Any Oracle developer who has used Oracle: The Complete Reference knows that it is an elegant, indispensable guide to the overwhelming world of Oracle database interaction. Its successor--
Oracle8: The Complete Reference--is even more comprehensive. Succinct examples are used to document the many functions and SQL nuances available in the Oracle toolbox. The authors provide handholding introductions to more advanced topics such as PL/SQL and object- relational databases.
The revised alphabetical reference makes it even easier to recall the order of arguments passed to long-forgotten functions and many new ones. Beginners will appreciate the exhaustive documentation of the SQLPLUS client and a discussion of user permissions, while seasoned developers can get their hands dirty in the intricacies of using large objects under Oracle8. All of this information is made easier to retrieve thanks to the accompanying, easily searchable CD-ROM. --Tim Kohn, Amazon.com
This work serves as a reference on Oracle8 and contains information on handling very large databases (VLDBs) and Oracle Context. It features tutorial, theory and command references. The accompanying CD-ROM includes the reference section and all tables covered in the book. The book has been updated to cover versions 7.0 through 8.0. The book is organized into six parts. Part One introduces database concepts. Part Two discusses SQL (structured query language), which allows programmers to process information to and from a database. Part Three is the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Data Dictionary". Part Four discusses database design considerations. Part Five is an alphabetical reference for virtually every Oracle command. Part Six lists the tables used in the book. The book offers both coverage of using Oracle and a substantial command reference listing the syntax and sample usage for every major command. It also includes a new chapter called "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Oracle Optimizer". This presents the SQL operations and tuning issues directed towards a beginner-user market. George Koch is the author of "ORacle DBA Handbook".