The Classic SQL Tutorial: Fully Updated for Today's Standards and Today's Top Databases

For twenty years, van der Lans' Introduction to SQL has been the definitive SQL tutorial for database professionals everywhere, regardless of experience or platform. Now van der Lans has systematically updated this classic guide to reflect the latest SQL standards and the newest versions of today's leading RDBMSs: Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, DB2, and MySQL.

Using case study examples and hands-on exercises, van der Lans illuminates every key SQL concept, technique, and statement. Drawing on decades of experience as an SQL standards team member and enterprise consultant, he reveals exactly why SQL works as it does-and how to get the most out of it. You'll gain powerful insight into everything from basic queries to stored procedures, transactions to data security. Whether you're a programmer or DBA, a student or veteran, this book will take you from "apprentice" to true SQL master.

• Writing queries and updating data: all you need to know about SELECT
• Working with joins, functions, and subqueries
• Creating database objects: tables, indexes, views, and more
• Specifying keys and other integrity constraints
• Using indexes to improve efficiency
• Enforcing security via passwords and privileges
• Building stored procedures and triggers
• Developing with embedded SQL and ODBC
• Working with transactions, including rollbacks, savepoints, isolation levels, and more
• Optimizing performance by reformulating SQL statements
• Using object-relational features: subtables, references, sets, and user-defined data types
• Reference section: SQL statement definitions and SQL function lists

CD-rom contains MySQL 5.07 for Windows, and the powerful WinSQL database administration toolset.

• Introduction
  • Introduction to SQL
  • The Tennis Club Sample Database
  • Installing the Software
  • SQL in a Nutshell
• Querying and Updating Data
  • SELECT Statement: Common Elements
  • SELECT Statements, Table Expressions, and Subqueries
  • SELECT Statement: The FROM Clause
  • SELECT Statement: The WHERE Clause
  • SELECT Statement: SELECT Clause and Aggregation Functions
  • SELECT Statement: The GROUP BY Clause
  • SELECT Statement: The HAVING Clause
  • SELECT Statement: The ORDER BY Clause
  • Combining Table Expressions
  • Updating Tables
• Creating Database Objects
  • Creating Tables
  • Specifying Integrity Constraints
  • Character Sets and Collating Sequences
  • Changing and Dropping Tables
  • Designing Tables
  • Using Indexes
  • Views
  • Creating Databases
  • Users and Data Security
  • Creating Sequences
  • Creating Schemas
• Programming with SQL
  • Introduction to Embedded SQL
  • Transactions and Multi-User Usage
  • Introduction to ODBC
  • Optimization of Statements
• Procedural Database Objects
  • Stored Procedures
  • Stored Functions
  • Triggers
• Object Relational Concepts
  • User-Defined Data Types, Functions, and Operators
  • Inheritance, References, and Collections
  • The Future of SQL
  • Appendix A Syntax of SQL
  • appendix B Scalar Functions
  • Appendix C Bilbiography