Transact-SQL Cookbook

Ales Spetic, an independent consultant specializing in the design and implementation of financial applications, has been programming in SQL for the past six years. He has a MBA in Business Administration from California State University, Hayward. Jonathan Gennick is an independent consultant and computer book author specializing in Oracle technologies. He has 15 years of software development and database management experience. Jonathan got his start with relational database systems in 1990, first working with Ingres, and later with Digital's Rdb software. In 1994 he made the leap to Oracle, and hasn't looked back yet. Much of his time is spent providing database administration services, as well as server-side PL/SQL support, to clients and internal project teams. When he is not working with Oracle, Jonathan can often be found writing about it. Recent projects include Oracle SQL*Plus Pocket Reference (O'Reilly & Associates, 2000); Oracle SQL*Plus: The Definitive Guide (O'Reilly & Associates, 1999); Oracle8i DBA's Bible (IDG Books, 2000); and Teach Yourself PL/SQL in 21 Days, Second Edition (SAMS Publishing, 1999). Writing has given Jonathan the opportunity to pursue several interests outside of his normal day-to-day work. He is a member of the technology committee for the Greater Lansing Adventist School, and he manages the web site for his local church. This satisfies his gnawing need to learn, and also his desire to help others. Jonathan is certified as an Oracle DBA and is a member of MENSA and the Oracle Technology Network. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Information and Computer Science, with a Business Administration minor, from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Jonathan currently resides in Lansing, Michigan with his wife Donna and their two children: Jenny and Jeff. Jonathan may be contacted by email at jonathan@gennick.com.

• Preface 1. Pivot Tables Using a Pivot Table 2. Sets Introduction The Students Example Implementing Set Difference Comparing Two Sets for Equality Implementing Partial Intersection Implementing Full Intersection Classifying Subsets Summarizing Classes of Sets Aggregating Aggregates Summarizing Aggregated Classes Including Nonaggregated Columns Finding the Top N Values in a Set Reporting the Size of a Set's Complement Finding the Complement of a Set Finding the Complement of a Missing Set Finding Complements of Sets with Different niverses Comparing a Set with Its Universe Dynamic Classification System 3. Data Structures Types of Data Structures Working Example Finding Regions Reporting Region Boundaries Limiting Region Size Ranking Regions by Size Working with Sequences Working with Runs Cumulative Aggregates in Lists Implementing a Stack Implementing Queues Implementing Priority Queues Comparing Two Rows in an Array Printing Matrices and Arrays Transposing a Matrix Calculating a Matrix Trace Comparing Two Matrices for Size Adding and Subtracting Matrices Multiplying Matrices 4. Hierarchies in SQL Types of Hierachies Creating a Permission Hierarchy Changing Individual Permissions Adding New Individual Permissions Centralizing Authorization Logic Implementing General Hierarchies Traversing Hierarchies Recursively Manipulating Hierarchies Recursively Aggregating Hierarchies Preparing Multilevel Operations Aggregating Hierarchies Revised 5. Temporal Data Introduction The Schedules Example Enforcing Granularity Rules Storing Out-of-Range Temporal Values Deriving the First and Last Dates of the Month Printing Calendars Calculating Durations Reporting Durations Querying Periods Querying Periods and Respecting Granularity Finding Available Periods Finding Common Available Periods Excluding Recurrent Events Excluding Nonrecurring Events Finding Continuous Periods Using Calendar Information with Periods Using Calendar Information with Durations 6. Audit Logging Audit Logs The Warehouse Example Row-Level Logging Reporting Log Events Generating Current Snapshots Generating Time-Restricted Snapshots Undoing Table Changes Minimizing Audit-Log Space Consumption Online Account Balancing Activity-Level Logging Partitioning Large Log Tables Server Push 7. Importing and Transforming Data Considerations When Importing Data Working Examples Importing External Data Importing Data into a Live System Importing with a Single Procedure Hiding the Import Procedure Folding Tables Pivoting Tables Joining Arrays with Tables Joining Arrays with Master Tables Joining Arrays with Multiple Master Records Extracting Master Records from Tables Generating Master Records Online Working with Duplicates 8. Statistics in SQL Statistical Concepts The Light-Bulb Factory Example Calculating a Mean Calculating a Mode Calculating a Median Calculating Standard Deviation, Variance, and Standard Error Building Confidence Intervals Calculating Correlation Exploring Patterns with Autocorrelation Using a Simple Moving Average Extending Moving Averages Appendix: The T-Distribution Table Index