DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::HowTo - Guide to create DBI::DBD::SqlEngine based driver
perldoc DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::HowTo perldoc DBI perldoc DBI::DBD perldoc DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::Developers perldoc SQL::Eval perldoc DBI::DBD::SqlEngine perldoc DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::HowTo perldoc SQL::Statement::Embed
User Contributed Perl Documentation
DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::HowTo(3)
NAME
DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::HowTo - Guide to create DBI::DBD::SqlEngine based
driver
SYNOPSIS
perldoc DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::HowTo
perldoc DBI
perldoc DBI::DBD
perldoc DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::Developers
perldoc SQL::Eval
perldoc DBI::DBD::SqlEngine
perldoc DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::HowTo
perldoc SQL::Statement::Embed
DESCRIPTION
This document provides a step-by-step guide, how to create a new
"DBI::DBD::SqlEngine" 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.
CREATING DRIVER CLASSES
Do you have an entry in DBI's DBD registry? DBI::DBD::SqlEngine expect
having a unique prefix for every driver class in inheritance chain.
It's easy to get a prefix - just drop the DBI team a note
("GETTING_HELP" in DBI). If you want for some reason hide your work,
take a look at Class::Method::Modifiers how to wrap a private prefix
method around existing "driver_prefix".
For this guide, a prefix of "foo_" is assumed.
Sample Skeleton
package DBD::Foo;
use strict;
use warnings;
use vars qw($VERSION);
use base qw(DBI::DBD::SqlEngine);
use DBI ();
$VERSION = "0.001";
package DBD::Foo::dr;
use vars qw(@ISA $imp_data_size);
@ISA = qw(DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::dr);
$imp_data_size = 0;
package DBD::Foo::db;
use vars qw(@ISA $imp_data_size);
@ISA = qw(DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::db);
$imp_data_size = 0;
package DBD::Foo::st;
use vars qw(@ISA $imp_data_size);
@ISA = qw(DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::st);
$imp_data_size = 0;
package DBD::Foo::Statement;
use vars qw(@ISA);
@ISA = qw(DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::Statement);
package DBD::Foo::Table;
use vars qw(@ISA);
@ISA = qw(DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::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.
Deal with own attributes
Before we start doing usable stuff with our DBI driver, we need to
think about what we want to do and how we want to do it.
Do we need tunable knobs accessible by users? Do we need status
information? All this is handled in attributes of the database handles
(be careful when your DBD is running "behind" a DBD::Gofer proxy).
How come the attributes into the DBD and how are they fetchable by the
user? Good question, but you should know because you've read the DBI
documentation.
"DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::db::FETCH" and "DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::db::STORE"
taking care for you - all they need to know is which attribute names
are valid and mutable or immutable. Tell them by adding
"init_valid_attributes" to your db class:
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
};
$dbh->{foo_readonly_attrs} = {
foo_version => 1, # ensure no-one modifies the driver version
foo_valid_attrs => 1, # do not permit one to add more valid attributes ...
foo_readonly_attrs => 1, # ... or make the immutable mutable
foo_manager => 1, # manager is set internally only
};
return $dbh;
}
Woooho - but now the user cannot assign new managers? This is intended,
overwrite "STORE" to handle it!
sub STORE ($$$)
{
my ( $dbh, $attrib, $value ) = @_;
$dbh->SUPER::STORE( $attrib, $value );
# we're still alive, so no exception is thrown ...
# by DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::db::STORE
if ( $attrib eq "foo_manager_type" )
{
$dbh->{foo_manager} = $dbh->{foo_manager_type}->new();
# ... probably correct some states based on the new
# foo_manager_type - see DBD::Sys for an example
}
}
But ... my driver runs without a manager until someone first assignes a
"foo_manager_type". Well, no - there're two places where you can
initialize defaults:
sub init_default_attributes
{
my ($dbh, $phase) = @_;
$dbh->SUPER::init_default_attributes($phase);
if( 0 == $phase )
{
# init all attributes which have no knowledge about
# user settings from DSN or the attribute hash
$dbh->{foo_manager_type} = "DBD::Foo::Manager";
}
elsif( 1 == $phase )
{
# init phase with more knowledge from DSN or attribute
# hash
$dbh->{foo_manager} = $dbh->{foo_manager_type}->new();
}
return $dbh;
}
So far we can prevent the users to use our database driver as data
storage for anything and everything. We care only about the real
important stuff for peace on earth and alike attributes. But in fact,
the driver still can't do anything. It can do less than nothing -
meanwhile it's not a stupid storage area anymore.
User comfort
"DBI::DBD::SqlEngine" since 0.05 consolidates all persistent meta data
of a table into a single structure stored in "$dbh->{sql_meta}". While
DBI::DBD::SqlEngine provides only readonly access to this structure,
modifications are still allowed.
Primarily DBI::DBD::SqlEngine provides access via the setters
"new_sql_engine_meta", "get_sql_engine_meta", "get_single_table_meta",
"set_single_table_meta", "set_sql_engine_meta" and
"clear_sql_engine_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_sql_engine_meta");
DBI::DBD::SqlEngine 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" (re-capture "Deal with own attributes"):
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 one 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 "DBI::DBD::SqlEngine" these are the
attributes "f_file", "f_dir", "f_ext" and "f_lockfile"), inform
DBI::DBD::SqlEngine 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 DBI::DBD::SqlEngine
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.
Dealing with Tables
Let's put some life into it - it's going to be time for it.
This is a good point where a quick side step to SQL::Statement::Embed
will help to shorten the next paragraph. The documentation in
SQL::Statement::Embed regarding embedding in own DBD's works pretty
fine with SQL::Statement and DBI::SQL::Nano.
Second look should go to DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::Developers to get a
picture over the driver part of the table API. Usually there isn't much
to do for an easy driver.
Testing
Now you should have your first own DBD. 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. DBI::DBD::SqlEngine is written
by Jens Rehsack using code from DBD::File originally written by Jochen
Wiedmann and Jeff Zucker.
The module DBI::DBD::SqlEngine 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.
ATTRIBUTES
See attributes(7) for descriptions of the following attributes:
+---------------+-----------------------------+
|ATTRIBUTE TYPE | ATTRIBUTE VALUE |
+---------------+-----------------------------+
|Availability | library/perl-5/database-532 |
+---------------+-----------------------------+
|Stability | Committed |
+---------------+-----------------------------+
NOTES
Source code for open source software components in Oracle Solaris can
be found at https://www.oracle.com/downloads/opensource/solaris-source-
code-downloads.html.
This software was built from source available at
https://github.com/oracle/solaris-userland. The original community
source was downloaded from
http://backpan.perl.org/authors/id/T/TI/TIMB/DBI-1.643.tar.gz.
Further information about this software can be found on the open source
community website at http://search.cpan.org/~timb/DBI/.
perl v5.32.0 2016-04-21
DBI::DBD::SqlEngine::HowTo(3)