Overview
For those who are working with SQL systems--or preparing to do so--this book offers information organized by use rather than by feature. Therefore, readers can turn to specific business problems and learn how to solve them with the appropriate SQL features. In particular, the book focuses on the real-world challenges of dealing with legacy systems, inherited problematic code, dirty data, and query tuning for better performance.
The following important topics are addressed:
- Finding and fixing dirty data with LIKE, BETWEEN, and LOCATE
- Managing multiples and other complex data problems with ROWID, SIMILAR, GROUP BY, and HAVING
- Handling the multiple display formats of dates
- Translating values to expand compressed codes with CASE, DECODE, point functions, UNION, and subqueries
- Manipulating numbers, including using auto-numbering mechanisms, finding the high value, locating every Nth, and more.
- Tuning queries for enhanced performance, focusing on indexes and the optimizer
- Comparing vendors' system catalogs and system functions
- Using SQL to generate SQL for cleanup and permission scripts as well as creating test data
A business-based working database serves as a running example throughout the book. It provides the context for numerous code samples, all of which are tested on multiple systems, including Adaptive Server Anywhere, Oracle, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server, and Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise. The accompanying CD-ROM contains the full sample database as well as Adaptive Server Anywhere.
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Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble ReviewEver notice that real-world SQL isn't the same as the SQL in the introductory books? If you're trying to put your basic SQL knowledge to work solving real business problems, real-world SQL is what you need, and here's where to find it.
Practical SQL: The Sequel was carefully crafted to move you from classroom to reality. To begin with, it's organized around the tasks you're likely to perform, not abstract SQL features. For example, you'll learn about SQL functions and predicates in the context of a discussion of cleaning dirty data containing case problems, size problems, or embedded garbage. In a chapter on translating values, you'll start with simple DECODE and CASE techniques, and move on to characteristic functions, UNION, joins, outer joins, embedded subqueries, and conditional elements
The book's many examples have been tested on enterprise database platforms from Oracle, Microsoft, Sybase, and Informix. Where platform differences exist, as in the case of date conversions, they're duly explained -- making the book a handy resource for anyone switching platforms. All the examples run against the same database -- which is provided on the CD-ROM, along with all the files and scripts needed to recreate that database on each platform.
Whether you're trying to get past the limitations of your report writer, or support queries written just before your predecessor skipped town, Practical SQL: The Sequel is one SQL book that tells it like it is. (Bill Camarda)
Bill Camarda is a consultant and writer with nearly 20 years' experience in helping technology companies deploy and market advanced software, computing, and networking products and services. His 15 books include Special Edition Using Word 2000 and Upgrading & Fixing Networks For Dummies®, Second Edition.