Joe Celko's SQL Programming Style

Introduction

1.1 Purpose of the Book

1.2 Acknowledgments

1.3 Corrections, Comments, and Future Editions

Chapter 1: Names and Data Elements

1.1 Names

1.2 Follow the ISO-11179 Standards Naming Conventions

1.3 Problems in Naming Data Elements

Chapter 2: Fonts, Punctuation, and Spacing

2.1 Typography and Code

2.2 Word Spacing

2.3 Follow Normal Punctuation Rules

2.4 Use Full Reserved Words

2.5 Avoid Proprietary Reserved Words if a Standard Keyword Is Available in Your SQL Product

2.6 Avoid Proprietary Statements if a Standard Statement Is Available

2.7 Rivers and Vertical Spacing

2.8 Indentation

2.9 Use Line Spacing to Group Statements

Chapter 3: Data Declaration Language

3.1 Put the Default in the Right Place

3.2 The Default Value Should Be the Same Data Type as the Column

3.3 Do Not Use Proprietary Data Types

3.4 Place the PRIMARY KEY Declaration at the Start of the CREATE TABLE Statement

3.5 Order the Columns in a Logical Sequence and Cluster Them in Logical Groups

3.6 Indent Referential Constraints and Actions under the Data Type

3.7 Give Constraints Names in the Production Code

3.8 Put CHECK() Constraint Near what they Check

3.9 Put Multiple Column Constraints as Near to Both Columns as Possible

3.10 Put Table-Level CHECK() Constraints at the End of the Table Declaration

3.11 Use CREATE ASSERTION for Multi-table Constraints

3.12 Keep CHECK() Constraints Single Purposed

3.13 Every Table Must Have a Key to Be a Table

3.14 Do Not Split Attributes

3.15 Do Not Use Object-Oriented Design for an RDBMS

Chapter 4: Scales and Measurements

4.1 Measurement Theory

4.2 Types of Scales

4.3 Using Scales

4.4 Scale Conversion

4.5 Derived Units

4.6 Punctuation and Standard Units

4.7 General Guidelines for Using Scales in a Database

Chapter 5: Data Encoding Schemes

5.1 Bad Encoding Schemes

5.2 Encoding Scheme Types

5.3 General Guidelines for Designing Encoding Schemes

5.4 Multiple Character Sets

Chapter 6: Coding Choices

6.1 Pick Standard Constructions over Proprietary Constructions

6.2 Pick Compact Constructions over Longer Equivalents

6.3 Use Comments

6.4 Avoid Optimizer Hints

6.5 Avoid Triggers in Favor of DRI Actions

6.6 Use SQL Stored Procedures

6.7 Avoid User-Defined Functions and Extensions inside the Database

6.8 Avoid Excessive Secondary Indexes

6.9 Avoid Correlated Subqueries

6.10 Avoid UNIONS

6.11 Testing SQL

Chapter 7: How to Use Views

7.1 VIEW Naming Conventions Are the Same as Tables

7.2 VIEWs Provide Row- and Column-Level Security

7.3 VIEWs Ensure Efficient Access Paths

7.4 VIEWs Mask Complexity from the User

7.5 VIEWs Ensure Proper Data Derivation

7.6 VIEWs Rename Tables and/or Columns

7.7 VIEWs Enforce Complicated Integrity Constraints

7.8 Updatable VIEWs

7.9 Have a Reason for Each VIEW

7.10 Avoid VIEW Proliferation

7.11 Synchronize VIΕWs with Base Tables

7.12 Improper Use of VIEWs

7.13 Learn about Materialized VIEWs

Chapter 8: How to Write Stored Procedures

8.1 Most SQL 4GLs Are Not for Applications

8.2 Basic Software Engineering

8.3 Use Classic Structured Programming

8.4 Avoid Portability Problems

8.5 Scalar versus Structured Parameters

8.6 Avoid Dynamic SQL

Chapter 9: Heuristics

9.1 Put the Specification into a Clear Statement

9.2 Add the Words “Set of All . . ./” in Front of the Nouns

9.3 Remove Active Verbs from the Problem Statement

9.4 You Can Still Use Stubs

9.5 Do Not Worry about Displaying the Data

9.6 Your First Attempts Need Special Handling

9.7 Do Not Think with Boxes and Arrows

9.8 Draw Circles and Set Diagrams

9.9 Learn Your Dialect

9.10 Imagine That Your WHERE Clause Is “Super Ameba”

9.11 Use the Newsgroups and Internet

Chapter 10: Thinking in SQL

10.1 Bad Programming in SQL and Procedural Languages

10.2 Thinking of Columns as Fields

10.3 Thinking in Processes, Not Declarations

10.4 Thinking the Schema Should Look Like the Input Forms

Resources

Military Standards

Metadata Standards

ANSI and ISO Standards

U.S. Government Codes

Retail Industry

Code Formatting and Naming Conventions

Bibliography

Reading Psychology

Programming Considerations

Index

About the author