Expert PL/SQL Practices is a book of collected wisdom on PL/SQL programming from some of the best and the brightest in the field. Each chapter is a deep-dive into a specific problem, technology, or feature set that you'll face as a PL/SQL programmer. Each author has chosen their topic out of the strong belief that what they share can make a positive difference in the quality and scalability of code that you write. The path to mastery begins with syntax and the mechanics of writing statements to make things happen. If you've reached that point with PL/SQL, then let the authors of Expert PL/SQL Practices show you how to combine syntax and mechanics with features and techniques to really make the language sing. You'll learn to do more with less effort, to write code that scales and performs well, and to eliminate and avoid defects. These authors are passionate about PL/SQL and the power it places at your disposal. They want you to succeed, to know all that PL/SQL can offer. Let Expert PL/SQL Practices open your eyes to the full power of Oracle's world-class language for the database engine. Goes beyond the manual to cover good techniques and best practices Delivers knowledge usually gained only by hard experience Covers the functionality that distinguishes PL/SQLas apowerful andscalable programming language for deploying logic inside the database engine What you'll learn Learn when PL/SQL is best used, and when to avoid it Move data efficiently using bulk SQL operations Write code that scalesthrough pipelining, parallelism, and profiling Choose the right PL/SQL cursor type for any given application Reduce coding errors through sound development practices such as unit-testing Create and execute SQL and PL/SQL dynamically at runtime Who this book is for

Expert PL/SQL Practices is for PL/SQL developers who want to develop deep expertise in key aspects of the language and its use in database programming. Any developer writing code against Oracle's class-leading database engine will find value from the collected wisdom in this book. Some knowledge of PL/SQL is assumed. Readers should at least be past the beginning stage with the language. Table of Contents Do Not Use Dynamic SQL: Handling the Unknown PL/SQL and Parallel Processing Warnings and Conditional Compilation PL/SQL Unit Testing Bulk SQL Operations Know Your Code Contract-Oriented Programming PL/SQL from SQL Choosing the Right Cursor PL/SQL Programming in the Large Evolutionary Data Modeling Profiling for Performance Coding Conventions and Error Handling Dependencies and Invalidations

* Encapsulates the knowledge and experience of some of the foremost experts in Oracle development, the vast majority of whom are also established and successful authors. * Covers landmark software and techniques (invented by the authors) that have changed the face of Oracle development. * A broad ranging, anecdotal and humorous title that will appeal to anyone (developers, DBAs, manager, architects etc) involved with and Oracle-based project. * Simplified code snippets, the book provides real solutions that people can then build upon themselves.

PL/SQL is the procedural programming language of choice in the Oracle database. It is completely integrated with SQL and is the most fully optimized, highest performance language for database transaction processing. This book is about effective techniques to solve problems using PL/SQL.

The days of Flash as a creative luxury are long gone. After months of downsizing, Flash creativity has been on a huge rationalization program. It is no longer enough to present animation in millions of colors and a hundred transparencies. It is no longer sufficient to provide interactivity and dynamism for their own sake. The purpose of this collection is to show how designers have taken Flash and made it work for its supper. What we discover is a series of creations that place Flash at the hub of cutting edge web content. The end result is a snapshot of Flash as the ideal medium. In these amazing examples, we see the software pushed to its limits to create unbeatable applications-a collapsible family tree, an interactive video learning system, and a drawing tool, capable of running online! Beyond this, we dip into the back-end capabilities to look at how to improve Flash still further. Some staple XML and PHP routines are brought in to add a bit of spice, while Flash's mysterious sharedObject command is hunted down and tamed to create a hybrid Tamagotchi houseplant-perfectly suited to lure surfers back to your website!

How does your work stand up in the freshly competitive environment of the Flash MX marketplace? How can you streamline your ideas to give them greater usability? Where can you take your ideas next? Macromedia Flash MX Studio takes your raw Flash talent and multiplies its potency by focusing it on real-world web design situations. In the heady days of the late 1990s, designers were trying their hand at anything and everything they could lay their hands on. Now the marketplace is seriously focused, and serious Flash designers have to know exactly what theyire doing and why. These days itis all about functionality over experimentation, justification over style. Itis all about Maturity. The design must fit the job spec, and this book shows the reader how to fulfil these requirements and more. This book examines all the avenues open to professional or aspiring professional Flash MX designers. It takes a look at advanced uses of the new MX features, such as components and the Drawing API, and gives guidance on building whole new structures for animation, Dynamic Content, PHP, ColdFusion MX, XML, video, audio and audiovisual formats. book is designed to put that power in your hands. Book Info Based around a single hands-on project for readers to build-constructing an effective Flash web site from scratch for a major commercial client. Softcover. CD-ROM included. From the Publisher Macromedia Flash MX Studio has been broken into four sections to address the most common needs for the Flash designer. First off, Jamie McDonald provides five chapters on site presentation and the principles of web design. These opening chapters take a look at how to create slick, professional-level sites, involving Flash MXis new drawing and motion capabilities and interactive techniques. The second section concentrates on ActionScript. Flashis resident coding environment is crucial to master, and taps into Flashis great strength n intuitive and interactive applications. Keith Peters and Todd Yard have buddied up on this section, and examine some of the most advanced ActionScript techniques around. Be warned n this section is not for the faint-hearted Section three takes a look at Flash MXis greatly improved visual, audio and audiovisual capabilities. building a single site aimed at displaying rich media content. The final section is devoted to expounding a few myths about dynamic content using Flash. Its four chapters talk about general practice, before focusing in on specific areas, including introductions to PHP and XML, together with a look at Macromediais brand new ColdFusion MX.