Oracle PL/SQL language - Steven Feuerstein

This pocket reference provides quick-reference information
that will help you use Oracle's PL/SQL language. It is
a companion to Steven Feuerstein and Bill Pribyl's
bestselling book, Oracle PL/SQL Programming, and includes coverage of the latest version of Oracle, Oracle8i.Oracle is the most popular database management system in
use today, and PL/SQL plays a pivotal role in current and
projected Oracle products and applications. PL/SQL provides
procedural extensions to the SQL relational database language
and to an ever-growing number of Oracle development tools. It
offers a myriad of data types, and such features as cursors,
loops, conditional and sequential control statements, exception
handlers, records, tables, and constructs for developing modular
code (functions, procedures, and packages). Originally a rather
limited tool, PL/SQL became with Oracle7 a mature and effective
language for developers.
Now, with the introduction of Oracle8,
PL/SQL has taken the next step towards becoming a fully realized
programming language providing sophisticated object-oriented
capabilities.The book on which this pocket reference is based, Oracle PL/SQL Programming, filled a huge gap in the Oracle market,
providing developers with a single, comprehensive guide to
building applications with PL/SQL -- and building them the right
way. That book has become the bible for PL/SQL developers who
have raved about its completeness, readability, and practicality. The book is packed with strategies, code architectures, tips,
techniques, and fully realized code. The second edition of the
book updated the text with the new Oracle8 PL/SQL features, including object types, collections, external procedures, and large object data types and functions.The pocket reference boils down the most vital information from the large (nearly 1000 pages) book into an accessible quick
reference that summarizes the basics of PL/SQL -- its block
structure, fundamental language elements (e.g., identifiers, declarations, defaults), data structures (including Oracle8 objects), and statements for program control, loops, exception
handling, and database access. It also covers the the basics of
using Oracle's procedures, functions, and packages, and the latest features for Oracle8i.