Written by Oracle insider Scott Urman, this guide will have you expertly programming for Oracle7 with PL/SQL - the language that combines the power of procedural programming with the flexibility of the SQL query language. The book begins with an overview of PL/SQL and the rationale behind its development. It then continues to build your Oracle7 PL/SQL skills with a solid foundation in the basics of PL/SQL, including the syntax and semantics of this unique language, as well as an understanding of SQL; advice on using stored procedures and packages, to help you take advantage of these powerful Oracle features; tips and techniques for testing and debugging your PL/SQL code, using a variety of methods and tools; instructions on using PL/SQL in diverse environments such as SQL Plus, Oracle Developer 2000, the Oracle Precompilers and OCL; information about advanced features, such as dynamic programming, intersession communication, and job scheduling. Also included are the latest enhancements available in version 2.3 such as file input/output and cursor variables, and suggestions for tuning and optimizing your PL/SQL applications to make them run as fast as possible. Everything in this book is presented in clear language, with many helpful illustrations and code samples to get you going immediately with your own full featured PL/SQL applications.