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Guide to Oracle 10g

Chapter 2:
Creating and Modifying
Database Tables
Guide to Oracle 10g 2
The Oracle 10g Client/Server
Database
Oracle 10g
Latest release of Oracle Corporations
relational database
Client/server database
Server side
DBMS server process
Oracle Net
Utility that enables network communication
between client and server
Guide to Oracle 10g 3
Client/Server Architecture for
Oracle 10g DBMS
Guide to Oracle 10g 4
The Oracle 10g Client/Server
Database (continued)
Oracle Application Server
Used to create World Wide Web pages that
allow users to access Oracle databases
Oracle client products:
SQL*Plus
Oracle 10g Developer Suite
Enterprise Manager
5
Database Objects
An Oracle database consists of multiple
user accounts
Each user account owns database
objects
Tables
Views
Stored programs
Etc.
6
Query: command to perform
operation on database object
Create
Modify
View
Delete
Structured Query Language (SQL)
Standard query language for
relational databases

Database Queries
7
SQL Command Types
Data Definition Language (DDL)
Used to create and modify the structure of
database objects
Data Manipulation Language (DML)
Used to insert, update, delete, and view
database data
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DDL Commands
Used to create and modify the structure
of database objects
CREATE
ALTER
DROP
DDL commands execute as soon as
they are issued, and do not need to be
explicitly saved
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DML Commands
Used to insert, view, and modify database
data
INSERT
UPDATE
DELETE
SELECT
DML commands need to be explicitly saved or
rolled back
COMMIT
ROLLBACK
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User Accounts
Each Oracle database user has a user
schema
Area in the database where the users
database objects are stored
Identified by a unique username and
protected by a password
Each user schema is granted specific
privileges
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Types of Database Privileges
System Privileges
Control the operations that the user can perform
within the database
Connecting to the database (Create Session), creating
new tables, shutting down the database, etc.
Object Privileges
Granted on individual database objects
Controls operations that a user can perform on a
specific object (insert data, delete data, etc.)
When you create an object in your user schema,
you can then grant object privileges on that object
to other database users
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Oracle SQL command line utility
for issuing SQL commands
Starting SQL Plus



Break Time: SQL Plus
LOGON to
YOUR
Oracle
Account
13
How to Access Your Oracle
Account
User Name:
Password:
Host string:
1. Click the START button, point to Programs
2. Select Oracle Oracle10g, then
3. Click Application Development, then
4. Select SQL PLUS
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Creating New User Accounts
Done by DBA
Syntax:
CREATE USER username IDENTIFIED BY
password;




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Oracle Naming Standard
Oracle database objects must adhere to
the Oracle Naming Standard
1 to 30 characters long
Must begin with a character
Can contain characters, numbers, and the
symbols $, _, and #
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To create a table, you must
specify:
Table name
Field names
Field data types
Field sizes
Constraints

Defining Database Tables
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Must follow the Oracle Naming
Standard
Each table in a user schema must
have a unique name within that
user schema
Each field in a table must have a
unique name within that table

Table and Field Names
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Creating a Table
CREATE TABLE tablename
(fieldname1 data_type,
(fieldname2 data_type,
)
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Data type: specifies type of data
stored in a field
Date, character, number.
LONG, RAW, LONG RAW, BLOB
Uses
Error checking
Efficient use of storage space
Oracle Data Types
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VARCHAR2
columnname VARCHAR2(max_size)
Variable-length character strings
Max_size can be between 1 and 4,000 characters
Must specify the size
No trailing blank spaces are added
If more than max_size data is inserted, an error
occurs.
Example declaration:
student_name VARCHAR2(30)
Oracle Character Data Types
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CHAR
columnname CHAR(max_size)
Fixed-length character data
Max_size can be between 1 and 2000 characters
Max_size is optional. Default is 1.
Adds trailing blank spaces to pad width
If more than max_size data is inserted, an error
occurs.
Example declaration:
student_gender CHAR(2)
Character Data Types
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Character Subtypes
Examples:
VARCHAR2(5) Smith or Smi
CHAR(5) Smith or Smi
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Question: Which query will possibly
generate student information?
What data type should be used if there is any
chance that all column spaces will NOT be
filled?
Answer: VARCHAR2
s_last VARCHAR2(15);

SELECT s_last, s_first,
s_address
FROM student
WHERE s_last = Smith;

s_last CHAR(15);

SELECT s_last, s_first,
s_address
FROM student
WHERE s_last = Smith;

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3. NVARCHAR2 and NCHAR
Analogous to VARCHAR2 and CHAR but
use Unicode rather than ASCII
Used to hold character data in
languages other than English
(Japanese).
Character Data Types
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NUMBER
stores negative, positive, fixed, and floating point
numbers values between 10
-130
and 10
126

General declaration format:
variable_name NUMBER(precision, scale)
Number Data Type
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Number type (integer, fixed point, floating point)
specified by precision and scale
Precision: total number of digits on either side
of the decimal point. It does not include the
decimal point itself or any commas or any
formatting symbols.
Scale: number of digits to right of decimal point
NUMBER Data Types
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Whole number with no digits to
right of decimal point
Precision is maximum width
Scale is omitted

Sample declaration:
s_age NUMBER (2)
Integer Numbers
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Contain a specific number of decimal places
Precision is maximum width
Scale is number of decimal places

Sample declaration:
item_price NUMBER(5, 2)
259.99 33.89 (decimal point is not included)
Fixed Point Numbers
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Contain a variable number of
decimal places
Precision and scale are omitted

Sample declaration:
s_GPA NUMBER
Floating Point Numbers
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DATE
Stores dates from 1/1/4712 BC to
12/31/4712 AD
Stores both a date and time component
Default date format:
DD-MON-YY HH:MI:SS AM
example: 05-JUN-03 12:00:00 AM

Sample declaration:
s_dob DATE


Date Data Type
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If no time value is given when a
new date is inserted, default value
is 12:00:00 AM
If no date value is given when a
new time is inserted, default date
is first day of current month

Specifying Date and Time
Values
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The same as Date DT, but it
stores also fractional seconds.
Field Timestamp(Fr_Se_Precision)
E.g: ship_dt Timestamp(2)
Fractional Seconds Precision
default value is 6 (If omitted).

TIMESTAMP Data Type
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Field Interval Year(Y_Pr) To Month.
Y_Pr: Year Precision(Default: 6).
E.g: elapsed Interval Year(2) To
Month.
Possible Values:
+02-11 :add 2 years and 11 months
to a known date.
-11-4:subtract 11 years and 4 months.
Interval Year to Month Data
Type
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Field Interval Day(D_Pr) To
Second(Fr_Se_pr).
D_Pr: Day Precision(Default : 2).
Fr_Se_Pr: Fractional Seconds Precision
(Default : 6).
Possible value:
-04 03:20:32.00
(Days Hours:Minutes:Seconds.Fractions)
Interval Day to Second Data
Type
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Large Object (LOB) Data
Types
Binary Large Object (BLOB)
Stores up to 4 GB of binary data
Character Large Object (CLOB)
Stores up to 4 GB of character data
BFILE
Stores a reference to a binary file maintained in
the operating system
NCLOB
Character LOB that supports 16-bit character code
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6. Large Object (LOB) Data Types
Ex: f_image BLOB;
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Declaring LOB Data Fields
Item size is not specified

Examples:
item_image BLOB
item_image BFILE
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Syntax:
CREATE TABLE table_name
( fieldname1 datatype,
fieldname2 datatype, );
Example:
CREATE TABLE my_students
( s_id NUMBER(6),
s_name VARCHAR2(30),
s_dob DATE,
s_class CHAR(2));






Creating a Database Table
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Constraints
Rules that restrict the values that can
be inserted into a field
Types of constraints
Integrity: define primary and foreign keys
Value: specify values or ranges of values
that can be inserted
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Constraint Levels
Table constraint
Restricts the value of a field with respect to
all other table records
Example: primary key value must be
unique for each record
Column constraint
Restricts values in a specific column
Example: values in an S_GENDER field
must be M or F
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Internal name used by DBMS to identify the
constraint
Each constraint name in a user schema
must be unique
If you do not name a constraint, the system
will automatically generate an unintuitive
name
Constraint Names
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Constraint naming convention:
tablename_fieldname_constraintID
Constraint ID values:
Primary key: pk
Foreign key: fk
Check condition: cc
Not NULL: nn
Unique: uk
Example constraint name:
my_students_s_id_pk

Constraint Names
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Table-level
Defining a primary key:
CONSTRAINT constraint_name PRIMARY KEY

Example:
s_id NUMBER(6)
CONSTRAINT student_s_id_pk PRIMARY KEY

Primary Key Constraints
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Can be defined when field is declared

Primary Key Constraints
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Can also be defined after all table field
definitions are completed


Primary Key Constraints
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Syntax:
CONSTRAINT constraint_name
PRIMARY KEY (field1, field2)
Must be defined after fields that compose
key are defined
Composite Primary Keys
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Table-level
Can only be defined after field is defined as a
primary key in another table
Syntax:
CONSTRAINT constraint_name
REFERENCES primary_key_table_name
(field_name)
Foreign Key Constraints
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Can be defined when field is declared

Foreign Key Constraints
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Can also be defined after all table field
definitions are completed


Foreign Key Constraints
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Column-level
Restricts data values that can be inserted
in a field
In general, avoid value constraints
because they make the database very
inflexible
Value Constraints
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Check condition: restricts to specific values
Example: s_gender (M or F)
CONSTRAINT my_students_s_gender_cc
CHECK (s_gender = M) OR (s_gender = F)
Not NULL: specifies that a field cannot be
NULL
Example:
CONSTRAINT my_students_s_dob_nn
NOT NULL
Types of Value Constraints
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Default: specifies a default value that is inserted
automatically
Example:
s_state CHAR(2) DEFAULT WI
Unique
Table constraint
Specifies that a non-primary key field must have a
unique value
CONSTRAINT consultant_c_email_uk UNIQUE (c_email)
Types of Value Constraints
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Oracle SQL command line utility for
issuing SQL commands
Starting SQL*Plus



SQL*Plus
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All commands must be terminated
with a semicolon
Use a text editor and copy and
paste commands
Character data is case sensitive
and must be in single quotes
M
Sarah


Using SQL*Plus
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Type exit at SQL> prompt
or
Click Close button on SQL*Plus
window





Exiting SQL*Plus
56
Ora.hlp file
Oracle Technology Network (OTN)
http://otn.oracle.com

Oracle Help Resources
57
Viewing a tables structure
DESCRIBE table_name;

Viewing Table Information
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Oracle Data Dictionary
Contains tables that describe the database
structure
Is in the SYSTEM user schema
Is automatically updated as users create and
modify tables
Cannot be updated directly
Contains views that allow users to retrieve
information about the database structure

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Data Dictionary Views
Views present data in different formats
depending on the privileges of the user
USER: shows all objects belonging to the
current user
ALL: shows all objects belonging to the
current user, as well as objects current
user has privileges to manipulate
DBA: allows users with DBA privileges to
view objects of all database users
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Querying the Data Dictionary
Views
Syntax:
SELECT field1, field2,
FROM privilege_viewname;
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Summary of Oracle
Data Dictionary Views
OBJECTS All database objects
TABLES Database tables
INDEXES Table indexes created to improve query
performance
VIEWS Database views
SEQUENCES Sequences created to automatically
generate surrogate key values
USERS Database users
CONSTRAINTS Table constraints
CONS_CONSTRAINTS Table columns that have constraints
IND_COLUMNS Indexed columns
TAB_COLUMNS All table columns
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Unrestricted actions
1. Renaming tables
GF: Rename Old_tableName To
new_tableName;
Ex
Rename Faculty To New_Faculty
Modifying Tables
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ALTER TABLE T_name
Modifying Tables
Action
Rename Add Modify Drop E / D
F_old_name
To
F_new_name
(Field_name
DataType
[Constraint])
(Field_name
TYPE )
New_one
Decrease_size Increase_size
Column
Field_name
Constraint
Const_name
Enable
Const_name
Disable
Const_name
Constraint
Cons_specif
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Unrestricted actions
2. Adding new columns
GF: ALTER TABLE table_name ADD (Field
Data type Constraint);
Ex: ALTER Table Faculty Add (Start_date
date);


Modifying Tables
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Unrestricted actions
3. Increasing column sizes
ALTER TABLE table_name MODIFY (column
new_datType);
4. Dropping columns
ALTER TABLE table_name DROP COLUMN
column_name;
5. Dropping constraints
ALTER TABLE table_name DROP COSRAINT
constraint_name;

Modifying Tables
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Restricted actions
Dropping tables
Only allowed if table does not contain any fields that
are referenced as foreign keys, or if foreign key
constraints are dropped
Changing a columns data specification
Only allowed if existing data is compatible with new
data specification
Decreasing column sizes
Only allowed if column does not contain any data
Adding constraints
Only allowed if existing data meets requirements of
new constraint
Modifying Tables
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Altering Tables
Adding a new field:
ALTER TABLE tablename
ADD (fieldname field_specification);
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Altering Tables
Modifying an existing field:
ALTER TABLE tablename
MODIFY (fieldname new_field_specification);
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Altering Tables
Deleting an existing field:
ALTER TABLE tablename
DROP COLUMN fieldname;
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Altering Tables
Enabling and Disabling Constraints:
ALTER TABLE tablename
Enable|Disable CONSTRAINT constraint_name;

E.g: Alter Table faculty
Disable Constraint faculty_f_id_fk;
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Deleting Tables
Syntax to delete table if no table fields
are referenced as foreign keys:
DROP TABLE tablename;

Syntax to delete table and constraints if
table contains fields that are referenced
as foreign keys:
DROP TABLE tablename CASCADE CONSTRAINTS;