A

Aggregate function

– See group function

ANSI

American National Standards Institute. One of two industry-accepted committees that sets standards for SQL

Anonymous block

AN unnamed PL/SQL block that is embedded inn an application program, stored in a script file, or manually entered by the user when it needs to be executed.

Application cluster environment

A high-volume work environment in which multiple users simultaneously request data from a database.

Argument

Values listed within parentheses in a function

Assignment operator

The symbol (:=) in PL/SQL. Variables can be assigned an initial value, using either the DEFAULT keyword or PL/SQL assignment operator (:=).

Authentication

The process of validating the identity of computer users.

B

Basic loop

Used in PL/SQL to execute statements until the condition(s) stated in the EXIT clause is met

Block

A unit of PL/SQL code that is divided into three sections; declarative, executable, and exception handling.

Bridging table

A table created to eliminate a many-to-many relationship between two tables.

C

Cartesian join

Links table data so each record in the first table is matched with each individual record in the second table. Also called a “Cartesian product” or “Cross join”.

Cartesian product

See Cartesian join.

Case conversion functions

Allow a user to temporarily alter the case of data stored in a column or character string.

Character

The basic unit of data. Can be letter, number, or special symbol.

Character field

A field composed of non-numeric data. This field will not display a heading longer than the width of the data stored in it.

Character function

Used to change the case of characters or manipulate characters.

Child table

A table having data that reference data within a parent table. Considered the “many” side of a one-to-many relationship.

Clause

Each section of a statement that begins with a keyword (e.g. SELECT, FROM, WHERE, …etc.)

Coding scheme

When a DBA creates a user account, user’s identity is set by using a code; the “scheme” of the code often consists of the user’s first initial followed by the last name.

Column

In a relational database, fields are commonly represented as columns abd may be referred to as “columns”.

Column alias

A name substituted for a column name. A column alias is created in a query and in the results.

Column qualifier

Indicates the table containing a referenced column.

Common column

A column that exists in two or more tables and contains equivalent data.

Common field

A column that exists in two tables and is used to “join” two tables.

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T