Release 8.0
A54642_01
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Server Application Developer's Guide Release 8.0 A54642_01 |
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This Guide describes features of application development for the Oracle Server, Release 8.0. Information in this Guide applies to versions of the Oracle Server that run on all platforms, and does not include system-specific information.
The Preface includes the following sections:
As an application developer, you should learn about the many Oracle Server features that can ease application development and improve performance. This Guide describes Oracle Server features that relate to application development. It does not cover the PL/SQL language, nor does it directly discuss application development on the client side. See the table of contents and Chapter 1 in this Guide for more information about the material covered. Chapter 1 also points you to other Oracle documentation that contains related information.
The Oracle8 Server Application Developer's Guide is intended for programmers developing new applications or converting existing applications to run in the Oracle environment. This Guide will also be valuable to systems analysts, project managers, and others interested in the development of database applications.
This guide assumes that you have a working knowledge of application programming, and that you are familiar with the use of Structured Query Language (SQL) to access information in relational database systems.
Certain sections of this Guide also assume a knowledge of the basic concepts of object oriented programming.
Use the PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference to learn PL/SQL and to get a complete description of this high-level programming language, which is Oracle Corporation's procedural extension to SQL.
The Oracle Call Interface (OCI) is described in two volumes:
You can use the OCI to build third-generation language (3GL) applications that access the Oracle Server.
Oracle Corporation also provides the Pro* series of precompilers, which allow you to embed SQL and PL/SQL in your application programs. If you write 3GL application programs in Ada, C, C++, COBOL, or FORTRAN that incorporate embedded SQL, refer to the corresponding precompiler manual. For example, if you program in C or C++, refer to the Programmer's Guide to the Oracle Pro*C/C++ Precompiler Release 3.0.
Oracle Developer/2000 is a cooperative development environment that provides several tools including a form builder, reporting tools, and a debugging environment for PL/SQL. If you use Developer/2000, refer to the appropriate Oracle Tools documentation.
For SQL information, see the Oracle8 Server SQL Reference and Oracle8 Server Administrator's Guide. For basic Oracle concepts, see Oracle8 Server Concepts.
The Oracle8 Server Application Developer's Guide contains twenty chapters. A brief summary of what you will find in each chapter follows:
Chapter 1: Information Sources for Application Developers
This chapter provides a road map that enables you to determine where to find information about specific application development topics, both in this Guide and in other Oracle technical publications.
Chapter 2: The Application Developer
This chapter provides an overview of the Oracle Server application development process.
Chapter 3: Processing SQL Statements
This chapter explains the steps that the Oracle Server performs to process the various types of SQL commands and PL/SQL statements.
Chapter 4: Managing Schema Objects
This chapter describes how to manage the objects that can be created in the database domain of a specific user (schema), including tables, views, numeric sequences, and synonyms. It also discusses performance enhancements to data retrieval through the use of indexes and clusters.
Chapter 5: Selecting a Datatype
This chapter describes how to choose the correct Oracle datatype. The datatypes described include fixed- and variable-length character strings, numeric data, dates, raw binary data, and row identifiers (ROWIDs).
Chapter 6: Large Objects (LOBs)
This chapter describes the extended SQL commands and PL/SQL interface for the LOB datatypes, which include BLOBs for unstructured binary data, CLOBs and NCLOBs for character data, and BFILEs for data stored in an external file.
Chapter 7: User-Defined Datatypes -An Extended Example
This chapter explains how to define and use the composite datatypes and collection datatypes (varying-length arrays and nested tables) that can be created for particular application requirements.
Chapter 8: Object Views-An Extended Example
This chapter explains how to define and use object views.
Chapter 9: Maintaining Data Integrity
This chapter describes how to use declarative integrity constraints to provide data integrity within an Oracle database.
Chapter 10: Using Procedures and Packages
This chapter describes how to create procedures that can be stored in the database for continued use. Grouping these procedures into packages is also described in this chapter.
This chapter describes how to use advanced queuing to defer or regulate the execution of work in a client/server environment.
Chapter 12: PL/SQL Input/Output
This chapter describes how to use public and private pipes to allow sessions in the same Oracle Server instance to communicate with one another or with a disk file.
Chapter 13: Using Database Triggers
This chapter describes how to create and debug database triggers. Numerous examples are included.
This chapter describes how you can write stored procedures and anonymous PL/SQL blocks using dynamic SQL.
Chapter 15: Dependencies Among Schema Objects
This chapter describes how to manage the dependencies among related views, procedures, packages, and triggers.
Chapter 16: Signalling Database Events with Alerters
This chapter describes how you can design your application to be notified whenever values that are of interest to the application change in the database.
Chapter 17: Establishing a Security Policy
This chapter describes how to design a security policy using the Oracle security features.
This chapter describes how to use the Oracle XA library.
The following notational and text formatting conventions are used in this Guide:
Square brackets indicate that the enclosed item is optional. Do not type the brackets.
A vertical bar separates items within braces, and may also be used to indicate that multiple values are passed to a function parameter.
In code fragments, an ellipsis means that code not relevant to the discussion has been omitted.
SQL or PL/SQL code examples, and Server Manager commands, are shown in monospaced font.
Uppercase text is used to call attention to SQL keywords, like SELECT or UPDATE, as well as database objects such as tables and stored procedures, procedure parameters initialization parameters, and so on. UPPERCASE words in example SQL statements can be written in upper or lower case when you issue the statements.
In example SQL statements, lowercase words indicate words supplied only for the context of the example. Lowercase words may indicate the name of a table, column, or file, or any object for which you might supply a different name.
Unless enclosed in double quotes ("), Oracle converts names of objects such as tables and column names to uppercase. Some operating systems are case sensitive, so refer to your operating-system-specific documentation to determine whether you must pay attention to case for filenames and other operating-system- or language-specific objects.
Italicized words within text indicate the first occurrence and definition of a term, as in the following example:
A database is a collection of data to be treated as one unit.
Bold text is used to call special attention to important information. For example:
This procedure only provides a reasonable estimate of a table's size, not an exact number of blocks or bytes.
This Guide also uses special text formatting to draw the reader's attention to some information. A paragraph which begins with a bold text label may have special meaning. The following paragraphs describe the different types of information that are flagged this way.
Note: The "Note" flag indicates that the reader should pay particular attention to the information to avoid a common problem or increase understanding of a concept.
Suggestion: The "Suggestion" flag provides the reader with advice about how to use features of the Oracle Server.
Attention: The "Attention" flag alerts the reader to information that must be considered to avoid adverse consequences.
Warning: The "Warning" flag warns the reader about information that must be considered to avoid serious adverse consequences.
See Also: The "See Also" flag shows the reader where to look for additional information in the Oracle documentation set.
We value and appreciate your comment as an Oracle user and reader of our manuals. As we write, revise, and evaluate our documentation, your opinions are the most important feedback we receive.
You can send comments and suggestions about this manual to the following e-mail address:
If you prefer, you can send letters or faxes containing your comments to the following address:
Server Technologies Documentation Manager
Oracle Corporation
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Redwood Shores, CA 94065
Fax: (415) 506-7200 before August 2, 1997, then (650) 506-7200
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