usually "Google" for the answer. Even so, buying the book gives you a free 45 day access to safari online so you can search through this book there.

Use this book often as your first PL/SQL reference, along with Feuerstein's PL/SQL Best Practices book, and you will be better equipped than 95% of PL/SQL developers out there.

If you are responsible for PL/SQL coding, this book needs to be on your desk. Period.

This book so incredibly long that it is impossible to use to actually learn PL/SQL. Each of its numerous long chapters is so focused on a small, isolated sub-topic of PL/SQL that it spends over 500 pages just to cover the basics of PL/SQL. At that point, 500 pages into the book it says, "by now you have mastered the basics of PL/SQL" and begins a series of long chapters on small, isolated advanced sub-topics.

Worst of all, the book does not cover or even mention the essential, crucially important "Windows Functions" added to the ISO SQL standard in 2003.

I recommend instead buying "Sql Cookbook" by Anthony Molinaro in preference to this book. The former is direct and to the point. The latter is so convoluted and stretched out that it's useless for a busy professional who does not have unlimited time to spend hundreds of hours reading a 1,100 page book. Granted that "Sql Cookbook" does not cover PL/SQL, but at least it teaches you something you can use on the job immediately.

I've worked with Oracle and PL/SQL on and off for ages. I never really took a dive into the details of anything until recently. I knew the basics of PL/SQL blocks, writing procedures/functions and some of the "advanced" column/data types and interactions with them(XML with XPath, for example).

Being a professional software engineer for some time now and working with Oracle regularly has lead me down a path of basic knowledge. This book took that knowledge and pushed the boundaries further than I could have imagined. Great detail, simple/concise/powerful examples and explanations coupled with the author's ability to write with humor make this a wonderful read from beginner to intermediate.

Advanced users/developers may find it useful merely as a reference, however. It is something that will surely be worn out as time goes on.

As with the three previous editions, all of which I own, this book sets the standard for PL/SQL texts. Crammed with information, it provides a thorough and insightful reference and always has a place on my desk.

It is clear, concise, and as far as I can tell, correct. The writing is friendly, and the examples useful. I learned far more about PL/SQL from this book than from the Oracle documentation. I recently heard the author speak at a conference, and his good personality is reflected in the book.

A Fully Integrated Study System for OCA Exam 1Z0-051

Prepare for the Oracle Certified Associate Oracle Database 11g: SQL Fundamentals I exam with help from this exclusive Oracle Press guide. In each chapter, you'll find challenging exercises, practice questions, a two-minute drill, and a chapter summary to highlight what you've learned. This authoritative guide will help you pass the test and serve as your essential on-the-job reference. Get complete coverage of all OCA objectives for exam 1Z0-051, including:

• SQL SELECT statements
• Restricting and sorting data
• Single-row functions
• Conversion functions and conditional expressions
• Group functions
• Displaying data from multiple tables
• Subqueries
• Set operators
• DML and DDL statements
• Schema objects

On the CD-ROM:

• One full practice exam that simulates the actual OCA exam
• Detailed answers and explanations
• Score report performance assessment tool
• Complete electronic book
• Bonus exam available free with online registration