Sql Pocket Guide

A Guide To SQL Usage
(Oracle Db2, SQL Server & MySQL)

This pocket guide presents the most crucial information about SQL in a compact and easily accessible format, covering the four commonly used SQL variants--Oracle, IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, and MySQL.

Topics include:

• Data manipulation statements (SELECT, DELETE, INSERT, UPDATE, MERGE) and transaction control statements (START TRANSACTION, SAVEPOINT, COMMIT, ROLLBACK).
  
  
• Common SQL functions (date, numeric, math, trigonometric, string, conversion, aggregate)
  
  
• Such topics as literals, NULLs, CASE expressions, datatype conversion, regular expressions, grouping and summarizing data, joining tables, and writing queries (hierarchical, recursive, union, flashback) and subqueries.
  
  
• Instead of presenting complex and confusing syntax diagrams, the book teaches by example, showing the SQL statements and options that readers are most like to use. All example data is available on the O'Reilly web site.

About the Author
Jonathan Gennick is an O'Reilly & Associates editor specializing in database and programming titles. Prior to joining O'Reilly, Jonathan amassed some 17 years of programming and database management experience. During the latter part of his career he specialized in relational database programming, and more recently in database management.

Jonathan got his start with relational database systems in 1990, first working with Ingres, and later with Digital's Rdb software. During that period he developed a fondness for SQL, and for the challenge of applying SQL creatively in ways that leveraged it's set-oriented capabilities.

In 1994 Jonathan made the leap to Oracle, and is now often found writing about it. Recent projects include Oracle SQL*Loader (O'Reilly & Associates, 2001); Oracle SQL*Plus Pocket Reference (O'Reilly & Associates, 2000); Oracle SQL*Plus: The Definitive Guide (O'Reilly & Associates, 1999); More recently, Jonathan has made forays into other database products, coauthoring Transact-SQL Cookbook (O'Reilly & Associates, 2002) and editing Practical PostgreSQL (O'Reilly & Associates, 2002).

Jonathan is certified as an Oracle DBA and is a member of MENSA and the Oracle Technology Network. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Information and Computer Science, with a Business Administration minor, from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Jonathan currently resides in Munising, Michigan with his wife Donna and their two children: Jenny and Jeff. Jonathan may be contacted by email at jonathan@gennick.com, and you can learn more about him personally by visiting his website at http://gennick.com.