本书自1994年初版以来,已成为学习、设计及使用关系数据库人员的一本经典教材。它从理论和实践两方面对数据库设计和编程均做了严谨的表述。其内容包括关系理论、数据库设计、数据库编程及运行-转储结果。每一部分均从基本原理出发,再用实际系统中的实例来说明。
本次修订版反映了6年来数据库领域总体的进步和发展动态,书中**讲述了对象关系模型;介绍了一些系统(如Oracle、DB2和Informix等)中通用的新概念;对隔离技术作了更新介绍;对运行结果的表述更现代。相对于初始标准来说,SQL数据库语言有了非常重要的变化,所以对对象关系给予特别讲述。本书还介绍了SQL-99设计方法及与之相关的原理方法及主要产品。本书的作者是在数据库界工作30多年的**专家,富于教学和实践经验。本书力图在数据库领域各不相同的思想和趋势中找到一个统一的观点提供给读者。
本书对于初接触数据库系统的读者不啻为一本极好的教材;对于那些对数据库领域的发展还未给予足够关注的人是一本易于接受的参考书;同时也是设计人员和编程人员及时更新知识的有用的参考书。

Foreword
Preface
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Fundamental Database Concepts
History of Database Systems
The Relational and Object-Relational Models
The Database Systems Covered
A Relational Database Example
An Object-Relational Database Example
1.2 Database Users
1.3 Overview of Relational and Object-Relational DBMS
Chapter 2: The Relational Model
Chapter 3: Basic SQL Query Language
Chapter 4: The Object-Relational Model
Chapter 5: Programs to Access a Database
Chapter 6: Database Design
Chapter 7: Integrity, Views, Security, and Catalogs
Chapter 8: Indexing
Chapter 9: Query Processing
Chapter 10: Update Transactions
Chapter 11: Parallel and Distributed Databases
1.4 Putting It All Together
Chapter 2 The Relational Model
2.1 The CAP Database
2.2 Naming the Parts of a Database
Domains and Datatypes
Tables and Relations
2.3 Relational Rules
2.4 Keys, Superkeys, and Null Values
Null Values
2.5 Relational algebra
Fundamental Operations of Relational Algebra
2.6 Set-Theoretic Operations
The Union, Intersection, and Difference Operations
Assignment and Alias
The Product Operation
2.7 Native Relational Operations
The Projection Operation
The Selection Operation
Precedence of Relational Operations
The Join Operation
The Division Operation
2.8 The Interdependence of Operations
2.9 Illustrative Examples
2.10 Other Relational Operations
Outer Join
Theta Join
Chapter 3 Basic SQL Query Language
3.1 Introduction
SQL Capabilities
SQL History-Standards and Dialects
3.2 Setting Up the Database
Standard Typographical Conventions
A Practical Exercise
3.3 Simple Select Statements
3.4 Subqueries
The IN Predicate
The Quantified Comparison Predicate
The EXISTS Predicate
A Weakness of SQL: Too Many Equivalent Forms
3.5 UNION Operators and FOR ALL Conditions
The UNION Operator
Division: SQL "FOR ALL..." Conditions
3.6 Some Advanced SQL Syntax
The INTERSECT and EXCEPT Operators in Advanced SQL
Join Forms in Advanced SQL
OUTER JOIN
Join Forms Implemented in Database Systems
3.7 Set Functions in SQL Handling Null Values
3.8 Groups of Rows in SQL
3.9 A Complete Dexcription of SQL Select
Identifiers
Expressions, Predicates, and the search_condition
Scalar Subqueries as Expressions:Advanced SQL
Basic SQL versus Advanced SQL: Summary
A Discussion of the Predicates
3.10 Insert, Update, and Delete Statements
The Insert Statement
The Update Statement
The Delete Statement
3.11 The Power of the Select Statement
The Non-Procedural Select Statement
Turing Power
Limited Power of the Basic SQL Select Statement
Chapter 4 Object-Relational SQL
4.1 Introduction
ORSQL Capabilities
Form of Presentation for This Chapter
Object-Relational History
4.2 Objects and Tables
4.2.1 Object Types in ORACLE
Definition of the REF Object Reference
4.2.2 INFORMIX Row Types for Objects
Absence of Refs in INFORMIX
Type Inheritance in INFORMIX
4.2.3 Objects and Tables: Summary
Object Orientation
4.3 Collection Types
4.3.1 Collection Types in ORACLE
Table Types and Nested Tables
Two Techniques for Retrieving from a Table of Tables
Unnesting via Table Products
Nested Cursors
Array Types for VARRAYs
SQL SYntax for Collections in ORACLE
Inserts and Updates in ORACLE
4.3.2 Collection Types in INFORMIX
Sets in INFORMIX
Lists in INFORMIX
SQL Syntax for Collections in INFORMIX
inserts and Updates in INFORMIX
4.3.3 Collection Types:Summary
4.4 Procedural SQL, User-Defined Functions (UDFs), and Methods
4.4.1 ORACLE PL/SQL Procedures, UDFs, and Methods
PL/SQL: ORACLE's Procedural SQL Language
Using PL/LQL to Implement Methods in ORACLE
Update Methods
4.4.2 INFORMIX User-Defined Functions
SPL:INFORMIX's Procedural SQL Language
Using SPL to Implement UDFs in INFORMIX
Update Functions
4.4.3 User-Defined Functions:Summary
4.5 External Functions and Packaged User-Defined Types(UDTs)
Binary Data and BLOBs
External Functions
Encapsulation
Distinct Types
BLOB Objects
Packaged UDTs and Other Encapsulated UDTs
Summary
Chapter 5 Programs to Access a Database
Chapter 6 Database Design
Chapter 7 Integrity, Views, Security, and Catalogs
Chapter 8 Indexing
Chapter 9 Query Processing
Chapter 10 Update Transactions
Chapter 11 Parallel and Distributed Databases
Appendix A Introductory Tutorial
Appendix B Programming Details
Appendix C SQL Statement Syntax
Appendix D Set Query Counts
Solutions to Selected Exercises
Index