SQL Pocket Guide

Book excerpt: This pocket guide presents the most crucial information about SQL in a compact and easily accessible format, covering the four commonly used SQL variants--Oracle, IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, and MySQL. Topics include: Data manipulation statements (SELECT, DELETE, INSERT, UPDATE, MERGE) and transaction control statements (START TRANSACTION, SAVEPOINT, COMMIT, ROLLBACK). Common SQL functions (date, numeric, math, trigonometric, string, conversion, aggregate) Such topics as literals, NULLs, CASE expressions, datatype conversion, regular expressions, grouping and summarizing data, joining tables, and writing queries (hierarchical, recursive, union, flashback) and subqueries. Instead of presenting complex and confusing syntax diagrams, the book teaches by example, showing the SQL statements and options that readers are most like to use. All example data is available on the O'Reilly web site. "If you need fast, accurate SQL information, with examples for multiple database engines, be sure to check out this book."--Chris Kempster, Senior DBA and author of SQL Server 2000 for the Oracle DBA, www.chriskempster.com