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Introduction to Database
Lecture 03:
Writing Basic SQL Statements
Learning Objectives
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To know about:
The capabilities of SQL SELECT statements
The execution of a basic SELECT statement
The Difference between SQL statements and
SQL*Plus commands
Capabilities of SQL SELECT Statements
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Selection Projection

Table 1 Table 1
Join

Table 1 Table 2
Basic SELECT Statement
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SELECT [DISTINCT] {*, column [alias],...}

FROM table;

• SELECT identifies what columns.

• FROM identifies which table.
Writing SQL Statements
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• SQL statements are not case sensitive.

• SQL statements can be on one or
more lines.
• Keywords cannot be abbreviated or split across
lines.
• Clauses are usually placed on separate lines.
• Tabs and indents are used to enhance
readability.
Selecting All Columns
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SQL> SELECT *
2 FROM dept;

DEPTNO DNAME LOC

--------- -------------- -------------
10 ACCOUNTING NEW YORK
20 RESEARCH DALLAS
30 SALES CHICAGO
40 OPERATIONS BOSTON
Selecting Specific Columns
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SQL> SELECT deptno, loc

2 FROM dept;

DEPTNO LOC
--------- -------------
10 NEW YORK
20 DALLAS
30 CHICAGO
40 BOSTON
Column Heading Defaults
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• Default justification
Left: Date and character data
Right: Numeric data

• Default display
Uppercase
Arithmetic Expressions
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Create expressions on NUMBER and DATE data by

using arithmetic operators.

Operator Description

+ Add

- Subtract

* Multiply

/ Divide
Using Arithmetic Operators
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SQL> SELECT ename, sal, sal+300

2 FROM emp;

ENAME SAL SAL+300

---------- --------- ---------
KING 5000 5300
BLAKE 2850 3150
CLARK 2450 2750
JONES 2975 3275
MARTIN 1250 1550
ALLEN 1600 1900
...
14 rows selected.
Operator Precedence
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_
* / +
• Multiplication and division take priority over
addition and subtraction.
• Operators of the same priority are evaluated
from left to right.
• Parentheses are used to force prioritized
evaluation and to clarify statements.
Operator Precedence
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SQL> SELECT ename, sal, 12*sal+100

2 FROM emp;

ENAME SAL 12*SAL+100

---------- --------- ----------
KING 5000 60100
BLAKE 2850 34300
CLARK 2450 29500
JONES 2975 35800
MARTIN 1250 15100
ALLEN 1600 19300
...
14 rows selected.
Using Parentheses
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SQL> SELECT ename, sal, 12*(sal+100)

2 FROM emp;

ENAME SAL 12*(SAL+100)

---------- --------- -----------
KING 5000 61200
BLAKE 2850 35400
CLARK 2450 30600
JONES 2975 36900
MARTIN 1250 16200
...
14 rows selected.
Defining a Null Value
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• A null is a value that is unavailable, unassigned,

unknown, or inapplicable.
• A null is not the same as zero or a blank space.

SQL> SELECT ename, job, comm

2 FROM emp;

ENAME JOB COMM

---------- --------- ---------
KING PRESIDENT
BLAKE MANAGER
...
TURNER SALESMAN 0
...
14 rows selected.
Null Values in Arithmetic Expressions
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Arithmetic expressions containing a null value

evaluate to null.

SQL> select ename, 12*sal+comm

2 from emp
3 WHERE ename='KING';

ENAME 12*SAL+COMM
---------- -----------
KING
Defining a Column Alias
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• Renames a column heading

• Is useful with calculations
• Immediately follows column name; optional AS
keyword between column name and alias
• Requires double quotation marks if it contains
spaces or special characters or is case sensitive
Using Column Aliases
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SQL> SELECT ename AS name, sal salary
2 FROM emp;

NAME SALARY
------------- ---------
...

SQL> SELECT ename "Name",

2 sal*12 "Annual Salary"
3 FROM emp;

Name Annual Salary

------------- -------------
...
Concatenation Operator
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• Concatenates columns or character strings to

other columns
• Is represented by two vertical bars (||)
• Creates a resultant column that is a character
expression
Using the Concatenation Operator
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SQL> SELECT ename||job AS "Employees"

2 FROM emp;

Employees
-------------------
KINGPRESIDENT
BLAKEMANAGER
CLARKMANAGER
JONESMANAGER
MARTINSALESMAN
ALLENSALESMAN
...
14 rows selected.
Literal Character Strings
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• A literal is a character, expression, or number

included in the SELECT list.
• Date and character literal values must be
enclosed within single quotation marks.
• Each character string is output once for each row
returned.
Using Literal Character Strings
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SQL> SELECT ename ||' '||'is a'||' '||job

2 AS "Employee Details"
3 FROM emp;

Employee Details
-------------------------
KING is a PRESIDENT
BLAKE is a MANAGER
CLARK is a MANAGER
JONES is a MANAGER
MARTIN is a SALESMAN
...
14 rows selected.
Duplicate Rows
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The default display of queries is all rows,
including duplicate rows.
SQL> SELECT deptno
2 FROM emp;

DEPTNO
---------
10
30
10
20
...
14 rows selected.
Eliminating Duplicate Rows
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Eliminate duplicate rows by using the DISTINCT

keyword in the SELECT clause.
SQL> SELECT DISTINCT deptno
2 FROM emp;

DEPTNO
---------
10
20
30
SQL
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SQL
-> SQL is a command language for communication with the
Oracle Server.
Features of SQL
-> Can be used by a range of users, including those with
little or no programming experience
-> Is an English-like language
SQL*Plus
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SQL*Plus
->SQL*Plus is an Oracle tool that recognizes and submits
SQL statements to the Oracle Server for execution and
contains its own command language.
Features of SQL*Plus
->Accepts SQL input from files
->Provides a line editor for modifying SQL statements
SQL Statements Versus SQL*Plus Commands
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SQL
• A language
• ANSI standard
• Keyword cannot be
abbreviated

SQL*Plus
• An environment
• Oracle proprietary
• Keywords can be
abbreviated
Application of SQL*Plus
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Use SQL*Plus as an environment to:

• Execute SQL statements
• Edit SQL statements
Displaying Table Structure
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Use the SQL*Plus DESCRIBE command to

display the structure of a table.

DESC[RIBE] tablename

SQL> DESCRIBE dept

Name Null? Type

----------------- -------- ------------
DEPTNO NOT NULL NUMBER(2)
DNAME VARCHAR2(14)
LOC VARCHAR2(13)
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