ORACLE SQL Fundamentals

The course is suitable for those who have some knowledge of SQL as well as those who are using ORACLE for the first time.

Previous experience with an interactive computer system is desirable but not essential.

This 2 day course gives an introduction to SQL Developer, SQL*Plus and to SQL, the Structured Query Language used to access a Relational Database and includes the new features of the latest version of ORACLE. The principles learnt may also be applied to databases as diverse as Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Access, Informix and DB2.

The course takes the format of a workshop, with a mix of lecture, working examples and practical exercises. Although the content may be customised, at least 2 days are needed to cover the core elements.

Full course notes are provided along with sample database files, example SQL files and free software tools for use in accessing an ORACLE database.

Introduction

• Overview
• Aims and Objectives
• Sample Data
• Schedule
• Introductions
• Pre-requisites
• Responsibilities

Relational Databases

• The Database
• The Relational Database
• Tables
• Rows and Columns
• Sample Database
• Selecting Rows
• Supplier Table
• Saleord Table
• Primary Key Index
• Secondary Indexes
• Relationships
• Analogy
• Foreign Key
• Foreign Key
• Joining Tables
• Referential Integrity
• Types of Relationship
• Many to Many Relationship
• Resolving a Many-to-Many Relationship
• One to One Relationship
• Completing the Design
• Resolving Relationships
• Microsoft Access - Relationships
• Entity Relationship Diagram
• Data Modelling
• CASE Tools
• Sample Diagram
• The RDBMS
• Advantages of an RDBMS
• Structured Query Language
• DDL - Data Definition Language
• DML - Data Manipulation Language
• DCL - Data Control Language
• Why Use SQL?
• Course Tables Handout

Data Retrieval

• SQL Developer
• SQL Developer - Connection
• Viewing Table Information
• Using SQL, Where Clause
• Using Comments
• Character Data
• Users and Schemas
• AND and OR Clause
• Using Brackets
• Date Fields
• Using Dates
• Formatting Dates
• Date Formats
• TO_DATE
• TRUNC
• Date Display
• Order By Clause
• DUAL Table
• Concatenation
• Selecting Text
• IN Operator
• BETWEEN Operator
• LIKE Operator
• Common Errors
• UPPER Function
• Single Quotes
• Finding Metacharacters
• Regular Expressions
• REGEXP_LIKE Operator
• Null Values
• IS NULL Operator
• NVL
• Accepting User Input

Using Functions

• TO_CHAR
• TO_NUMBER
• LPAD
• RPAD
• NVL
• NVL2 Function
• DISTINCT Option
• SUBSTR
• INSTR
• Date Functions
• Aggregate Functions
• COUNT
• Group By Clause
• Rollup and Cube Modifiers
• Having Clause
• Grouping By Functions
• DECODE
• CASE
• Workshop

Sub-Query & Union

• Single Row Sub-queries
• Union
• Union - All
• Intersect and Minus
• Multiple Row Sub-queries
• Union – Checking Data
• Outer Join

More On Joins

• Joins
• Cross Join or Cartesian Product
• Inner Join
• Implicit Join Notation
• Explicit Join Notation
• Natural Join
• Equi-Join
• Cross Join
• Outer Joins
• Left Outer Join
• Right Outer Join
• Full Outer Join
• Using UNION
• Join Algorithms
• Nested Loop
• Merge Join
• Hash Join
• Reflexive or Self Join
• Single Table Join
• Workshop

Advanced Queries

• ROWNUM and ROWID
• Top N Analysis
• Inline View
• Exists and Not Exists
• Correlated Sub-queries
• Correlated Sub-queries with Functions
• Correlated Update
• Snapshot Recovery
• Flashback Recovery
• All
• Any and Some Operators
• Insert ALL
• Merge

Sample Data

• ORDER Tables
• FILM Tables
• EMPLOYEE Tables
• The ORDER Tables
• The FILM Tables

Utilities

• What is a Utility?
• Export Utility
• Using Parameters
• Using a Parameter file
• Import Utility
• Using Parameters
• Using a Parameter file
• Unloading Data
• Batch Runs
• SQL*Loader Utility
• Running the Utility
• Appending Data