2.The PLSQL introuduction

Introduction to PL/SQL

• PL/SQL Overview
• Benefits of PL/SQL Subprograms
• Overview of the Types of PL/SQL blocks
• Creating and Executing a Simple Anonymous Block
• Generating Output from a PL/SQL Block

Declaring PL/SQL Identifiers

• Different Types of Identifiers in a PL/SQL subprogram
• Using the Declarative Section to Define Identifiers
• Storing Data in Variables
• Scalar Data Types
• %TYPE Attribute
• Bind Variables
• Using Sequences in PL/SQL Expressions

Writing Executable Statements

• Describing Basic PL/SQL Block Syntax Guidelines
• Commenting Code
• SQL Functions in PL/SQL
• Data Type Conversion
• Nested Blocks
• Operators in PL/SQL

Interacting with the Oracle Server

• Including SELECT Statements in PL/SQL to Retrieve data
• Retrieving Data in PL/SQL with the SELECT Statement
• The SQL Cursor concept
• Avoiding Errors by Using Naming Conventions When Using Retrieval and DML Statements
• Manipulating Data in the Server Using PL/SQL
• Understanding the SQL Cursor concept
• Using SQL Cursor Attributes to Obtain Feedback on DML
• Saving and Discarding Transactions

Writing Control Structures

• Conditional processing Using IF Statements
• Conditional processing Using CASE Statements
• Simple Loop Statement
• While Loop Statement
• For Loop Statement
• The Continue Statement

Working with Composite Data Types

• Using PL/SQL Records to Hold Multiple Values of Different Types
• Using the %ROWTYPE Attribute
• Inserting and Updating with PL/SQL Records
• INDEX BY Tables to Hold Multiple Values of the Same Data Type
• INDEX BY Table Methods
• INDEX BY Table of Records

Using Explicit Cursors

• Understanding Explicit Cursors
• Declaring the Cursor
• Opening the Cursor
• Fetching data from the Cursor
• Closing the Cursor
• Cursor FOR loop
• The %NOTFOUND and %ROWCOUNT Attributes
• FOR UPDATE Clause and WHERE CURRENT Clause

Handling Exceptions

• Understanding Exceptions
• Handling Exceptions with PL/SQL
• Trapping Predefined Oracle Server Errors
• Trapping Non-Predefined Oracle Server Errors
• Trapping User-Defined Exceptions
• Propagate Exceptions
• RAISE_APPLICATION_ERROR Procedure

Creating Stored Procedures

• Creating a Modularize and Layered Subprogram Design
• Modularizing Development With PL/SQL Blocks
• Understanding the PL/SQL Execution Environment
• The Benefits of Using PL/SQL Subprograms
• The Differences Between Anonymous Blocks and Subprograms
• Creating, Calling, and Removing Stored Procedures Using the CREATE Command and SQL Developer
• Using Procedures Parameters and Parameters Modes
• Viewing Procedures Information Using the Data Dictionary Views and SQL Developer

Creating Stored Functions and Debugging Subprograms

• Creating, Calling, and Removing a Stored Function Using the CREATE Command and SQL Developer
• Identifying the Advantages of Using Stored Functions in SQL Statements
• Identify the steps to create a stored function
• Using User-Defined Functions in SQL Statements
• Restrictions When Calling Functions from SQL statements
• Controlling Side Effects When Calling Functions from SQL Expressions
• Viewing Functions Information
• Debugging Functions and Procedures

Creating Packages

• Listing the Advantages of Packages
• Describing Packages
• The Components of a Package
• Developing a Package
• The Visibility of a Package’s Components
• Creating the Package Specification and Body Using the SQL CREATE Statement and SQL Developer
• Invoking the Package Constructs
• Viewing the PL/SQL Source Code Using the Data Dictionary

Working With Packages

• Overloading Subprograms in PL/SQL
• Using the STANDARD Package
• Using Forward Declarations to Solve Illegal Procedure Reference
• Using Package Functions in SQL and Restrictions
• Persistent State of Packages
• Persistent State of a Package Cursor
• Controlling Side Effects of PL/SQL Subprograms
• Using PL/SQL Tables of Records in Packages

Using Oracle-Supplied Packages in Application Development

• Using Oracle-Supplied Packages
• Examples of Some of the Oracle-Supplied Packages
• How Does the DBMS_OUTPUT Package Work?
• Using the UTL_FILE Package to Interact With Operating System Files
• Using the UTL_MAIL Package
• Using the UTL_MAIL Subprograms

Using Dynamic SQL

• The Execution Flow of SQL
• What is Dynamic SQL?
• Declaring Cursor Variables
• Dynamically Executing a PL/SQL Block
• Using Native Dynamic SQL to Compile PL/SQL Code
• Using DBMS_SQL Package
• Using DBMS_SQL with a Parameterized DML Statement
• Dynamic SQL Functional Completeness

Design Considerations for PL/SQL Code

• Standardizing Constants and Exceptions
• Using Local Subprograms
• Using Autonomous Transactions
• Using the NOCOPY Compiler Hint
• Using the PARALLEL_ENABLE Hint
• Using the Cross-Session PL/SQL Function Result Cache
• Using the DETERMINISTIC Clause with Functions
• Using Bulk Binding to Improve Performance

Creating Triggers

• Working With Triggers
• Identifying the Trigger Event Types and Body
• Business Application Scenarios for Implementing Triggers
• Creating DML Triggers Using the CREATE TRIGGER Statement and SQL Developer
• Identifying the Trigger Event Types, Body, and Firing (Timing)
• Statement Level Triggers Versus Row Level Triggers
• Creating Instead of and Disabled Triggers
• Managing, Testing, and Removing Triggers

Creating Compound, DDL, and Event Database Triggers

• Working With Compound Triggers
• Identifying the Timing-Point Sections of a Table Compound Trigger
• Compound Trigger Structure for Tables and Views
• Using a Compound Trigger to Resolve the Mutating Table Error
• Comparing Database Triggers to Stored Procedures
• Creating Triggers on DDL Statements
• Creating Database-Event and System-Events Triggers
• System Privileges Required to Manage Triggers

Using the PL/SQL Compiler

• Using the PL/SQL Compiler
• Using the Initialization Parameters for PL/SQL Compilation
• Using the New PL/SQL Compile Time Warnings
• Overview of PL/SQL Compile Time Warnings for Subprograms
• The Benefits of Compiler Warnings
• The PL/SQL Compile Time Warning Messages Categories
• Setting the Warning Messages Levels: Using SQL Developer, PLSQL_WARNINGS Initialization Parameter, and the DBMS_WARNING Package Subprograms
• Viewing the Compiler Warnings: Using SQL Developer, SQL*Plus, or the Data Dictionary Views

Managing PL/SQL Code

• What Is Conditional Compilation and How Does it Work?
• Using Selection Directives
• Using Predefined and User-Defined Inquiry Directives
• The PLSQL_CCFLAGS Parameter and the Inquiry Directive
• Using Conditional Compilation Error Directives to Raise User-Defined Errors
• Using the DBMS_DB_VERSION Package
• Using DBMS_PREPROCESSOR Procedures to Print or Retrieve Source Text
• Obfuscating and Wrapping PL/SQL Code

Managing Dependencies

• Overview of Schema Object Dependencies
• Querying Direct Object Dependencies Using the USER_DEPENDENCIES View
• Querying an Object’s Status
• Invalidation of Dependent Objects
• Displaying Direct and Indirect Dependencies
• Fine-Grained Dependency Management in Oracle Database 11g
• Understanding Remote Dependencies
• Recompiling a PL/SQL Program Unit