Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2008-T-SQL Programming Book Review
I have used SQL Server since the 6.5/7.0 days and thought I knew enough to get by. I had various experiences with SQL Server 2000/2005, and then did not immediately use SQL Server 2008 until the Spring of 2010; I took a T-SQL CLASS using SQL Server 2008 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California. I learned a great deal that I did not previously know from Professor Shui-lien Huang, a very excellent teacher.

You can work with SQL Server, and unless you have the opportunity to have many challenges to stretch your skills, you may seemingly work in a silo and never learn all of it, which is a good reason to buy this book: "Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2008: T-SQL Programming". I am glad I had the T-SQL class before reading this book.

This book contains the typical coverage for a standard T-SQL statement, and then User-Defined Functions (UDFs), Triggers, Stored Procedures, Views, etc., but also some new things. For example, extending SQL Server by using CLR (Common Language Runtime) user defined types, the use of XML, dynamic SQL, and Service Broker for reliable, asynchronous processing, and Spatial Data (i.e. geodata).
On the subject of Spatial Data in Chapter 14, Microsoft has brought forth new data types, operators, and indexes to the database. Microsoft introduces the core spatial concepts and provides key programming constructs to successfully navigate this new feature in SQL Server 2008. There are 70 pages covering Spatial Data. Obviously, this is a heavy topic.

Because of auditing and compliance requirements, the issue of tracking access and changes to data has become much more important. This book shows how previous versions of SQL Server did take care of this to some degree, but in SQL Server 2008, Microsoft has added the following: change tracking, change data capture, Extended Events, and SQL Server Audit. The book shows provides guidance on where each of these new technologies is best used, and then goes on to show how to implement each technology.

This is not a beginner's T-SQL book, but it does cover beginner topics, as mentioned above. In addition, it covers some of the new aspects of SL Server 2008 that are more complex. This is most assuredly a valuable reference book that all T-SQL and .NET developers and database administrators should have nearby. It will give you excellent instruction and answers to your T-SQL questions.

Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2008: T-SQL Programming (Pro-Developer)
I would strongly recommend this book. Very detailed description of innovative techniques in all editions of SQL Server 2008. I really enjoyed the ease of the chapters ,and implements in discussion. Once you start reading, very addictive.

Outstanding Book Covering T-SQL Programming w/ SQL Server 2008
Being primarily a database and web developer, I feel more than experienced enough to review 'Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2008: T-SQL Programming' by Itzik Ben-Gan and others and I feel more and easily able to give this ***** and highly recommend this text.All the basics are covered in this 800 page book.It's not a teaching book that will give you all the ins and outs of database design and use, but it will show you what the major points of using SQL Server 2008 are, and how to get the most out of them.

Major topics covered are Views, User-Defined Functions, Stored Procedures, Triggers, Transactions & Concurrency, Error Handling, Temporary Tables/Table Variables, Cursors, Dynamic SQL, Date/Time usage, CLR User-Defined Types, Temporal Support, XML & XQuery usage, Spatial Data, Tracking Access and Changes, and finally Service Broker discussion.

The parts of the book that I enjoyed most were the last 6 chapters, as discussion on CLR usage, Spatial Data, and the like are limited in most other SQL Server books.I especially loved the chapter on Spatial data, a very important subject that has much, much greater support than years in the past.

If you are a SQL Server developer or admin, you owe it to yourself to take a hard look at this great book.It is written fantastic and is a great resource that I found useful from the moment I picked it up.

***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

One of the best books ever
Just like all the other books by Itzik Ben-Gan, this book is one of the best SQL books ever published. ... Read more

Product Description

Topics covered: How to use Oracle PL/SQL in all its manifestations through Oracle9i. Fundamentals of program structure (loops, cases, exceptions, etc.) and execution get attention, as do data types, transaction management, triggers, and the object-oriented aspects of the language. There's also coverage of calls to external Java and C programs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (94)

Kindle Edition not the latest
Amazon sais that this kindle book includes 11g features, but it does not! The kindle edition is the 4th edition, including 10g features.

Oracle PL/SQL Programming: Covers Versions Through Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (Animal Guide)
With the exception of the first edition, I have purchase all others that Steve has published. Not bad for a self-confessed newby programmer. Just kidding. It is the one book I would want if I were stuck on a desert island. Of course, for a lack of firewood, well sorry Steve; we have to do what we have to do.

I have been a professional PL/SQL programmer since the mid-eighties. On one job, an earlier edition made me a hero. Today, I program for the US Army Aeromedical establishment, so I serve the heros and proud of it. My one and only PL/SQL book I keep at my side is this book. Steve, keep up the good work. It would not hurt my feelings if you wrote a book on the practical side of PL/SQL for DBAs as I find myself involved in DDL work 1/3 of my project life cycle so scripts and hints would always be welcomed.I do have a copy of Donald Burleson's DBA Scripts affectionately known as Code Depot and I take nothing away from Donald, but I enjoy the format used in the Oracle PL/SQL; it is the best even though it is just my opinion.

The "all you want to know" PL/SQL reference book
If you're looking for a book that can be your reference for every doubt you may have in PL/SQL programming, its syntax and constructions, that's the book for you. The examples are very clear and easy to understand. The author uses examples in both ways, before applying a certain functionality and after applying it, which makes comprehension much better. In case I had no PL/SQL book so far, I wouldn't waste my time buying other ones. There is only one cons: the size and weight of this book. It's not something you'll like to carry in your backpack everyday, but keeping in your shelf as a handy reference book.

Very comprehensive and thorough but heavy
It covers PL/SQL very well with many practical examples that can be readily used. The topics are comprehensive and the explanations are very clear. One problem: it's way to heavy to hold and read. I wish there is a Kindle version or eBook.

Next best thing to being in a class
If you need to learn about PL/SQL this book is the next best thing to actually being in a class. It answered so many questions and was a huge help to me. ... Read more

Product Description
Professional SQL Server 2005 Programming shows experienced developers how to master the substantially revamped feature set of the latest release of Microsoft SQL Server. The book begins with a concise overview of the new features of SQL Server that is of interest to experienced developers. This is especially important given the substantial changes to SQL Server with this release. From there, the book quickly moves on to the ?meat? of the title. Beginning-level material has been removed to provide more room for covering new features and more extensive code examples. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Doesn't live up to Title
For a book that is supposed to be geared to programmers pretty proficient in SQL, it doesn't offer anything new. The examples are very basic and it leaves out some of the new features in 2005, such as Common Table Expressions. This would be better as a beginning SQL programming book.

Great book, series
I own several books from this series.They have been fantastic.This one is no exception.

The definitive SQL Server Programming Guide
This is an excellent follow to his book on Professional SQL Server 2000 Programming. If you're going to be doing a lot of true SQL server programming, there is no better guide out there.

Define 'programming'
When working with databases, there's querying, and everything else. A DBA might set up a database; an advanced user might progam stored procedures and triggers, ponder indexing, effectively use cursors, etc. - but if you just want to know how to write a query to accompish a task, this is *not* the right book to help you learn. Check out 'SQL Server 2005 T-SQL Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach' by Sack.

Cash Grab! Stay away - get the 2000 book.
The second topic I looked up I ran across this problem...

Page 353:

He says there are four different isolation levels you can set - that was in SQL Server 2000 - this book is about SQL Server 2005. Where is SET TRANSACTION ISOLATION LEVEL SNAPSHOT?

Chapter 12, 'Transactions and Locks' is almost a cut and paste from his 'Transactions and Locks' chapter in SQL Server 2000 Programming!

Encryption - Let's see - 2 pages, and 3/4 of a page is a copy of an image from BOL.

His 2000 book is better. ... Read more

Product Description

• After a quick primer on database design basics and the SQL query language (for those programmers who may be building their first database application), this book provides an overview of SQL Server itself, which has been dramatically redesigned with the 2005 release
• Once readers have grasped the fundamentals of database design and SQL concepts, they will then learn how to implement those concepts with Microsoft SQL Server 2005
• Addresses creating and changing tables, managing keys, database normalization, writing scripts, working with stored procedures, programming with XML, and using SQL Server reporting and data transformation services
• The companion Web site provides all of the code found in the book

Customer Reviews (25)

Excellent book
This is a very good book for learning TSQL and introduces the Database objects and their related programming in an excellent way. Would recommend this book to anyone trying to learn TSQL.

It's OK
I found this book too slow and not covering enough information. Then again, I realize the spped of relaying the information via a book is a bit of a personal thing. I also would have loved to have a lot more examples. I prefer a much more hands on method.

Beginning SQL Server 2005 Programming (Programmer to Programmer)
This SQL Server book is very detail oriented. He explains clearly and straight to the point. The exercises are short on each subject. This book is meant for a beginner at SQL but some experience in programming. Great job! I will be purchasing from Amazon in the near future.

Frustration For Beginners
this book is very disappointing, It assumes the reader has knowledge of
installing SQL and migrating required Data base to be used in the book.
If you Can not get the required DATA Base in SQL then GOOD LUCK.

If you are looking to learn on your own Look Else Where.

Yes, I do have Some Programing knowledge.

Good Book For Beginners.
An Excellent Beginners book. I bought it for my friend to start on SQL SERVER 2005. I will definitely recommend it to any beginner. 5 Stars. ... Read more

Product Description
Information, explanations, and advice you need to master Transact-SQL and develop the best possible Transact-SQL code.Covers Microsoft Transact-SQL.Softcover.CD-ROM included. DLC: SQL (Computer program language) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (241)

good sql book
i liked this book for its simple way of explaining t-sql. and there are many examples too. but i wish they could come up with 2005 and 2008 version too.

Not for me...
First many of us, entry level folks that is, fell for the name. The name did have a hint in it, that this book isn't for the lay, yet the majority of us chose to ignore the word "Guru" and went for the word "Guide". This book is as much of a guide as Einstein would have been to a freshman physics student trying to learn relativity (I am not implying the author is anywhere near as bright as Mr. E=mc2). I want to make it clear that this book is not for a beginner or for an intermediate user, or anyone wanting to learn SQL for SQL Server from a book.Of course we are dazzled by the book's Amazon rating, but that excuse is rather lame. The truth is we thought if there is so much smoke there surely is a fire. We should have known better. Still if after reading all the rave reviews you insist you believe it is a guide, then go ahead and buy it. Don't tell me I didn't warn you. In some way this book covers the entire gamut of T-SQL and could work as a reference book, one reason why you shouldn't trash it straightaway.

Is this book the best thing after sliced bread as the author and the reviewers want us to believe? No, it regrettably is not. Can the majority be wrong? Yes they can, look at our elected leaders. This is an esoteric treatise by the guru for the guru. All the accolades and hype are from people who are advanced SQL users. I feel most people, who bought this book and didn't understand it, were hesitant to post their reviews intimidated by the favorable vote. I mean who wants to look stupid, if everyone is right then why be wrong? Hence the statistical skew in favor. Also when the book was published and a few years hence, there were very few good books to compete, that being the other reason.

The book is out of date, which is not a critique of the book but rather the people who are buying a 2000 edition book many years later expecting it to be in sync with the later database, tools, and operating system versions.

Every chapter is chock-full of tips and tricks sometimes too abrupt and too advanced in the context of explanations. Advanced because some of the SQL code is complex and he doesn't bother explaining it. If the author mentioned this was an aggregate of tips and tricks for DBAs and Developers in the name, many of us would have stayed away.Even for experts the way the tips and tricks are welded in random locations, there isn't any good way to pull them out without reading the whole book. The content puts emphasis on some items, while none on others equally if not more important. For example JOINS are given about 5 pages of elementary treatment with one or two examples for each join, out of 550 pages. This pattern continues and a sections often have one or two examples, without proper explanations, sometimes (aggravatingly) with a complex out of place tip which doesn't expound the topic at hand at all. Worse of all, the author digresses from the explanation to the tip and then loses his way.

The proud preface talks about how the author has avoided all the fluff and bloat that other authors had used, where the truth is he has replaced those with his own. Instead of screenshots he has filled the screen with code, result outputs, and insert inputs, sometimes spanning several pages. While he starts with promises which would entice any reader, he ends up failing them.

From the books I own and can recommend, especially entry level, you should read Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes (3rd Edition) by Ben Forta. For entry level SQL for SQL Serverread Murach's SQL for SQL Server, 2002 Edition by Bryan Syverson. Be warned the latter is outdated and not that helpful but at least it's a starting point for some of us struggling to get a foothold.

The Guru's Guide to Transact-SQL
If you want to learn to write Transact-SQL correctly, this is the book.It's clear and concise with great examples.

The Gold Standard on T-SQL
This is THE book to get for T-SQL. Sure, it's more pertinent to pre-SQL Server 2005 versions of T-SQL, but the book is still extremely useful today.

Goes beyond a typical exam prep book
The Guru's Guide to Transact-SQL not only helped me pass the SQL Server 7 exams and get certified, but gave me practical working knowledge of this database language.It went beyond the exam prep books to which I had become accustomed.It is one of the few books on the subject that I'd recommend without hesitation. ... Read more

Product Description
Extend your programming skills with a comprehensive study of the key features of SQL Server 2008. Delve into the new core capabilities, get practical guidance from expert developers, and put their code samples to work. This is a must-read for Microsoft .NET and SQL Server developers who work with data access—at the database, business logic, or presentation levels.Discover how to:Query complex data with powerful Transact-SQL enhancementsUse new, non-relational features: hierarchical tables, native file streaming, and geospatial capabilitiesExploit XML inside the database to design XML-aware applicationsConsume and deliver your data using Microsoft LINQ, Entity Framework, and data bindingImplement database-level encryption and server auditingBuild and maintain data warehousesUse Microsoft Excel to build front ends for OLAP cubes, and MDX to query themIntegrate data mining into applications quickly and effectivelyGet code samples on the Web. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

MyReview - Programming MSSQL 2K8
Programming Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (PRO-Developer)

I've been working with 2008 for 2 years now and with 2005/2000/7.0/6.5 since '98. This book has really become my right hand man with quick, easy to understand reference on the new capabilities of Sql Server 2008. I find it a great, fast to access source of information for a broad range of MSSQL concepts including; CLR, Replication, BI, Linq, New Syntax, deprecation warnings.. the list goes on. The book gives enough insite to a programmer to get him started with all the above. It does not delve into great depth on any of these ideas giving the developer a chance to utilize his/her own intelligence and pursue their own path of specific interest. It does, however, provide a great launching pad on all these ideas. Personally, I would have liked to have seen more on Performance Tuning and using the Service Broker. Reality is though, this IS one book. These days there's enough going on inside Sql Server to fill a library!! This book is a fantastic single point of reference for getting one's self started in 'most' of the concepts involved in a package that's quickly becoming an SOA/Enterprise platform of choice.

A mush mash of development
What would you like to do with SQL server, programming wise as the title suggests ? - Database development for applications or Business Intelligence (reporting, analytics)? This book covers both aspects and does not give sufficient depth to do any sort of reasonable programming in either environment. "Smart Business Intelligence Solutions" ISBN-10: 0735625808 is a good book on Reporting, Analytics and ETL using integration services. For application development, I have not found a single source yet. I recommend: Apress T-Sql recipes and MSPress SQL Server Internals; also MSpress T-SQL fundamentals for beginners.

Programming Microsoft Server 2008 (PRO-Developer)
It is one of the best books I have on this new Server software.
I fully recommend it to anyone needing an update on their SQL Server skills.

Comprehensive, well-written, practical
Very useful, usable information about new features for developers in SQL Server 2008.Highly recommended.

.NET Developers need to know more about SQL Server
And this book is the book to teach them.Leonard, Andrew, and Stephen know their stuff. After one read I've already gotten tips to help me with work on SQL I'm doing right now, and I think it will be an even better reference.Nice job guys. ... Read more

Product Description
Design Feature-Rich PL/SQL Applications

Deliver dynamic, client/server PL/SQL applications with expert guidance from an Oracle programming professional. With full coverage of the latest features and tools, Oracle Database 11g PL/SQL Programming lays out each topic alongside detailed explanations, cut-and-paste syntax examples, and real-world case studies. Access and modify database information, construct powerful PL/SQL statements, execute effective queries, and deploy bulletproof security. You'll also learn how to implement C, C++, and Java procedures, Web-enable your database, cut development time, and optimize performance.

• Create, debug, and manage Oracle-driven PL/SQL programs
• Use PL/SQL structures, delimiters, operators, variables, and statements
• Identify and eliminate errors using PLSQL_WARNINGS and exception handlers
• Work with functions, procedures, packages, collections, and triggers
• Define and deploy varray, nested table, and associative array data types
• Handle external routines, object types, large objects, and secure files
• Communicate between parallel sessions using DBMS_ALERT and DBMS_PIPE
• Call external procedures through Oracle Net Services and PL/SQL wrappers
• Integrate internal and server-side Java class libraries using Oracle JVM
• Develop robust Web applications using PL/SQL Gateway and Web Toolkit

Customer Reviews (13)

Need to find a better book.
This is probably one of the worst books you can find for Oracle 11g PL/SQL. With so many typos all over the book, Reading this is not going to be very pleasant. The author could have tried to save the reader's time by avoiding redundant information. For instance he explains about CLOB in few pages and when he comes to explain BLOB, it's just Copy paste CLOB explanation, Find the word 'CLOB' and replace with 'BLOB'. Though this book is not meant to help you pass the Oracle PL/SQL exam, I guess a good technical book should have exercises, but this one does not. The irony is this one of the very few books available for Oracle 11g PL/SQL programming.

Full Of Incomplete Information And Full Of Errors
This book is full of coding errors and incomplete descriptions of the tasks required to implement PL/SQL.I think the author assumes that the reader already knows a lot about PL/SQL.In addition, there are many code and text errors. I do not know the other people who gave this book such glowing reviews, but most of them must have some previous knowledge of PL/SQL and have learned to accept the fact that many publishing companies do not take the required steps to insure the accuracy of their texts.This is the first time I purchased a book from Oracle Press. And maybe the last.

Not very helpful for OCP preparation
I have been working with PL/SQL for several years and I am now preparing for an OCP exam. I find the style of McLaughlin's book not well suited for exam preparations. Some parts of the text are a bit confusing, occasionally he introduces terms without explaining them, on the other hand he presents the same definitions multiple times in every new section. Lot of important details are never mentioned while some rarely used features get a lot of attention. Also the examples are not all error free. I have put this book aside and use for my preparations the slightly dated "OCP Developer PL/SQL Program Units Exam Guide" from Steve O'Heran. This book is much better suited for an exam preparation. I will only look up the new features in McLaughlin's book.

GREAT book!!
This is the first technical/computing book that I have ever read cover to cover.
In fact I read this book cover to cover with multiple iterations of chapters that were difficult for me (e.g., Chapter 6 Functions and Procedures, Chapter 8 Large Objects, Chapter 13, External Procedures, Chapter 14 Object Types and the PHP/Java Primers in Appendices C and D, respectively).
I have been a PL/SQL Developer for over 6 years.
I thought I was doing pretty well but it turns out I was doing a limited number ofthings in my development experience over and over again. The ease with which I was writing functions and procedures, organizing the same in packages and utilizing a very few of the more advanced features like BULK COLLECT and BULK UPDATE was a deceptive set of convenient facts: Thanks to this book I now know how much I didn't know and I have a more than vague feeling that even now my ship is still relatively close to shore. There is much more the the "sea of PL/SQL", if you'll allow me that much of a poetic license!
I was particularly surprised to find out how little I knew about Oracle functions after having written so many over the years. Pipelined functions? I had never heard of them! Creation options? Eh...those either! I did not know you could used mixed notation to make a call to a procedure with multiple parameters.
The book has some typographical/copy and paste-type issues which threw me off in the beginning. It's likely not the book as much as it is my personality: I'm a classically trained musician from another life (a MUCH younger life) so you can imagine that I might be predisposed to being a stickler for details.
In the end, I finished this book because it was thorough, clear, deep (the way I like it!) and had great continuity (I am easily confused so this is important to me!).
One of the most frustrating parts of reading techinical books for me has been when the book begins an example, abandons the example and then starts a new one without the author saying something to the effect of, "In this *new* example..." or "I'll use a different example to demonstrate...".
The examples in this book are so continuous that those statements are never even needed.
Mr. McLaughlin very courteously (in my opinion) allows readers to benefit from a well-thought plan (apparently!) of moving smoothly from one technical issue to the next by extending an already developed example. I find this feature to be very reassuring and conducive to quick learning. I mean, code is hard enough to read by itself; much more so when the context of the code switches from page to page or randomly 2,3,4 or 5 pages into an issue.
The way Mr. McLaughlin makes use of code examples in this book is very helpful, too, because it allows the reader to better understand how one technical issue is related to another. As an example: how to use Virtual Directories is included in the chapter on Large Objects. Now, one wouldn't necessarily *only* use Virtual Directories with Large Objects, but it does make sense, and having the subject placed there helps me understand the most common (I assume) real-world application of Virtual Directories.
I would say that this has been an excellent resource for me as a cover-to-cover read and I have already used it as a reference manual so I am sure it works well in that way also.
I hope your experience with this book is as good as mine has been.
Many congratulations and my deepest appreciation to this author!
My first technical book ever!
This is a huge accomplishment for me (and the author!)!!.

Awesome
Really good book. Details all the basics and more advanced topics of Pl/SQL. Great read. ... Read more

Product Description

• This comprehensive introduction to SQL Server begins with an overview of database design basics and the SQL query language along with an in-depth look at SQL Server itself
• Progresses on to a clear explanation of how to implement fundamental concepts with the new 2008 version of SQL Server
• Discusses creating and changing tables, managing keys, writing scripts, working with stored procedures, programming with XML, using SQL Server Reporting and Integration Services, and more
• Features updated and new material, including new examples using Microsoft's AdventureWorks sample database

Customer Reviews (5)

Big enough to stop a train, but filled with good bits...
No one will remember tech books as great literature. They're a vast linguistic junk yard, yes, but at least one with a purpose. Although most teachers would flinch until their undies imploded at the thought, one can learn something from even a poorly written book. And look no further for bad writing than tech books. Their rush to market eagerness and probable demographic presumptions likely explain their often appalling syntax and spelling. Of course no one wants to read sloppy prose in any genre, but who really reads tech books for their literary qualities? If such a person exists, a slobbering impresario with a reality show contract likely awaits. The ultimate test for tech books remains utility. Can one read a given book and then produce something decent? If yes, then something of value exists.

Wrox books possess enough bulk to function as doorstops or bridge struts, definitely. And often the author/programmers' grinning or deadpan faces glaring in not extremely appealing black, white and red contrast don't inspire aesthetic spasms. Nonetheless, what they lack in artistic merits they often make up for in technical knowledge. "Beginning Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Programming" stands as one Wrox book that, for the most part, delivers. Anyone who has found themselves thrown head first into database programming can easily osmose the basics from this tome. It takes a while to read, but the investment pays off in depth of knowledge. Working with databases on any professional level would prove difficult without mastering this book's first twelve chapters. Go ahead and try, but have your resume ready. And though some software developers, particularly of the .NET variety, may now rest content with LINQ, knowledge of SQL and database technology would only enhance their skill sets. This book provides just the right background for such people.

Though the book contains some rough spots, coverage of the main points of T-SQL remains more than adequate. From SELECT, JOIN, CREATE, ALTER, CONSTRAINT, to normalization, views, stored procedures, user defined functions and triggers, this book will help anyone whose boss suddenly orders them in front of SQL Management Studio. Though more coverage of cursors would help beginners who find themselves faced with these monstrosities. And the trigger chapter leaves those murky and dangerous objects, which lurk like methane bubbles beneath cracking ice, still mysterious. The book's final sections provide previews of the "SQL Stack," which includes Integration Services (SSIS), Reporting Services (SSRS) and a dabbling of Database Administration. These provide only a meager tease. Larger books than this one exist on SSIS alone. Once again, this book requires a time investment. An installation of the SQL Server 2008 client also helps (other books cover the server side). But, like any investment, it can pay off when study integrates with practice.

Review Text
This book was purchased in hard copy even though I have access to an Ecopy. It is the exact as we aqre using in class and just as advertised. No torn pages, no markings. I would definitely buy from this seller again.

Proof that Wrox does NOT have editors
Computer books are thrown together so carelessly these days.Look at the table of contents for Chapter 8.Almost all of its topics are to be found on page 260... and page 260 barely has any text!I'm astonished at how pitiful the quality control is on this junk!

SQL Server easy
Although the book is good, the author uses everyday language frequently, which hinders the understanding of readers from countries where English is not spoken as a native language. Also, it ignores the process and the prerequisites for installation.

A great beginner book
This is a great beginner's book on T-SQL programming. I like the Author's writing style and comprehensive coverage of all the topics including Reporting, XML, Integration Services, UDFs, and even some Administration tasks. The stored procedure chapter could have been made into two chapters. Also, I was surprised why more examples were not given for the Try/Catch error. Similarly, there was not much to go with the SSIS. Looks like most of the typos in the book were removed since the 2005 publication. Overall, a great book to get one started.
... Read more

Product Description

Create and Use Stored Procedures for Optimal Database Performance

Develop complex stored procedures to retrieve, manipulate, update, and delete data. Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Stored Procedure Programming in T-SQL & .NET identifies and describes the key concepts, techniques, and best practices you need to master in order to take full advantage of stored procedures using SQL Server's native Transact-SQL and .NET CLR languages. You'll learn to incorporate effective Transact-SQL stored procedures into client or middleware code, and produce CLR methods that will be compiled into CLR stored procedures. This is a must-have resource for all SQL Server 2005 developers.

Essential Skills for Database Professionals

• Group and execute T-SQL statements using batches, scripts, and transactions
• Create user-defined, system, extended, temporary, global temporary, and remote stored procedures
• Develop and manage stored procedures using C# and Visual Basic .NET
• Implement database access using ADO.NET
• Create CLR user-defined functions and triggers
• Implement reliable debugging and error handling techniques and security measures
• Manage source code in a repository such as Visual SourceSafe
• Create stored procedures for web search engines
• Use system and extended stored procedures to interact with the SQL Server environment

Customer Reviews (12)

Interesting - But not as Practical as I need.. .
Be advised that in this book, the author is in a hurry to get to advanced concepts.Only the first three chapters could be called basic.After that, it quickly climbs to advanced material before (in my opinion) sufficiently covering basic and intermediate material.By Chapter 14, the subject is, "Advanced Stored Procedure Programming".But I still can't find what I need in 1-3.Then, as if it is even more advanced, the next subject (Chap 15) is "Debugging".Please, when will we have an author who sees that debugging is a progressively learned process?Perhaps there should be a section in a chapter early on covering debugging of basic stuff.

My background as a programmer of relational databases and writing SQL statements goes back over fifteen years.As my reports and SQL statements have gotten more complex to please the customer, I have had to move into writing stored stored procedures to meet the need for speed.My intent was to get a book that would help me get my SQL statements to work as Stored Procedures.This book appeared to match my customer's software make-up (MS SQL Server, Stored Procedures, .Net, T-SQL, etc) as well as being written in a fairly straightforward and easy to understand manner (it does get a big plus on that!).But if you haven't been writing stored procedures for a year or more, and you have little staff assistance where you are, I would not recommend this book.If on the other hand, you have been doing SP's for a few years or have lots of staff help and want to go the next step, this book may be for you.I'm going to get another one that will help get the basics to work.

Easy to read explanations
I'm finding the book easy to read and understand. Some authors are hopeless, but this one is helpful

Lacks Technical Editing
Like many IT and programming books, this one is no exception in that it seems to be riddled with small errors - things like showing a database schema and then referring to a table by an incorrect name.The most problematic issue with errors like this is that details really matter in these technical fields and it results in a "not ready for prime time" feel to the work.However, if the writer's teaching style appeals to your learning style, then go ahead, because at the end of the day that's what's most important.

Stored Procedure Programming Inside Out
First off I know the author personally.In spite of that, the book definitely stands solidly on its own merits.This book is shock full of tips, tricks, angles and perspectives to maximize the use of stored procs in your SQL databases.Dejan really goes under the covers to the many aspects of SQL and the reader is the richer for it.This is a very important how to and reference for any serious SQL developer.You will go back to this book again and again.Highly recommended!

Good reference on obscure parts of T-SQL
Dejan Sunderic, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Stored Procedure Programming in T-SQL and .NET (McGraw-Hill, 2006)

Not a bad little book, this, though if you've had to dig into SQL2005 for work you're likely to have picked up on a good deal of this already. Still, Sunderic digs down into a number of places where most developers either don't normally have a reason to go or simply fear to tread. You're sure to find things in here you've overlooked (or never thought to look for) unless you're a guru, and even then there might be a [...]bit or two. For someone who just got thrust into "we're upgrading!", it's been great. *** ½ ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (51)

a lot of trivial problems
The books has some worthwhile information in the last third of the book, but most of it is very basic material:

- how to get the smallest and largest values from a columns(use the min and max and group by functions - this is good for novices, of no use to me)
- how to insert a record ?
- counting rows in a table:-)
- it doesnt contain Sybase examples - though the syntax will work in most cases


In fairness there are some good parts as well, all I'm saying is this is not a great book if you are already experienced.
Its good for beginners.

Optimizing Transact SQl is far more useful for advanced SQL users.

Nice
I, for one, am very pleased with this product.

In over 500 pages the author covers a lot of ground, for various DBMS, as can be seen on the front cover:SQL Server, PostgresSQL, Oracle, MySQL and DB2.In addition, I liked the organization of each solution:problem-->solution-->discussion.

Lastly, while some things will be obvious to a seasoned SQL developer, there are still a lot of things that I would expect will not be (for example, section 12.11 on
'Returning Non-GROUP BY Columns').Also, as the book was published in 2006, it includes window functions.

So, all in all, I am very pleased with this book.Another book regarding SQL that I would recommend is 'SQL tuning', also published by O' Reilly.

SQL Cookbook
SQL Cookbook (Cookbooks (O'Reilly))

Interestingly, book doesn't so much compare SQL syntax as between the 5 featured databases but rather gives you different ways to go in accomplishing a particular task. Also, BEWARE as you will not find ANY DDL coverage, so if you are wondering why - for example - use of IDENTITY throws an error in MySQL, you are simply out of luck with respect to explainations and/or alternatives thereto. Remaining coverage is pretty concise and easy to understand.

Chock-full of info, but needs an index!
I'm not going to summarize the text, since other reviews have done that very well. The only thing I want to contribute is that I bought the Kindle version for my iPod, and it doesn't have an index. I've had to return to the table of contents multiple times and still needed to guess where a keyword might appear. (Would you know, for example, that the "minus" set difference function appeared in the section titled, "Retrieving values from one table that do not exist in another" if you were unfamiliar with SQL?) There is so much information in this book that I reference constantly, and an index complete with hyperlinks to appropriate sections would have helped so much! As it is, I need the paper version of this book for my office, and the Kindle to read on the bus to work. Still, I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who uses SQL, no matter what platform.

An Excellent Value
The price I paid Amazon is a fourth of the list price.The book was listed as slightly damaged. But the damage is very minor - there is a wrinkle in the cover, and one page had a little section ripped off.I'll accept that level of damage any day.

I haven't spent as much time with it as I would like to, so my review is based on just a few uses.Molinaro starts off with very basic SQL.Then the examples get more interesting.What I like about the book is that it shows how to go from a verbal description of what information you want to the actual query that makes it happen. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (11)

Surprisingly useful
I say surprisingly, because the active reader will think of numerous questions which the book never answers.I had to keep a notepad handy to jot down "but what about..." questions.This is actually a *good* thing.A book that not only teaches scripted lessons but also prompts the reader to create new ones is worth reading.As you would expect, the book assumes you know SQL, though not very much.If you can grok the basic joins and foreign keys, you'll have no trouble.I know exactly enough SQL to be a danger.I might say that if you're a serious RDBMS professional, you may not get much out of this.On the other hand, I've the victim^H^H^H^H^H^Huser of so many poorly designed "professional database solutions" that perhaps this book should be required reading.The author is not trying to "wow" you with SQL-fu.He deliberately keeps the SQL simple to clearly expose the (anti)patterns.I recognized several anti-patterns which I had learned the hard way in my own work and learned a few more to avoid.

A fine addition to any database programming collection
SQL ANTIPATTERNS is for any programmer's collection where SQL database programming is of interest. Chapters identify, explain and correct antipatterns, grouping them in terms of logical design and queries and linking them to application development. Learn how to identify and fix dangerous application antipatterns and common problems in this fine addition to any database programming collection.

A clear and reassuring reference.
I bought SQL Antipatterns in the middle of an increasingly stressful project. Taking two days out to read it thoroughly and correct some of the patterns we were guilty of turned the project around for the better. We were able stop worrying about database design and concentrate on security issues.

For me, the best thing about the book is that it serves as a comprehensive reference of the benefits of doing things properly, and justification of the time this often requires.

It helped a lot, very fast.

Suited for both your coffee table and technical bookshelf

Do you know why polymorphism in the database is bad? Put your hand down if you're a DBA, this is for application developers :)

SQL Antipatterns is written in a very astute fashion and manages to be easy reading without being overly didactic - no small feat for a technical book.

The book is sectioned into the short (~10 pages) chapters, one for each antipattern. Each chapter is structured as such:
- intro context, often humorous
- OBJECTIVE/PROBLEM you're trying to accomplish/solve
- Antipattern that is a common pitfall
- How to recognize that pattern
- Legitimate uses of that antipattern
- Solution (the correct one) for your original OBJECTIVE/PROBLEM

One previous reviewer mentioned that the book covers relative basics for an experienced DBA or developer. Indeed, even if you've been developing for a short period chances are you've seen and/or know of maybe half of the antipatterns in this book. But I'd like to point this out: it's been my observation that experts in any field revel in reviewing the basics, even if just for fun. And this book is fun to read, which is why I suggest this could work just as fine on the coffee table as casual reading as it can on the bookshelf as a technical reference.


My only constructive criticism is that I wish there was more content. Database good practices is a very expansive subject, and as I was reading the book I couldn't help but wish the author was "building up to the good stuff" as some other PragProg books do. This book is reasonably priced so it remains good value, but if it was $40+ I might have gave it four stars instead of five for this reason.

Deals with problems related to both database's design and application developing
I must admit that there was barely anything new to me in the book, but I have been in the field for quite a few years, dealing with many projects, so I had the "privilege" of seeing many horror stories. Still, I feel the book is valuable even for seasoned veterans. The main benefit is that the author organized and grouped the anti-patterns, each one is analyzed very well and contains some wise, unbiased suggestions. Each chapter stands on its own and can be read stand-alone.
The book is worth an extra star because it deals with problems related to both database's design and application developing; most book out there either cover one or the other.
This should be a mandatory reading for beginner DBAs and application developers, veterans may like it too, since it can help refreshing some concepts and can be used as a reference too. ... Read more

Product Description
This thorough, hands-on reference for database developers and administrators delivers expert guidance on sophisticated uses of Transact-SQL (T-SQL)—one of the most familiar and powerful programming languages for SQL Server. Written by a T-SQL guru, this guide focuses on advanced querying techniques and how queries are interpreted and processed by the SQL Server execution engine. You’ll get in-depth coverage of the sophisticated uses of T-SQL, including the differences between logical and physical processing, nesting of queries, and much more. The book explains and compares solutions to database-development problems in both SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005, discussing the new T-SQL programming features added to SQL Server 2005 in detail. Includes extensive code samples, table examples, and logic puzzles to help database developers and administrators understand the intricacies and help promote mastery of T-SQL ... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

Enough said... Incredible book!
The reviewers before me elaborated enough about this amazing book, so I don't have much to add. This book deserves nothing but 5 stars and I don't understand reviewers giving it less than 5... If one codes in SQL (level is not relevant) he must have this book right next to him all the time (forgive my sexism). Some solutions in this book (like aggregations using XPATH) are screamingly elegant and effective. I very much admire the organization of the book: from problem definition to solution, in easy to follow format. This book totally turns you away from google's search bar and makes you praise every penny you spent on it. Great job, Itzik!

Disappointed
Very limited coverage. Nothing about date processing. I have better luck just doing a Google search on whatever it is I'm looking for.

greatness
this is one of the best books i have ever read on SQL server.
highly recommended to the enthusiast.not so much for the beginner/intermediate.
i have read it cover to cover more than once.if you are reading this review(and then you should be buying this book) and are still looking for another great author check out some of the stuff by ken england.i have only read his sql 2000 tuning book, but this book by itzik et al and that one are at the top of my fave's list.and i have heard from reliable friends that england's 2005 version was equally on point.also, didnt think the t-sql programming book was quite upto the level of this one.it was kinda like if you enjoyed this one on querying (especially that monster chapter on tuning - 130pages along with the first chapter on the "order of operations") then you already know 75+% of whats in the t-sql programming book.if that doesnt make sense to you, then buy the t-sql programming book.its got a ton of good stuff in it.

in conclusion, i am waiting to see what itzik (and delaney for that matter - check out sql 2008 internals) releases next for sql 2008.cheers.

Great reference!
If you need great background information about the best way to write queries and stored procedures for SQL server 2005 then this is a great book.Lots of detail on not only how but they why that many books leave out so that you understand why best practices are the way they are.

Fantastic in every way
As a programmer we go through many a book. And many of them read and feel like textbooks. So we skim, read in short bursts, simply would rather avoid the read.
This book is so well written that it can't be put down.And it's packed with REAL WORLD examples.Instead of just defining syntax and using a lame example, this book goes FAR beyond that, and digs deep into real world examples that really shine a light on your work.
I purchased this book almost a year ago, and it's still one of the most referenced books I have.I am constantly pulling it out when I reach a problem in my work, and this book always has great pointers to a solution.
This book will make you a T-SQL junkie, get it.

PS The logic puzzles in the back are great, too! ... Read more

Product Description
Master the increasingly complex feature set of the latest release of Microsoft SQL Server with the information in Professional Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Programming. Review the new features of SQL Server that will be of interest to you as an experienced developer and move on to more detailed, practical code examples. Learn how to write complex queries, build different types of data structures, improve application speed and performance, manage advanced scripting and errors, and design advanced databases the latest edition of this valuable programming guide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A good SQL Programming Reference Book
Professional Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Programming from Wrox is a well formatted programming reference book for medium to advanced SQL Developers. The chapters are laid out well with useful examples. Especially, I liked the chapters on XML Integration, Advanced Queries, Index structure and Transaction & Locks. I will suggest this book to anyone who is from other RDBMS background to get up and running with programming in SQL Server. However, I was looking for information in Service Broker in detail as this is one of the programming areas which scales SQL Server to different level. Chapters such as Replication, Performance Tuning, Data Warehousing and Reporting were not explained in great detail. However the book solves it's purpose to provide a general guideline on SQL Server 2008 programming.

I will recommend this book for other SQL Server professionals who want to understand the new programming features in SQL Server 2008 and also keep this book as reference in their SQL Server library
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (17)

Good Book!
I recommend this book to everyone who want to start learning T-SQL from the ground up.
All the topics are explain in a understandable way and you can complete your learning with the
proposed exercises.

A Great "Why Didn't I Think of That!" Book
I've been using T-SQL for many years, so I was surprised by the number of "aha" moments I experienced while reading this book.The author seems to have a gift for describing concepts and techniques -- both old and new -- in a clear, "oh, yeah, now I see how that could be useful" way.For me, the "Using Pivot with Dynamic SQL" section more than justified the cost of the book all by itself; it saved me several hours on a project I was working on, because I'd been planning to do by brute force (cursors, table variables, and many lines of procedural code) what the author demonstrated how to do with a few lines of code.The discussion of what derived tables are and why they are useful was also revelatory.All in all, this is a book that should prove useful to T-SQL developers at all levels of experience.

Awesome for advanced T-SQL users, and intimidating for a novice.
DON'T buy this book if you're a T-SQL beginner.The name made me think the book would be geared toward basic/foundational concepts.This is absolutely not the case, however I'm very excited about having this as a terrific mid to advanced level reference down the road.

I've been a SQL System Administrator for many years, but never needed to understand the queries, just how to protect, backup and recover the databases.Thank goodness my husband was able to translate for me!For this reason I give it a 1.5 star rating for new users but a 4.5 rating for T-SQL administrators.Once I was able to understand what he was trying to say, and reference the […] website to break the queries into manageable bites, the lights came on.

I have now purchased a few other T-SQL books and without a doubt, this unique reference will become my master.However I couldn't do this without taking the first lessons in more introductory material.Can't wait to be a guru and actually understand this beast of a book!

Superb Learning and Resource Book
This book is an absolute 5.

The information is given in a way that makes it easy for anyone to understand with great sample problems at the end of each chapter. I found myself continually reading it and couldn't put it down, which for a technical book is unheard of!

There were many places where I thought I had known how different areas worked and then I read this book. This is a must have not only as a learning tool but as a reference for those once in a while situations when you get to use new or otherwise novelty features of SQL Server's T-SQL.

If you had any doubt whether or not to purchase this book, I would highly encourage you to do so!

The nitty gritty
Pleased to find the other reviews were correct in that this book really fills in the gap and gets into nitty gritty nuances of querying... way beyond the basics.Only a 1/4 of way through now, but learning new aspects/features of sql with every read. ... Read more

Product Description

Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes has established itself as the gold standard for introductory SQL books, offering a fast-paced accessible tutorial to the major themes and techniques involved in applying the SQL language.Forta's examples are clear and his writing style is crisp and concise.As with earlier editions, this revision includes coverage of current versions of all major commercial SQL platforms.New this time around is coverage of MySQL, and PostgreSQL.All examples have been tested against each SQL platform, with incompatibilities or platform distinctives called out and explained.

Customer Reviews (159)

Not what I expected
This booklet gives you instructions on how to run different SQL commands, and it does so by just throwing you the rigid command lines. You want run a JOIN script? here's the syntax, go for it.
It doesn't even give you a scenario and explain to you WHY the script should be written in that way.

I would recommand Joes 2 Pros' Beginner SQL:http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-SQL-Joes-Pros-Hands-/dp/143925317X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286860133&sr=1-4

very usefull quick reference
information: very helpfull and usefull
vendor: really on time
book condition: excelent
amazon service: the best!

Great book for a beginner
I took a class on Microsoft Access in college and barely learned a thing.I'm an accountant and in the past year or so I've been using SQL quite a bit to run queries that were created by our IT department.I took an interest in it and began editing some of these queries.Finally I broke down and bought a book.This book taught me many useful tips in the first few chapters.One example is by simply placing an * after SELECT the query results will pull all columns in the table.That tip alone made the book worth it.Now I'm writing my own queries and impressing my IT department in the process.

Fantastic intro book
I am not kidding when I say I knew NOTHING about SQL prior to getting this book.

Every chapter has been REAL.The information is clean, direct, and the language is level-headed.Ben Forta really targeted the novice and inexperienced SQL user, and he presents each SQL concept in clear usage using a common table across chapters.

It's given me the foundation and courage to move on to more advanced books now.The concepts of SQL where truly a mystery, but I'm no longer in the dark.

I can't thank the author enough, and I can't recommend this book enough if you want to jump into SQL.

Good Quick Overview
This is a wonderful little book. It covers the topic quickly giving you a good overview of SQL. While by no means definitive this is a great starting point to google your way to a complete understanding.

The examples given insight into what each SQL feature could be used for in real world settings while highlighting potential pitfalls.

The book is not intended to be a tutorial on database design but dose give a few hints along the way. If you are looking for material on design look else where.

The book does not limit itself to any particular implementation; however, I'd say it provides the least treatment of PostgreSQL and the most of MySQL. This should not really be a major factor as the book is about SQL not RDMS. ... Read more

Product Description
The goal of Defensive Programming is to produce resilient code that responds gracefully to the unexpected. To the SQL Server programmer, this means T-SQL code that behaves consistently and predictably in cases of unexpected usage, doesn't break under concurrent loads, and survives predictable changes to database schemas and settings. Inside this book, you will find dozens of practical, defensive programming techniques that will improve the quality of your T-SQL code and increase its resilience and robustness.

Why read this book?

Resilient T-SQL code is code that is designed to last, and to be safely reused by others. The goal of defensive database programming, the goal of this book, is to help you to produce resilient T-SQL code that robustly and gracefully handles cases of unintended use, and is resilient to common changes to the database environment.

Too often as developers, we stop work as soon as our code passes a few basic tests to confirm that it produces the 'right result' in a given use case. We do not stop to consider what other possible ways in which the code might be used in the future, or how our code will respond to common changes to the database environment, such as a change in the database language setting, or a change to the nullability of a table column, and so on.

In the short-term, this approach is attractive; we get things done faster. However, if our code is designed to be used for more than just a few months, then it is very likely that such changes can and will occur, and the inevitable result is broken code or, even worse, code that silently starts to behave differently, or produce different results. When this happens, the integrity of our data is threatened, as is the validity of the reports on which critical business decisions are often based. At this point, months or years later, and long after the original developer has left, begins the painstaking process of troubleshooting and fixing the problem.

Would it not be easier to prevent all this troubleshooting from happening? Would it not be better to spend a little more time and effort during original development, to save considerably more time on troubleshooting, bug fixing, retesting, and redeploying?

This is what defensive programming is all about: we learn what can go wrong with our code, and we proactively apply this knowledge during development. This book is filled with practical, realistic examples of the sorts of problems that beset database programs, including:

- Changes in database objects, such as tables, constraints, columns, and stored procedures.
- Changes to concurrency and isolation levels.
- Upgrades to new versions of SQL Server.
- Changes in requirements.
- Code reuse.
- Problems causing loss of data integrity.
- Problems with error handling in T-SQL.

In each case, it demonstrates approaches that will help you understand and enforce (or eliminate) the assumptions on which your solution is based, and to improve its robustness. Ultimately, the book teaches you how to think and develop defensively, and how to proactively identify and eliminate potential vulnerabilities in T-SQL code. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

When TRY ... CATCH is not enough.
I really enjoyed reading "Defensive Database Programming with SQL Server", and I would recommend it to any SQL Server developer. My favorite chapter was "Chapter 7: "Advanced Use of Constraints", where the author demonstrates the power of the declarative part of the model.

This is not a book for beginners that want to learn about T-SQL language, but if you are already familiar with the language then you will learn about best practices for making your program more robust.

Walk with the author through those situations that can make your code to break. Being aware of these situations is a good start, learning how to defend your code from them is what this book is all about.

Useful and Informative....
I have worked with SQL Server as a developer and a programmer for over 15 years so I have read a lot of books about the product and T-SQL.This is one of the most informative books I have read on SQL in a long time because it made me think a little differently when looking at code. It presented me with situations I haven't seen before (for example a connection setting it's own rowcount explicitly) and the implications that could have.

It really makes you think about the what-if, what happens if your caller does something unexpected and what you might do to mitigate this risk. There are not a whole lot of SQL Server programming books that I learn something from anymore, this was one of them.

... Read more

Product Description
Are you an SQL programmer that, like many, came to SQL after learning and writing procedural or object-oriented code? Or have switched jobs to where a different brand of SQL is being used, or maybe even been told to learn SQL yourself?

If even one answer is yes, then you need this book. A "Manual of Style" for the SQL programmer, this book is a collection of heuristics and rules, tips, and tricks that will help you improve SQL programming style and proficiency, and for formatting and writing portable, readable, maintainable SQL code. Based on many years of experience consulting in SQL shops, and gathering questions and resolving his students' SQL style issues, Joe Celko can help you become an even better SQL programmer.

+ Help you write Standard SQL without an accent or a dialect that is used in another programming language or a specific flavor of SQL, code that can be maintained and used by other people.
+ Enable you to give your group a coding standard for internal use, to enable programmers to use a consistent style.
+ Give you the mental tools to approach a new problem with SQL as your tool, rather than another programming language - one that someone else might not know! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

3.5 stars: Has good stuff but very undercooked
I'll expand on that when I have time; but for now, real quick:
PROs:

- As usual for Celko's books, you get this feeling of conversing with a knowledgeable and overall very likeable individual with a good sense of humour (he got me laughing on page 2, see his comments on the making of fine furniture).

- Good justifications are given for many rules of thumb that, as of now, you're likely to be adhering to on faith.

- A number of unobvious, sharp, mind-stretching tidbits (an ever-present feature of Celko books).

- Very good bibliography. Celko is not a "narrow specialist": reading pointers he gives are varied and very interesting. Also, links to a lot of net material. Great.

- He writes simply.

-----------------------

CONTRA, the one and only problem: the book appears to be written in a terrible hurry, which is manifested by the following occurrences (not exhaustively):

- Sometimes the author has something to say, but does not say it intelligibly (e.g., section 1.2.7)

- Sometimes he doesn't have anything to say, but gibbers on anyway (e.g., section 3.15)

- Sometimes he belabours the obvious or maybe even spurious: for example, there's too much of this "unlearn OO to understand SQL". One doesn't need to unlearn what one knows to learn something he doesn't; there's no clear-cut distinction: for example, operating on STL collections is very set-like, quite SQL'ish actually: you provide a predicate and it's then applied internally in a set-scoped operation. Matlab is very similar. BLAS is very similar. Fortran is similar. Iow, thinking in sets is an important thing to point to -- once; but after that it's beating a dead horse; move on already. Especially since it isn't really as black-and-white as the author suggests.

(4) The book is very inadequately indexed: index is very small; nothing can be found. What's SQL/PSM? I don't think it's been defined anywhere, but perhaps I missed it; off to index I go... and find nothing there. How nice. I mean, come on -- a five-page index in a technical book?

(5) Dropping French. Is it really necessary? "Sistemé International d'units", OK.

There's more stuff to talk about, both good and bad; but I've no time to write it up right now. So, finally: is it a worthy book?

Well, the book is flawed but not useless by any means. It's not a must read, but if you got a few discretionary bucks and a bit of free time, it's worth reading. I've learned a few interesting things here; ~1/3rd of the reading has been pleasant: in addition to knowing a lot of stuff, DB-related and beyond, Celko's got a real good sense of humour and a gift of gab. Were this book a brochure one-third its current size sold for five bucks, I'd give it five stars. OK, ten bucks.

This is the nth try to post this review
If this review finally goes in, I shall be pleased but surprised, There is something wrong with Amazon's linking. I have spoken to support and they don't know what it is. Anyway...

This is a mixed bag, but mostly very good. Lots of excellent information about different versions of SQL vs. standards, and fascinating excursions into the underpinnings of coding systems, measurements, scales, ratios, etc. We should all be a lot more aware of the work that has been done and codified in many international standards. Apart from anything else, it would save people from re-inventing so many wheels - and making some of them square!

There is an excellent and much-needed stress on the need to use relational thinking when you are working in the SQL environment, with the focus on natural keys and set-oriented processing. He rightly decries the use of "external locator" keys (which most of us call "surrogate" keys, though he defines that term differently) - anyway, basically the "Identity" type. He is perhaps a little too extreme in pretty much absolutely outlawing them, but I agree with the general principle. They are an expedient pushed by people who don't understand relational design. Natural keys are much better. (But I have to agree with another reviewer that the SSN is problematic. Coming to the US from Canada, I couldn't believe the SSN was not a check-digited number, unlike the Canadian SIN, or any credit card number, or banking ABA's. I guess the age of the system was one issue. But the result, anyway, is that duplicate SSNs exist and that they are frequently invented or stolen.)

As a self-described "old fart" he castigates the design errors that may be committed by those (like me!) who grew up in the age of punched cards and magnetic tape. But surely few current database designers have ever seen a punched card, and rarely encounter a good old sequential fixed-length-record file, let alone a mag tape. The model that leads them astray these days is not the sequential file, but the Excel spreadsheet! Time and again I see HORRIBLE designs, violating all the normal forms from 1 to 3 and beyond, based on the columns of an Excel spreadsheet. Another factor is the lack of relational training- how many people have read Codd or Date?and the harm done by the early PC databases that were just a kind of disorganized dumping-ground for data, draining meaning from the term "database."

Some of his mandates are perhaps a little too absolute "Don't use cursors" - well, 99% of the time, very true. You should be thinking sets, not serial access. But there are a few occasions where a cursor can be a useful weapon in your armory and can even execute faster than a set manipulation. Not many, but a few - beyond the outlying cases he describes. Similarly withtriggers - yes, generally DRI is far preferable (if your DBMS supports it). But if you want customized transaction audit capture, triggers are the natural way to go.

A few beefs:

There's a sprinkling of typos, and I did spot one actual error: on p 114, he presents "WHERE a = b + 2" as the alternative to "WHERE a + 2 = b - 4." Oops! Obviously the valid alternative is "WHERE a = b - 6."

The discussion of Camel Case is too limited: there are a lot of variations and his definition is at odds with the widely used Microsoft definition, which would have been worth mentioning. For MS, camel case is like "thisCase" and Celko's camel case, "ThisCase," is called Pascal case.

I found his advice on formatting and display of code sometimes odd. Often when he showed example A and then "see how example B is more readable " - I thought example A was clearer!He refers to studies on visual perception, eye movement, etc., but I am not sure that such studies done in the context of reading normal prose are valid for SQL, or other programming-type text. Comprehension likely occurs in different stages or chunks.

Also, surely Hungarian notationis found in strongly-typed, not weakly-typed, languages. In a weakly-typed language like REXX, a variable can be a string one minute, an integer the next. What prefix can you use? Whereas in VB, for instance, up to version 6, MS recommended prefixes to remind the programmer of the fixed type as defined, so he would not be tempted to write "intAccountID = "New Customer" or suchlike.[...]

Summary? Well, OK, I've listed a few problems, but overall, get this and study it- there's lots of fascinating and rewarding material, from someone who has been working in this field a long time and has gone very deeply into many aspects of it. Many of the SQL examples will really stretch your brain - his other books do that too!

Great SQL Style Reference
This is a great reference for how to write clear, concise, and efficient SQL. If you are looking for good ideas for SQL coding standards, you will find them here.

In my career, I've seen a lot of poorly written, nearly incomprensible SQL, which is always harder to maintain. I just wish more novice SQL developers and DBAs had read this book.

I really enjoyed this book
Wading through badly written SQL is a nightmare on the best of days.Proper--and consistent--attention to capitalization, indentation, and other formatting standards makes SQL much more readable and therefore maintainable.The standards outlined in this book are for the most part very well thought-out, and a great starting point for creating a set of enterprise SQL development standards.If more SQL developers would read this book, I would have many less headaches in my day-to-day work, so I believe this is a valuable purchase.

Excellent book in excellent style
Too many database books are written by developers whose expertise is OOP and not SQL.While I don't agree with Mr. Celko on every point, keep in mind that he was on the SQL Standards Committee for 10 years.Even if you don't agree with him on every point, his level of expertise is undeniable - unless, perhaps, the questioner can provide evidence of greater knowledge and expertise.

This book is to SQL grammar and style as "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White are to English grammar and style.Mr. Celko explains, in terms that should be easily understood, why SQL should be written in standard SQL while still allowing that there can be exceptions just as verbal communications, in any language, should follow the standard grammar of the language unless there is good reason to slip into a localized dialect.

Where one reviewer rated the book with 1 star because that reviewer disagrees with Mr. Celko on a single point of database design, his antagonistic remarks have nothing to do with the point or the value of this book.

As the editorial review states, this book is not for beginners.If you have been programming SQL for a year or more and you want to fine tune the quality of your work, this work is something you should surely read.

... Read more

Product Description
Learn how to use the PL/SQL programming language effectively, using one of the most popular and widely-used software programs in large companies today. Oracle 10g Developer: PL/SQL Programming uses Oracle 10g to provide an overview of the PL/SQL programming language, beginning with fundamental PL/SQL concepts and progressing to the writing and testing of PL/SQL code. The book then progresses to more advanced topics, such as Dynamic SQL and code tuning. Updated to the latest release, Oracle 10g, it uses the developer's perspective to focus on the PL/SQL component of the software. With real-world examples and a straightforward writing style, this is a valuable resource for anyone preparing for the new Oracle Certification exam, or simply looking to master the PL/SQL programming language with Oracle. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Resource for beginners to learn Oracle PL/SQL
The author progresses through complicated material in a very precise, methodical way.The hands-on exercises provide real-world examples to reinforce understanding of key concepts. ... Read more

Product Description
This thorough, hands-on reference for database developers and administrators delivers expert guidance on sophisticated uses of Transact-SQL (T-SQL)—one of the most familiar and powerful programming languages for SQL Server. Written by a T-SQL guru, this guide focuses on language features and how they are interpreted and processed by the SQL Server execution engine. You’ll get in-depth coverage of the sophisticated uses of T-SQL, including triggers, user-defined functions, exception handling, and more. The book explains and compares solutions to database-development problems in both SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005, discussing the new T-SQL programming features added to SQL Server 2005 in detail. Includes extensive code samples, table examples, and logic puzzles to help database developers and administrators understand the intricacies and help promote mastery of T-SQL. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

T-SQL
Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2005: T-SQL Programming, by Itzik Ben-Gan. The book covers a lot on t-sql programming from temp tables, cursors to user defined functions. The book has a lot of code samples you can use. I have to mention that the book is dedicated to Itzik Ben-Gan's grandparents. This is a great book when you want to get to know t-sql. This is an excellent book for an intermediate/advanced developer. There is so much new stuff in SQL Server 2005 compared to 2000 to help you with tuning queries that you probably want to read each chapter several times. The Dynamic Management Views are a big help and this book shows you how to use them. Some other cool stuff in this book is the discussion of internal tables, undocumented DBCC commands and undocumented trace flags to discover information which could help you determine much faster what the cause of a performance problem might be. Some pages are packed with so much information that you need to pause for a second and process all that info (I have read some pages two to three times in a row). You will also find out that there are more joins besides left, full and outer. Page 137 for example has a nice table with the three Physical Join Operators: Nested Loop Join, Hash Join and Merge Join. This table lists the characteristics for each of these joins. If you are an intermediate to advanced developer then I highly recommend this book.

Very little actual T-SQL
Book actually has very limited T-SQL.Mostly triggers, USP, functions, but little actual code.

Too clever by half
Please see review by C. Mialaret. S/he is spot on.

One gets the impression that the author may have been more focused on impressing you with his eruditeness, rather than writing a practical book with useful examples and clear explanations.

Affecianados of Kalen Delaney's 'Inside SQL Server 2000' will be disappointed.

Useful but COULD be much better. Needs major editorial intervention.
You should think of this book as of the second volume of the two-volume set on the 2005-Server SQL. If you get this one, you'll get the other one too; neither tome is self-sufficient; in fact there's a lot of explicit interdependence. This book, Programming, deals with slightly more esoteric features than the first tome, Querying -- although I can't say you must read the first entire volume before touching this one. Both books can be read at the same time (but see what I say about the target reader below).

So, real quick:

1. Target reader: someone with a good grasp of the 2000 Server wishing to learn the new stuff that came with the 2005 server (there's a lot: the 2005 product is _much_ better than the previous: covering new features is probably the only thing that's unequivocally good about this book).This is NOT your first, nor second, nor third book on SQL in general or MS SQL Server in particular. You must have a good grasp of the basics to be able to overcome this book. I say 'overcome' advisedly; more on it below.

2. Content: Data-type subtleties (datetime, xml, CLR user-defined types -- a lot of CLR in this volume); temporary tables, cursors, dynamic SQL, views, user-defined funcs, stored procs, triggers, a bit on transactions, exception handling, a bit on service broker.

3. Very clean technically: no technical errors (and while we're here: I found no typos either).

4. Depth vs breadth: the book is more extensive than deep, although on average it's (inevitably) more in-depth than the first volume. Some reviewers here say it's very deep or difficult -- and difficult is true, although not because of PhD anything. This, unfortunately, brings me to the next point:

5. Writing: ABHORRENT. (Both volumes, Querying, and Programming, in about the same degree). That's why it seems difficult, PhD and so on -- except this difficulty isn't due to, say, conceptual complexity of the subject matter. It's the authors' extreme inability to use the English language to explain things that makes reading this book such a chore. There is also conceptual muddle (unsurprisingly: people write as they think).

Now, experience taught me to forgive literary incapacity to a _technical_ author (to a degree; and I do take notice and, if possible, avoid him in the future). In cases like that I put the blame squarely on the publisher, especially if otherwise I know the publisher to be solid. I have a pile of books from Microsoft Press and I consider them a good publisher, so what's the matter?

Although (strangely) a bit better than the first volume, this book (Programming) is also strewn with unimaginable, fantastic garbage of every possible kind, from grating usage errors to a pervasive lack of unity, coherence, and logical connectedness on the page/paragraph level, to a frequent lack of the overall unity. When I bought this book and read it a bit I was so p-off I almost sent it back (I got as far as getting an RMA from Amazon). I did keep it though. Both of them, actually.

Do I recommend this book? It has been useful to me (especially the UDF section: there's a lot of new stuff, all very handy), so -- with great reservation, and only to the right reader -- yes, kinda. And please check out what else is available (there's tons of books on the 2005 server these days). The Programming book is part of the three-volume update and extension of the server-2000 version by Delaney. Delaney's server-2000 book was extremely useful and quite decently written. I wish they let her write the new version, even though it's now three books instead of one, and I suppose it's difficult for one person to do it all.

T-SQL Book at Its Best!!!!!!!!!!
This book has lots of sample code for developers to follow.I bought a book "Advanced Transact-SQL for SQL Server 2000" written by Itzik Ben-gan about five years and loved the book.This book did great job in the SQL Scripts where you might need to spent sometime read through it.

This book is a gem for SQL developers!!!Highly recommanded!!! ... Read more

Product Description

Ramp Up Your PL/SQL Programming Skills

Master PL/SQL through the hands-on exercises, extensive examples, and real-world projects inside this Oracle Press guide. Filled with best practices, Oracle Database 11g PL/SQL Programming Workbook covers all the latest features and enhancements of the language. Mastery checks at the end of each chapter reinforce the material covered, and sample code from the book is available for download. Even experienced Oracle professionals will benefit from this practical resource.

• Understand the Oracle development architecture and the mechanics of connections
• Work with data types, structures, blocks, cursors, and PL/SQL semantics
• Write, deploy, and use functions, procedures, and packages
• Manage transactions and more
• Use dynamic SQL statements in real-world applications
• Support online transaction processing and data warehousing applications with external tables
• Find syntax samples and best practices to solve problems
• Write, deploy, and use object types

For a complete list of Oracle Press titles, visit www.OraclePressBooks.com ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Oracle Developer, you need this book!
This book is essential for Oracle veteran and beginner alike.It wraps all the best practices and new features into an easy to read, example laden, treasure of insight into PL/SQL on 11g.A must for all.It is like having a friend who is ready when you need him to point out the new, give you an example, and teach you the pit falls and best practices that you may not think of otherwise.

Review for Oracle Database 11g PL/SQL Programming Workbook
Product is perfect for folks who have used PL/SQL for years as a refresher and way to catch up on/practice the art of PL/SQL as well as see whats new! ... Read more