Preface
Part1. Programming in PL/SQL
1. Introduction to PL/SQL
What Is PL/SQL?
The Origins of PL/SQL
The Early Years of PL/SQL
Improved Application Portability
Improved Execution Authority and Transaction Integrity
Humble Beginnings, Steady Improvement
So This Is PL/SQL
Integration with SQL
Control and Conditional Logic
When Things Go Wrong
About PL/SQL Versions
Oracle Database 12c New PL/SQL Features
Resources for PL/SQL Developers
The O'Reilly PL/SQL Series
PL/SQL on the Internet
Some Words of Advice
Don't Be in Such a Hurry!
Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Take a Creative, Even Radical Approach
2. Creating and Running PL/SQL Code
Navigating the Database
Creating and Editing Source Code
SQL*Plus
Starting Up SQL*Plus
Running a SQL Statement
Running a PL/SQL Program
Running a Script
What Is the “Current Directory”?
Other SQL*Plus Tasks
Error Handling in SQL*Plus
Why You Will Love and Hate SQL*Plus
Performing Essential PL/SQL Tasks
Creating a Stored Program
Executing a Stored Program
Showing Stored Programs
Managing Grants and Synonyms for Stored Programs
Dropping a Stored Program
Hiding the Source Code of a Stored Program
Editing Environments for PL/SQL
Calling PL/SQL from Other Languages
C: Using Oracle's Precompiler (Pro*C)
Java: Using JDBC
Perl: Using Perl DBI and DBD::Oracle
PHP: Using Oracle Extensions
PL/SQL Server Pages
And Where Else?
3. Language Fundamentals
PL/SQL Block Structure
Anonymous Blocks
Named Blocks
Nested Blocks
Scope
Qualify All References to Variables and Columns in SQL Statements
Visibility
The PL/SQL Character Set
Identifiers
Reserved Words
Whitespace and Keywords
Literals
NULLs
Embedding Single Quotes Inside a Literal String
Numeric Literals
Boolean Literals
The Semicolon Delimiter
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