Oracle PL/SQL Developer's Workbook, written by Steven Feuerstein with Andrew Odewahn, is a companion to Feuerstein's bestselling books, Oracle PL/SQL Programming (considered the bible for PL/SQL developers), Oracle Built-in Packages, and Advanced Oracle PL/SQL: Programming with Packages. By tackling the carefully constructed set of exercises in this workbook, you'll test your PL/SQL developer's language skills and, in short order, find yourself rapidly conquering the Oracle learning curve to join the growing ranks of PL/SQL experts.

"The good news for PL/SQL developers is that Oracle remains very committed to the language, has increased staffing in the PL/SQL group, and continues to improve the language in substantial ways, from kernel-level tuning to new ease-of-use features. Each version of PL/SQL, starting with Oracle8, has seen significant improvements in performance, and the upcoming 8.2 may well see even more dramatic progress. Heck, they are talking about a compiled version of PL/SQL code," says Steven Feuerstein, O'Reilly's most prolific Oracle author and PL/SQL guru.

The Oracle PL/SQL Developer's Workbook is a wonderful collection of problems and solutions covering all of PL/SQL's features, from the most basic (datatypes and loops) to the newest and most complex (Java and the Web). Whatever your level of experience, you'll find this workbook helpful. Problems and exercises are presented at three distinct levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced; making the book suitable for novices, and gaining in complexity and practicality as readers proceed to master the PL/SQL language.

Another new Oracle release from O'Reilly is the Oracle SQL*Plus Pocket Reference, by Jonathan Gennick. It's an indispensable companion to the bestselling Oracle SQL*Plus: The Definitive Guide. This pocket-sized volume is brimming with quick reference information that will help you use SQL*Plus, Oracle's interactive query tool, including new Oracle8i release 8.1.6 features. It concisely describes interacting with SQL*Plus, selecting data, formatting reports with SQL*Plus, and tuning SQL queries. It also contains quick references to the SQL*Plus commands and format elements.

Online Resources

• An interview with the Steven Feuerstein

• Chapter 16, Triggers, from Oracle PL/SQL Developer's Workbook

• More information about the books, including table of contents, index, author biography, and samples:
  Oracle PL/SQL Developer's Workbook
  Oracle SQL*Plus Pocket Reference

• Cover graphic of Oracle PL/SQL Developer's Workbook in jpeg format.

• Cover graphic of Oracle SQL*Plus Pocket Reference in jpeg format.

Oracle PL/SQL Developer's Workbook
By Steven Feuerstein with Andrew Odewahn
1st Edition, May 2000
1-56592-6749, 592 pages, $36.95

Oracle SQL*Plus Pocket Reference
By Jonathan Gennick
1st Edition, April 2000
1-56592-9411, 94 pages, $8.95