Oracle Database 10g: Program with PL/SQL

What you will learn

This course introduces students to PL/SQL and helps them understand the benefits of this powerful programming language. In the class, students learn to create PL/SQL blocks of application code that can be shared by multiple forms, reports, and data management applications. Students learn to create anonymous PL/SQL blocks and are introduced to stored procedures and functions. They learn about declaring variables, trapping exceptions and they also learn to declare and control cursors.

In class students learn to develop, execute and manage PL\SQL stored program units like procedures, functions, packages and database triggers. Student also learns to manage object dependencies and recompilation of invalid objects. This course also describes the characteristics and ways of manipulation of large objects. Students are introduced to the utilization of some of the Oracle-supplied packages.

Learn To:
  • Create Executable Section and write Control Structures
  • Create and manage Procedures, Functions, Packages and Triggers
  • Work with Composite Data Types and cursors
  • Utilizing Oracle-Supplied Packages in Application Development
  • Including Exception Handling
  • Manage Dependencies and Large Objects

This course counts towards the Hands-on course requirement for the Oracle Database 10g Administrator Certification. Only instructor-led inclass or instructor-led online formats of this course will meet the Certification Hands-on Requirement. Self Study CD-Rom and Knowledge Center courses are excellent study and reference tools but DO NOT meet the Hands-on Requirement for certification.
Audience
 Database Administrators
Database Designers
Forms Developer
PL/SQL Developer
Technical Consultant

Prerequisites
 Oracle Database 10g: Introduction to SQL

Course Objectives
 Write PL/SQL code to interface with the database
Design PL/SQL program units that execute efficiently
Use PL/SQL programming constructs and conditional control statements
Handle run-time errors
Describe stored procedures and functions
Write dynamic SQL for more coding flexibility
Design PL/SQL code for predefined data types, local subprograms, additional programs and standardized constants and exceptions
Use the compiler warnings infrastructure
Manipulate large objects
Create triggers to solve business challenges
Manage dependencies between PL/SQL subprograms
Schedule PL/SQL jobs to run independently
Create stored procedures and functions
Design PL/SQL packages to group and contain related constructs
Create overloaded package subprograms for more flexibility
Categorize the Oracle supplied PL/SQL packages

Course Topics
Introduction to PL/SQL
 What is PL/SQL
PL/SQL Environment
Benefits of PL/SQL
Overview of the Types of PL/SQL blocks
Create and Execute a Simple Anonymous Block
Generate Output from a PL/SQL Block
iSQL*Plus as PL/SQL Programming Environment

Declaring PL/SQL Identifiers
 Identify the Different Types of Identifiers in a PL/SQL subprogram
Use the Declarative Section to Define Identifiers
List the Uses for Variables
Store Data in Variables
Declare PL/SQL Variables

Writing Executable Statements
 Describe Basic Block Syntax Guidelines
Use Literals in PL/SQL
Customize Identifier Assignments with SQL Functions
Use Nested Blocks as Statements
Reference an Identifier Value in a Nested Block
Qualify an Identifier with a Label
Use Operators in PL/SQL
Use Proper PL/SQL Block Syntax and Guidelines

Interacting with the Oracle Server
 Identify the SQL Statements You Can Use in PL/SQL
Include SELECT Statements in PL/SQL
Retrieve Data in PL/SQL with the SELECT Statement
Avoid Errors by Using Naming Conventions When Using Retrieval and DML Statements
Manipulate Data in the Server Using PL/SQL
The SQL Cursor concept
Use SQL Cursor Attributes to Obtain Feedback on DML
Save and Discard Transactions

Writing Control Structures
 Control PL/SQL Flow of Execution
Conditional processing Using IF Statements
Conditional Processing CASE Statements
Handle Nulls to Avoid Common Mistakes
Build Boolean Conditions with Logical Operators
Use Iterative Control with Looping Statements

Working with Composite Data Types
 Learn the Composite Data Types of PL/SQL Records and Tables
Use PL/SQL Records to Hold Multiple Values of Different Types
Inserting and Updating with PL/SQL Records
Use INDEX BY Tables to Hold Multiple Values of the Same Data Type

Using Explicit Cursors
 Cursor FOR Loops Using Sub-queries
Increase the Flexibility of Cursors By Using Parameters
Use the FOR UPDATE Clause to Lock Rows
Use the WHERE CURRENT Clause to Reference the Current Row
Use Explicit Cursors to Process Rows
Explicit Cursor Attributes
Cursors and Records

Handling Exceptions
 Handling Exceptions with PL/SQL
Predefined Exceptions
Trapping Non-predefined Oracle Server Errors
Functions that Return Information on Encountered Exceptions
Trapping User-Defined Exceptions
Propagate Exceptions
Use The RAISE_APPLICATION_ERROR Procedure To Report Errors To Applications

Creating Stored Procedures
 Describe the block structure for PL/SQL stored procedures
Invoke a stored procedure/function from different tools
Call a stored procedure with host variables from iSQL*Plus, Forms, Java, C, etc
Invoke a stored procedure from an anonymous block or another stored procedure
List the CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE syntax
Identify the development steps for creating a stored procedure
Use the SHOW ERRORS command
View source code in the USER_SOURCE dictionary view

Creating Stored Functions
 Describe stored functions
List the CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION syntax
Identify the steps to create a stored function
Execute a stored function
Identify the advantages of using stored functions in SQL statements
Identify the restrictions of calling functions from SQL statements
Remove a function

Creating Packages
 List the advantages of packages
Describe packages
Show the components of a package Diagram the visibility of constructs within a package
Develop a package
Create the package specification
Declare public constructs
Create the package body

Using More Package Concepts
 List the benefits of overloading
Show overloading example
Use forward declarations in packages
Create a one-time only procedure (package code initialization)
List the restrictions on package functions used in SQL
Encapsulate code in a package demonstration
Invoke a user-defined package function from a SQL statement
Utilize the persistent state of package variables

Utilizing Oracle Supplied Packages in Application Development
 List the various uses for the Oracle supplied packages
Reuse pre-packaged code to complete various tasks from developer to DBA purposes
Use the DESCRIBE command to view the package specifications and overloading
Explain how DBMS_OUTPUT works (in conjunction with SET SERVEROUPUT ON)
Interact with operating system files with UTL_MAIL
Describe file processing with UTL_FILE
Review UTL_FILE routines and exceptions
Use UTL_FILE to generate a report to a file

Dynamic SQL and Metadata
 Describe using native dynamic SQL
List the execution flow of SQL
Show the syntax for the EXECUTE IMMEDIATE statement for native dynamic SQL
Create a procedure to generate native dynamic SQL using EXECUTE IMMEDIATE to delete rows from a table
Describe the DBMS_SQL package
Provide an example of DBMS_SQL
List the advantages of using Native Dynamic SQL Over the DBMS_SQL package

Design Considerations for PL/SQL Code
 Standardize constants with a constant package
Standardize exceptions with an exception handling package
Introduce local sub-programs
Use local sub-programs
Track run time errors with an exception package
Describe the NOCOPY compiler hint
Use the NOCOPY compiler hint
Explain the effects of NOCOPY

Managing Dependencies
 Define dependent and referenced objects
Diagram dependencies with code, views, procedures, and tables
Manage local dependencies between a procedure, view, and a table
Analyze a scenario of local dependencies
Display direct dependencies using the USER_DEPENDENCIES view
Run the UTL_DTREE.SQL script to create objects that enable you to view direct and indirect dependencies
Predict the effects of changes on dependent objects

Manipulating Large Objects
 Describe a LOB object
Diagram the anatomy of a LOB
Manage and list the features on internal LOBs
Describe, manage, and secure BFILEs
Create and use the DIRECTORY object to access and use BFILEs
Prepare BFILEs for usage
Use the BFILENAME function to load BFILEs
Describe the DBMS_LOB package

Creating Triggers
 Describe the different types of triggers and how they execute
List the benefits and guidelines of using database triggers
Show how triggers are executed with a basic database trigger example
Show syntax and create DML triggers, and list the DML trigger components
Explain the firing sequence of triggers
Create a DML statement and row level triggers
Use the OLD and NEW qualifiers to reference column values
Use conditional predicates with triggers

Applications for Triggers
 Create triggers for DDL events of CREATE, ALTER, and DROP
Create triggers for system events of SERVERERROR, STARTUP, SHUTDOWN, LOGON and LOGOFF
Define a mutating table
Describe business application scenarios for implementing with triggers
Describe the privileges required to manage triggers

Understanding and Influencing the PL/SQL Compiler
 List the features of native compilation
Describe the features of the PL/SQL compiler in Oracle Database 10g
Identify the 3 parameters used to influence compilation (PLSQL_CODE_TYPE, PLSQL_DEBUG, PLSQL_OPTIMIZE_LEVEL)
Show how to set the parameters
Describe the dictionary view used to see how code is compiled (USER_PLSQL_OBJECTS)
Change the parameter settings, recompile code, and view the results
Describe the compiler warning infrastructure in Oracle Database 10g
List the steps used in setting compiler warning levels