Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 536 pages
- Published by: Morgan Kaufmann
- Edition: 1st Edition June 12, 1993
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 1558602453
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-1558602458
-
Book Dimensions:
9.4 x 7.6 x 1 inches
- Weighs: 2.1 pounds
Book Description
An effective introduction to SQL, and a comprehensive reference for years to come. As the editor of the new standard, Jim Melton is an authority on the language and its new features. Using a highly readable, conversational style, he and Alan Simon clearly present the power of SQL. They describe practical methods of using SQL to solve problems, advanced SQL query expressions, dynamic SQL, transaction models, and database design.
Features:
* A tutorial on basic relational database concepts.
* A clear explanation of the differences between SQL-89 and SQL-92.
* A retail video and music store as an example that develops with the SQL presentation.
* Coverage of international character sets.
Product Description
An effective introduction to SQL, and a comprehensive reference for years to come. As the editor of the 1992 standard, Jim Melton is an authority on the language and its new features. Using a highly readable, conversational style, he and Alan Simon clearly present the power of SQL. They describe practical methods of using SQL to solve problems, advanced SQL query expressions, dynamic SQL, transaction models, and database design.
* A tutorial on basic relational database concepts.
* A clear explanation of the differences between SQL-89 and SQL-92.
* A retail video and music store as an example that develops with the SQL presentation.
* Coverage of international character sets.
Reader ReviewsGiven the first author's position as editor of the SQL92 standard and the association with Jim Gray, this book has been a surprising disappointment. The back cover of my edition describes it as "a valuable reference", states that it will "clarify the differences between SQL89 and SQL92", and targets it to both newcomers to SQL and experienced programmers. On the positive side, it is attractively typeset, the paragraphs individually are readable, and the railroad-track syntax diagrams are attractive. Taken as a whole however, "Understanding the new SQL" falls down. As a reference, it frustrates. A good reference needs a good index, but the attractive railroad-track diagrams are not set off from other entries in the index, greatly slowing searches. And while there is a complete grammar for SQL92 in an appendix, its organization defies use as a reference. The index is generally inadequate as well. For example, most operator char! acters are not indexed at all, and the word "operators" only indexes a peripheral subject. I have yet to determine the stance of the standard on case-sensitivity. Comparison with SQL89 appears only occasionally in the body of the book. Most of it is in a laundry list in an appendix and not useful for reference. The discussion is sometimes less than rigorous or uncritical, for example dismissing the implementation-defined precision of INTEGER in a single sentence. As another example, only in the discussion of LIKE is treatment of trailing blanks by the related '=' operator discussed. The book is organized generally by language features and syntax, and is not as strong in moving from problem to solution.
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