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)