DBD::File::HowTo(3pm)					User Contributed Perl Documentation				     DBD::File::HowTo(3pm)

NAME

       DBD::File::HowTo - Guide to create DBD::File based driver

SYNOPSIS

	 perldoc DBD::File::HowTo
	 perldoc DBI
	 perldoc DBI::DBD
	 perldoc DBD::File::Developers
	 perldoc DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::Developers
	 perldoc DBI::DBD::SqlEngine
	 perldoc SQL::Eval
	 perldoc DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::HowTo
	 perldoc SQL::Statement::Embed
	 perldoc DBD::File
	 perldoc DBD::File::HowTo
	 perldoc DBD::File::Developers

DESCRIPTION

       This document provides a step-by-step guide, how to create a new "DBD::File" based DBD. It expects that you carefully read the DBI
       documentation and that you're familiar with DBI::DBD and had read and understood DBD::ExampleP.

       This document addresses experienced developers who are really sure that they need to invest time when writing a new DBI Driver. Writing a
       DBI Driver is neither a weekend project nor an easy job for hobby coders after work. Expect one or two man-month of time for the first
       start.

       Those who are still reading, should be able to sing the rules of "CREATING A NEW DRIVER" in DBI::DBD.

       Of course, DBD::File is a DBI::DBD::SqlEngine and you surely read DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::HowTo before continuing here.

CREATING DRIVER CLASSES

       Do you have an entry in DBI's DBD registry? For this guide, a prefix of "foo_" is assumed.

   Sample Skeleton
	   package DBD::Foo;

	   use strict;
	   use warnings;
	   use vars qw(@ISA $VERSION);
	   use base qw(DBD::File);

	   use DBI ();

	   $VERSION = "0.001";

	   package DBD::Foo::dr;

	   use vars qw(@ISA $imp_data_size);

	   @ISA = qw(DBD::File::dr);
	   $imp_data_size = 0;

	   package DBD::Foo::db;

	   use vars qw(@ISA $imp_data_size);

	   @ISA = qw(DBD::File::db);
	   $imp_data_size = 0;

	   package DBD::Foo::st;

	   use vars qw(@ISA $imp_data_size);

	   @ISA = qw(DBD::File::st);
	   $imp_data_size = 0;

	   package DBD::Foo::Statement;

	   use vars qw(@ISA);

	   @ISA = qw(DBD::File::Statement);

	   package DBD::Foo::Table;

	   use vars qw(@ISA);

	   @ISA = qw(DBD::File::Table);

	   1;

       Tiny, eh? And all you have now is a DBD named foo which will is able to deal with temporary tables, as long as you use SQL::Statement. In
       DBI::SQL::Nano environments, this DBD can do nothing.

   Start over
       Based on DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::HowTo, we're now having a driver which could do basic things. Of course, it should now derive from DBD::File
       instead of DBI::DBD::SqlEngine, shouldn't it?

       DBD::File extends DBI::DBD::SqlEngine to deal with any kind of files.  In principle, the only extensions required are to the table class:

	   package DBD::Foo::Table;

	   sub bootstrap_table_meta
	   {
	       my ( $self, $dbh, $meta, $table ) = @_;

	       # initialize all $meta attributes which might be relevant for
	       # file2table

	       return $self->SUPER::bootstrap_table_meta($dbh, $meta, $table);
	   }

	   sub init_table_meta
	   {
	       my ( $self, $dbh, $meta, $table ) = @_;

	       # called after $meta contains the results from file2table
	       # initialize all missing $meta attributes

	       $self->SUPER::init_table_meta( $dbh, $meta, $table );
	   }

       In case "DBD::File::Table::open_file" doesn't open the files as the driver needs that, override it!

	   sub open_file
	   {
	       my ( $self, $meta, $attrs, $flags ) = @_;
	       # ensure that $meta->{f_dontopen} is set
	       $self->SUPER::open_file( $meta, $attrs, $flags );
	       # now do what ever needs to be done
	   }

       Combined with the methods implemented using the SQL::Statement::Embed guide, the table is full working and you could try a start over.

   User comfort
       "DBD::File" since 0.39 consolidates all persistent meta data of a table into a single structure stored in "$dbh->{f_meta}". While DBD::File
       provides only readonly access to this structure, modifications are still allowed.

       Primarily DBD::File provides access via setters "get_file_meta", "set_file_meta" and "clear_file_meta". Those methods are easily accessible
       by the users via the "$dbh->func ()" interface provided by DBI. Well, many users don't feel comfortize when calling

	   # don't require extension for tables cars
	   $dbh->func ("cars", "f_ext", ".csv", "set_file_meta");

       DBD::File will inject a method into your driver to increase the user comfort to allow:

	   # don't require extension for tables cars
	   $dbh->foo_set_meta ("cars", "f_ext", ".csv");

       Better, but here and there users likes to do:

	   # don't require extension for tables cars
	   $dbh->{foo_tables}->{cars}->{f_ext} = ".csv";

       This interface is provided when derived DBD's define following in "init_valid_attributes" (please compare carefully with the example in
       DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::HowTo):

	   sub init_valid_attributes
	   {
	       my $dbh = $_[0];

	       $dbh->SUPER::init_valid_attributes ();

	       $dbh->{foo_valid_attrs} = {
		   foo_version	       => 1,   # contains version of this driver
		   foo_valid_attrs     => 1,   # contains the valid attributes of foo drivers
		   foo_readonly_attrs  => 1,   # contains immutable attributes of foo drivers
		   foo_bar	       => 1,   # contains the bar attribute
		   foo_baz	       => 1,   # contains the baz attribute
		   foo_manager	       => 1,   # contains the manager of the driver instance
		   foo_manager_type    => 1,   # contains the manager class of the driver instance
		   foo_meta	       => 1,   # contains the public interface to modify table meta attributes
	       };
	       $dbh->{foo_readonly_attrs} = {
		   foo_version	       => 1,   # ensure no-one modifies the driver version
		   foo_valid_attrs     => 1,   # do not permit to add more valid attributes ...
		   foo_readonly_attrs  => 1,   # ... or make the immutable mutable
		   foo_manager	       => 1,   # manager is set internally only
		   foo_meta	       => 1,   # ensure public interface to modify table meta attributes are immutable
	       };

	       $dbh->{foo_meta} = "foo_tables";

	       return $dbh;
	   }

       This provides a tied hash in "$dbh->{foo_tables}" and a tied hash for each table's meta data in "$dbh->{foo_tables}->{$table_name}".
       Modifications on the table meta attributes are done using the table methods:

	   sub get_table_meta_attr { ... }
	   sub set_table_meta_attr { ... }

       Both methods can adjust the attribute name for compatibility reasons, e.g.  when former versions of the DBD allowed different names to be
       used for the same flag:

	   my %compat_map = (
			      abc => 'foo_abc',
			      xyz => 'foo_xyz',
			    );
	   __PACKAGE__->register_compat_map( \%compat_map );

       If any user modification on a meta attribute needs reinitialization of the meta structure (in case of "DBD::File" these are the attributes
       "f_file", "f_dir", "f_ext" and "f_lockfile"), inform DBD::File by doing

	   my %reset_on_modify = (
				   foo_xyz => "foo_bar",
				   foo_abc => "foo_bar",
				 );
	   __PACKAGE__->register_reset_on_modify( \%reset_on_modify );

       The next access to the table meta data will force DBD::File to re-do the entire meta initialization process.

       Any further action which needs to be taken can handled in "table_meta_attr_changed":

	   sub table_meta_attr_changed
	   {
	       my ($class, $meta, $attrib, $value) = @_;
	       ...
	       $class->SUPER::table_meta_attr_changed ($meta, $attrib, $value);
	   }

       This is done before the new value is set in $meta, so the attribute changed handler can act depending on the old value.

   Testing
       Now you should have your own DBD::File based driver. Was easy, wasn't it?  But does it work well?  Prove it by writing tests and remember
       to use dbd_edit_mm_attribs from DBI::DBD to ensure testing even rare cases.

AUTHOR

       This guide is written by Jens Rehsack. DBD::File is written by Jochen Wiedmann and Jeff Zucker.

       The module DBD::File is currently maintained by

       H.Merijn Brand < h.m.brand at xs4all.nl > and Jens Rehsack  < rehsack at googlemail.com >

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

       Copyright (C) 2010 by H.Merijn Brand & Jens Rehsack

       All rights reserved.

       You may freely distribute and/or modify this module under the terms of either the GNU General Public License (GPL) or the Artistic License,
       as specified in the Perl README file.

perl v5.12.3							    2010-09-16						     DBD::File::HowTo(3pm)