This book is at least 9 years out of date. I do not recommend you purchase it!

This book was written for beginners, or people coming to MySQL from a different type of database. Some elements of MySQL 4.0 are covered (transactions, for example), but the main focus is on taking the reader step by step through using MySQL, from the ground up. It’s NOT a reference, it doesn’t cover everything you need to know about MySQL but it does provide a solid foundation for getting started with MySQL.

• ISBN 0672323494, © Sams 2002
• Translations: Danish, Finnish, Hungarian, Serbian

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Table of Contents

This is a pretty accurate table of contents, give or take a sub-heading or two. Each hour also has a summary, quiz questions, and one or more activities.

» PART I: INTRODUCTION TO MYSQL AND RELATIONAL DATABASES

Hour 1: Introducing MySQL

• What Is a Relational Database?
• What Is MySQL?
• Main Features of MySQL
• MySQL Distributions
• MySQL Licensing and Support
• Communicating with MySQL
  • PHP
  • Perl
  • ODBC
  • Additional Languages

Hour 2: Understanding Database Terminology

• Basic Elements Explained
  • Understanding Tables
  • Understanding Fields
  • Understanding Records
  • Understanding Indexes

Hour 3: Learning the Database Design Process

• Types of Table Relationships
  • One-to-One Relationships
  • One-to-Many Relationships
  • Many-to-Many Relationships
• Understanding Normalization
  • Problems with the Flat Table
  • First Normal Form
  • Second Normal Form
  • Third Normal Form
• Following the Design Process

» PART II: SETTING UP YOUR ENVIRONMENT

Hour 4: Using the MySQL Client

• Working with the MySQL Command-Line Interface
  • Starting the MySQL Monitor in Windows
  • Starting the MySQL Monitor on Linux/UNIX
  • Issuing Commands
• Working with the MySQL Administration Tools
  • Using mysqladmin
  • Using mysqldump
• Other Interfaces to MySQL
  • phpMyAdmin
  • MySQL-Front
  • MySQLManager

Hour 5: Securing MySQL

• Basic Security Guidelines
  • Starting MySQL
  • Securing Your MySQL Connection
• Introducing the MySQL Privilege System
  • The Two-Step Authentication Process
• Working with User Privileges
  • Adding Users
  • Removing Privileges

» PART III: LEARNING TO PLAN FOR YOUR DATABASE-DRIVEN APPLICATIONS

Hour 6: Planning and Creating Your Database

• Determine Your Goals
• Conceptualize the Tables
  • Determining Relationships
• Creating the Database
  • Define the User Privileges

Hour 7: Creating Your Database Tables – Part I

• Learning the MySQL Data Types
  • Numeric Data Types
  • Date and Time Types
  • String Types
• Learning the Table Creation Syntax
  • Naming Your Fields
  • Preliminary Table Creation Statements

Hour 8: Creating Your Database Tables – Part II

• Identifying Keys in Your Tables
  • Primary Keys
  • Unique Keys
• Adding Indexes to Your Tables
• When to Use, or Not to Use, Keys and Indexes
• Issuing Your Table Creation Statements
  • Creating Tables in the MySQL Monitor
  • Using SQL Commands from External Files

» PART IV: WORKING WITH YOUR TABLES

Hour 9: Populating Your Database Tables

• Using the INSERT Command
  • A Closer Look at INSERT
  • Using Function Results in INSERT Statements
• Importing Data from Other Databases
  • Preparing Data for Import
  • Using Data from a Flat File
  • Using Data from Microsoft Access
  • Using mysqlimport
  • Using the LOAD DATA INFILE Command

Hour 10: Selecting Data from Your Tables

• Using the SELECT Command
  • Ordering SELECT Results
  • Limiting Your Results
  • Using Some Aggregate Functions with SELECT
• Using WHERE in Your Queries
• Using Operators in WHERE Clauses
• String Comparison Using LIKE

Hour 11: Advanced Usage of SELECT Statements

• Using the GROUP BY Clause
• Using SELECT Within INSERT Statements
• Selecting from Multiple Tables
  • Using JOIN

Hour 12: Modifying and Deleting Data

• Using the UPDATE Command to Modify Records
  • Conditional UPDATEs
  • Using Existing Column Values with UPDATE
  • Using Functions in UPDATE Statements
• Using the REPLACE Command
• Using the DELETE Command
  • Optimizing DELETE Queries
  • Conditional DELETE

Hour 13: More About DELETE

• Deleting Related Records
• Listing Tables and Databases Before Deleting Them
  • Using mysqlshow
  • Using the SHOW Command
• Using the DROP Command
  • DROP TABLE
  • DROP DATABASE

Hour 14: Modifying Table Structure

• Using DESCRIBE to View Table Structure
• Using the ALTER Command
  • Adding Fields, Indexes, and Keys
  • Deleting Fields, Indexes, and Keys

» PART V: USING BUILT-IN FUNCTIONS IN MYSQL QUERIES

Hour 15: Using MySQL String Functions

• Frequently Used String Functions
  • Length and Concatenation Functions
  • Trimming and Padding Functions
  • Location and Position Functions
  • Substring Functions
  • String Modification Functions
• Obscure String Functions

Hour 16: Using MySQL Numeric Functions

• Using Numeric Functions in Queries
  • Basic Arithmetic Operations
  • Mathematical Functions
  • Trigonometric Functions
  • Rounding Functions

Hour 17: Using MySQL Date and Time Functions

• Using Date and Time Functions in Queries
  Working with Days
  • Working with Months and Years
  • Working with Weeks
  • Working with Hours, Minutes, and Seconds
• Formatting Dates and Times
• Performing Date Arithmetic
• Special Functions and Conversion Features

» PART VI: USING TRANSACTIONS

Hour 18: Transactions Overview

• What Are Transactions?
  • Properties of Transactions
  • COMMIT and ROLLBACK
  • Row-Level Locking
• Transaction-Safe Table Types in MySQL
  • BerkeleyDB
  • InnoDB
  • Gemini

Hour 19: Practical Transaction Usage

• Converting Tables to Transaction-Safe Table Types
• Using Transactions in Your Applications
  • When to Use Transaction-Safe Tables
  • Modifying the contactDB Schema
  • Programming Transactions in the Contact Management System

» PART VII: ADMINISTERING YOUR MYSQL SERVER

Hour 20: Optimizing and Tuning Your Database

• Building an Optimized Platform
  • Using the benchmark() Function
• MySQL Startup Options
  • Key Startup Parameters
• Optimizing Your Table Structure
• Optimizing Your Queries

Hour 21: Backing Up and Restoring Your Database

• Database Backup Overview
• Using mysqlhotcopy
• Using the BACKUP TABLE and RESTORE TABLE Commands
• Using myisamchk

Hour 22: Basic Administrative Commands

• Using the FLUSH Command
• Using the SHOW Command
  • Retrieving Information about Databases and Tables
  • Retrieving Table Structure Information
  • Retrieving System Status

» PART VIII: INTERFACING WITH MYSQL

Hour 23: Using MySQL with Perl

• Getting Access to Perl
  • Accessing the Perl DBI and MySQL DBD
  • Quick Perl Test
• Connecting to MySQL with Perl
  • Making the Initial Connection
• Executing Queries
• Working with MySQL Data
  • Inserting Data with Perl
  • Retrieving Data with Perl

Hour 24: Using MySQL with PHP

• Getting Access to PHP
• How PHP Works
  • Variables and Types in PHP
  • Operators in PHP
  • Control Structures in PHP
• Connecting to MySQL with PHP
  • Using mysql_connect()
  • Executing Queries
  • Retrieving Error Messages
• Working with MySQL Data
  • Inserting Data with PHP
  • Retrieving Data with PHP

» APPENDICES

Appendix A: Installing MySQL

• How to Get MySQL
• Installing MySQL 3.23 or 4.0 on Windows
• Installing MySQL 3.23 or 4.0 on Linux/UNIX
• Troubleshooting Your Installation

Appendix B: Using MyODBC

• Installing MyODBC on Windows
• MyODBC Configuration
• Importing/Exporting Data with MySQL and Microsoft Access
  • Exporting from Microsoft Access to MySQL
  • Importing into Microsoft Access from MySQL

Appendix C: Reserved Words

Appendix D: Practical MySQL/PHP Examples

• Creating Access Logs and Reports
  • The Basic Hit Counter
  • Souped-up Hit Counter and Report
• Creating an Online Poll
• Storing Uploaded Files in Your Database
  • Retrieving Images Files from Your Database