Guide to Oracle 10g

Chapter 2:
Creating and Modifying
Database Tables (DDL)

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Database Objects
 An Oracle database consists of multiple
user accounts
 Each user account owns database
objects
 Tables
 Views
 Stored programs
 Etc.

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Database Queries
 Query: command to perform
operation on database object
 Create
 Modify
 View
 Delete
 Structured Query Language (SQL)
 Standard query language for
relational databases
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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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User Accounts
 Each Oracle database user has a user
schema
 Area in the database where the user’s
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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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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Defining Database Tables
 To create a table, you must
specify:
 Table name
 Field names
 Field data types
 Field sizes
 Constraints

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Creating a Database Table
 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));

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 Oracle Character Data Types
 VARCHAR2
 CHAR
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)
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)
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 Number Data Type
 NUMBER
 stores negative, positive, fixed, and floating point
numbers values between 10-130 and 10126
 General declaration format:
variable_name NUMBER(precision, scale)
 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

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 Date Data Type
 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
 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
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 Large Object (LOB) Data Types

;Ex: f_image BLOB

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 Constraint Names
 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
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 Primary Key Constraints
 Table-level
 Defining a primary key:
CONSTRAINT constraint_name PRIMARY KEY

 Example:
s_id NUMBER(6)
CONSTRAINT student_s_id_pk PRIMARY KEY

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 Primary Key Constraints
 Can be defined when field is declared

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 Composite Primary Keys
 Syntax:
CONSTRAINT constraint_name
PRIMARY KEY (field1, field2)
 Must be defined after fields that compose
key are defined

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 Foreign Key Constraints
 Can be defined when field is declared

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 Types of Value Constraints
 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
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 Types of Value Constraints
 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)

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Viewing Table Information
 Viewing a table’s structure
DESCRIBE table_name;

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Modifying Tables
 Unrestricted actions
1. Renaming tables
 GF: Rename Old_tableName To
new_tableName;
 Ex
 Rename Faculty To New_Faculty

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 Modifying Tables
ALTER TABLE T_name Action

Rename Add Modify Drop E/D

F_old_name (Field_name Column Enable

(Field_name Field_name Const_name
To DataType
F_new_name TYPE )
[Constraint])
Constraint Disable
Const_name Const_name
Constraint
Cons_specif

New_one Increase_size Decrease_size

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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;

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