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author | Larry Wall <lwall@netlabs.com> | 1994-10-17 23:00:00 +0000 |
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committer | Larry Wall <lwall@netlabs.com> | 1994-10-17 23:00:00 +0000 |
commit | a0d0e21ea6ea90a22318550944fe6cb09ae10cda (patch) | |
tree | faca1018149b736b1142f487e44d1ff2de5cc1fa /pod/modpods/DB_File.pod | |
parent | 85e6fe838fb25b257a1b363debf8691c0992ef71 (diff) | |
download | perl-a0d0e21ea6ea90a22318550944fe6cb09ae10cda.tar.gz |
perl 5.000perl-5.000
[editor's note: this commit combines approximate 4 months of furious
releases of Andy Dougherty and Larry Wall - see pod/perlhist.pod for
details. Andy notes that;
Alas neither my "Irwin AccuTrack" nor my DC 600A quarter-inch cartridge
backup tapes from that era seem to be readable anymore. I guess 13 years
exceeds the shelf life for that backup technology :-(.
]
Diffstat (limited to 'pod/modpods/DB_File.pod')
-rw-r--r-- | pod/modpods/DB_File.pod | 319 |
1 files changed, 319 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/pod/modpods/DB_File.pod b/pod/modpods/DB_File.pod new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..919743b7ca --- /dev/null +++ b/pod/modpods/DB_File.pod @@ -0,0 +1,319 @@ +=head1 NAME + +DB_File - Perl5 access to Berkeley DB + +=head1 SYNOPSIS + + use DB_File ; + + [$X =] tie %hash, DB_File, $filename [, $flags, $mode, $DB_HASH] ; + [$X =] tie %hash, DB_File, $filename, $flags, $mode, $DB_BTREE ; + [$X =] tie @array, DB_File, $filename, $flags, $mode, $DB_RECNO ; + + $status = $X->del($key [, $flags]) ; + $status = $X->put($key, $value [, $flags]) ; + $status = $X->get($key, $value [, $flags]) ; + $status = $X->seq($key, $value [, $flags]) ; + $status = $X->sync([$flags]) ; + $status = $X->fd ; + + untie %hash ; + untie @array ; + +=head1 DESCRIPTION + +B<DB_File> is a module which allows Perl programs to make use of +the facilities provided by Berkeley DB. If you intend to use this +module you should really have a copy of the Berkeley DB manual +page at hand. The interface defined here +mirrors the Berkeley DB interface closely. + +Berkeley DB is a C library which provides a consistent interface to a number of +database formats. +B<DB_File> provides an interface to all three of the database types currently +supported by Berkeley DB. + +The file types are: + +=over 5 + +=item DB_HASH + +This database type allows arbitrary key/data pairs to be stored in data files. +This is equivalent to the functionality provided by +other hashing packages like DBM, NDBM, ODBM, GDBM, and SDBM. +Remember though, the files created using DB_HASH are +not compatible with any of the other packages mentioned. + +A default hashing algorithm, which will be adequate for most applications, +is built into Berkeley DB. +If you do need to use your own hashing algorithm it is possible to write your +own in Perl and have B<DB_File> use it instead. + +=item DB_BTREE + +The btree format allows arbitrary key/data pairs to be stored in a sorted, +balanced binary tree. + +As with the DB_HASH format, it is possible to provide a user defined Perl routine +to perform the comparison of keys. By default, though, the keys are stored +in lexical order. + +=item DB_RECNO + +DB_RECNO allows both fixed-length and variable-length flat text files to be +manipulated using +the same key/value pair interface as in DB_HASH and DB_BTREE. +In this case the key will consist of a record (line) number. + +=back + +=head2 How does DB_File interface to Berkeley DB? + +B<DB_File> allows access to Berkeley DB files using the tie() mechanism +in Perl 5 (for full details, see L<perlfunc/tie()>). +This facility allows B<DB_File> to access Berkeley DB files using +either an associative array (for DB_HASH & DB_BTREE file types) or an +ordinary array (for the DB_RECNO file type). + +In addition to the tie() interface, it is also possible to use most of the +functions provided in the Berkeley DB API. + +=head2 Differences with Berkeley DB + +Berkeley DB uses the function dbopen() to open or create a +database. Below is the C prototype for dbopen(). + + DB* + dbopen (const char * file, int flags, int mode, + DBTYPE type, const void * openinfo) + +The parameter C<type> is an enumeration which specifies which of the 3 +interface methods (DB_HASH, DB_BTREE or DB_RECNO) is to be used. +Depending on which of these is actually chosen, the final parameter, +I<openinfo> points to a data structure which allows tailoring of the +specific interface method. + +This interface is handled +slightly differently in B<DB_File>. Here is an equivalent call using +B<DB_File>. + + tie %array, DB_File, $filename, $flags, $mode, $DB_HASH ; + +The C<filename>, C<flags> and C<mode> parameters are the direct equivalent +of their dbopen() counterparts. The final parameter $DB_HASH +performs the function of both the C<type> and C<openinfo> +parameters in dbopen(). + +In the example above $DB_HASH is actually a reference to a hash object. +B<DB_File> has three of these pre-defined references. +Apart from $DB_HASH, there is also $DB_BTREE and $DB_RECNO. + +The keys allowed in each of these pre-defined references is limited to the names +used in the equivalent C structure. +So, for example, the $DB_HASH reference will only allow keys called C<bsize>, +C<cachesize>, C<ffactor>, C<hash>, C<lorder> and C<nelem>. + +To change one of these elements, just assign to it like this + + $DB_HASH{cachesize} = 10000 ; + + +=head2 RECNO + + +In order to make RECNO more compatible with Perl the array offset for all +RECNO arrays begins at 0 rather than 1 as in Berkeley DB. + + +=head2 In Memory Databases + +Berkeley DB allows the creation of in-memory databases by using NULL (that is, a +C<(char *)0 in C) in +place of the filename. +B<DB_File> uses C<undef> instead of NULL to provide this functionality. + + +=head2 Using the Berkeley DB Interface Directly + +As well as accessing Berkeley DB using a tied hash or array, it is also +possible to make direct use of most of the functions defined in the Berkeley DB +documentation. + + +To do this you need to remember the return value from the tie. + + $db = tie %hash, DB_File, "filename" + +Once you have done that, you can access the Berkeley DB API functions directly. + + $db->put($key, $value, R_NOOVERWRITE) ; + +All the functions defined in L<dbx(3X)> are available except +for close() and dbopen() itself. +The B<DB_File> interface to these functions have been implemented to mirror +the the way Berkeley DB works. In particular note that all the functions return +only a status value. Whenever a Berkeley DB function returns data via one of +its parameters, the B<DB_File> equivalent does exactly the same. + +All the constants defined in L<dbopen> are also available. + +Below is a list of the functions available. + +=over 5 + +=item get + +Same as in C<recno> except that the flags parameter is optional. +Remember the value +associated with the key you request is returned in the $value parameter. + +=item put + +As usual the flags parameter is optional. + +If you use either the R_IAFTER or +R_IBEFORE flags, the key parameter will have the record number of the inserted +key/value pair set. + +=item del + +The flags parameter is optional. + +=item fd + +As in I<recno>. + +=item seq + +The flags parameter is optional. + +Both the key and value parameters will be set. + +=item sync + +The flags parameter is optional. + +=back + +=head1 EXAMPLES + +It is always a lot easier to understand something when you see a real example. +So here are a few. + +=head2 Using HASH + + use DB_File ; + use Fcntl ; + + tie %h, DB_File, "hashed", O_RDWR|O_CREAT, 0640, $DB_HASH ; + + # Add a key/value pair to the file + $h{"apple"} = "orange" ; + + # Check for existence of a key + print "Exists\n" if $h{"banana"} ; + + # Delete + delete $h{"apple"} ; + + untie %h ; + +=head2 Using BTREE + +Here is sample of code which used BTREE. Just to make life more interesting +the default comparision function will not be used. Instead a Perl sub, C<Compare()>, +will be used to do a case insensitive comparison. + + use DB_File ; + use Fcntl ; + + sub Compare + { + my ($key1, $key2) = @_ ; + + "\L$key1" cmp "\L$key2" ; + } + + $DB_BTREE->{compare} = 'Compare' ; + + tie %h, DB_File, "tree", O_RDWR|O_CREAT, 0640, $DB_BTREE ; + + # Add a key/value pair to the file + $h{'Wall'} = 'Larry' ; + $h{'Smith'} = 'John' ; + $h{'mouse'} = 'mickey' ; + $h{'duck'} = 'donald' ; + + # Delete + delete $h{"duck"} ; + + # Cycle through the keys printing them in order. + # Note it is not necessary to sort the keys as + # the btree will have kept them in order automatically. + foreach (keys %h) + { print "$_\n" } + + untie %h ; + +Here is the output from the code above. + + mouse + Smith + Wall + + +=head2 Using RECNO + + use DB_File ; + use Fcntl ; + + $DB_RECNO->{psize} = 3000 ; + + tie @h, DB_File, "text", O_RDWR|O_CREAT, 0640, $DB_RECNO ; + + # Add a key/value pair to the file + $h[0] = "orange" ; + + # Check for existence of a key + print "Exists\n" if $h[1] ; + + untie @h ; + + + +=head1 WARNINGS + +If you happen find any other functions defined in the source for this module +that have not been mentioned in this document -- beware. +I may drop them at a moments notice. + +If you cannot find any, then either you didn't look very hard or the moment has +passed and I have dropped them. + +=head1 BUGS + +Some older versions of Berkeley DB had problems with fixed length records +using the RECNO file format. The newest version at the time of writing +was 1.85 - this seems to have fixed the problems with RECNO. + +I am sure there are bugs in the code. If you do find any, or can suggest any +enhancements, I would welcome your comments. + +=head1 AVAILABILITY + +Berkeley DB is available via the hold C<ftp.cs.berkeley.edu> in the +directory C</ucb/4bsd/db.tar.gz>. It is I<not> under the GPL. + +=head1 SEE ALSO + +L<perl(1)>, L<dbopen(3)>, L<hash(3)>, L<recno(3)>, L<btree(3)> + +Berkeley DB is available from F<ftp.cs.berkeley.edu> in the directory F</ucb/4bsd>. + +=head1 AUTHOR + +The DB_File interface was written by +Paul Marquess <pmarquess@bfsec.bt.co.uk>. +Questions about the DB system itself may be addressed to +Keith Bostic <bostic@cs.berkeley.edu>. |