DBD::File::HowTo(3)

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.