What This Book Does Not Cover

Long as this book is, it doesn't contain everything. The Oracle environment is huge and complex, and in this book we've focused our attention on the core PL/SQL language itself. The following topics are therefore outside the scope of this book and are not covered, except in an occasional and peripheral fashion:

The SQL language

We assume that you already have a working knowledge of the SQL language, and that you know how to write SELECTs, UPDATEs, INSERTs, and DELETEs.

Administration of Oracle databases

While DBAs can use this book to learn how to write the PL/SQL needed to build and maintain databases, this book does not explore all the nuances of the Data Definition Language (DDL) of Oracle's SQL.

Application and database tuning

We don't cover detailed tuning issues in this book, although Chapter 19 does discuss the tracing, tuning, and debugging of PL/SQL programs. There are other books that delve deeply into Oracle application tuning.

Oracle tool-specific technologies independent of PL/SQL

This book does not attempt to show you how to build applications in a tool like Oracle's Forms Developer, even though the implementation language is PL/SQL. We have chosen to focus on core language capabilities, centered on what you can do with PL/SQL from within the database. However, most everything covered in this book is applicable to PL/SQL inside Forms Developer and Reports Developer.

National Language Support in Oracle

This book does not offer comprehensive coverage of Oracle's National Language Support (NLS) capabilities for developing applications for multiple languages.

Conventions Used in This Book

The following conventions are used in this book:

Italic

Used for file and directory names, for URLs, and for emphasis when introducing a new term.

Constant width

Used for code examples.

Constant width bold

Indicates user input in examples showing an interaction. Also, in some code examples, highlights the statements being discussed.

Constant width italic

In some code examples, indicates an element (e.g., a filename) that you supply.

UPPERCASE

In code examples, generally indicates PL/SQL keywords.

lowercase

In code examples, generally indicates user-defined items such as variables, parameters, etc.

punctuation

In code examples, enter exactly as shown.

indentation

In code examples, helps to show structure but is not required.

- -

In code examples, a double hyphen begins a single-line comment that extends to the end of a line.

/* and */

In code examples, these characters delimit a multiline comment that can extend from one line to another.

.

In code examples and related discussions, a dot qualifies a reference by separating an object name from a component name. For example, dot notation is used to select fields in a record and to specify declarations within a package.

[ ]

In syntax descriptions, square brackets enclose optional items.

{ }

In syntax descriptions, curly brackets enclose a set of items from which you must choose only one.

|

In syntax descriptions, a vertical bar separates the items enclosed in curly brackets, as in {TRUE | FALSE}.

...

In syntax descriptions, ellipses indicate repeating elements. An ellipsis also shows that statements or clauses irrelevant to the discussion were left out.

Indicates a tip, suggestion, or general note. For example, we'll tell you if a certain setting is version-specific.

Indicates a warning or caution. For example, we'll tell you if a certain setting has some kind of negative impact on the system.