NAME

FlatFile::DataStore::Lite - Perl module that implements a lightweight flat file data store.

SYNOPSYS

use FlatFile::DataStore::Lite;

# new datastore object

my $dir  = "/my/datastore/area";
my $name = "dsname";
my $ds   = FlatFile::DataStore::Lite->new( { dir => $dir, name => $name } );

# create a record

my $record_data = "This is a test record.";
my $user_data   = "Test1";
my $record = $ds->create( $record_data, $user_data );
my $record_number = $record->keynum;

# retrieve it

$record = $ds->retrieve( $record_number );

# update it

$record->data( "Updating the test record." );
$record = $ds->update( $record );

# delete it

$record = $ds->delete( $record );

DESCRIPTION

FlatFile::DataStore::Lite implements a lightweight flat file data store. When you create (store) a new record, it is appended to the flat file. When you update an existing record, the updated record is appended to the flat file. When you delete a record, a deleted record is appended to the flat file.

Methods support the following actions:

- create
- retrieve
- update
- delete

Scripts supplied in the distribution perform:

- validation
- migration

VERSION

FlatFile::DataStore::Lite version 0.01

CLASS METHODS

FlatFile::DataStore::Lite->new();

Constructs a new FlatFile::DataStore::Lite object.

Accepts hash ref giving values for dir and name.

my $ds = FlatFile::DataStore::Lite->new( { dir => $dir, name => $name } );

Returns a reference to the FlatFile::DataStore::Lite object.

OBJECT METHODS, Record Processing (CRUD)

create( $record_data[, $user_data] )

Creates a record. The parm $record_data may be one of

- data string
- scalar reference (to the data string)
- FlatFile::DataStore::Lite::Record object

The parm $user_data may be omitted if $record_data is an object, in which case the user data will be gotten from it.

Returns a Flatfile::DataStore::Lite::Record object.

Note: the record data (but not user data) is stored in the FF::DS::Record object as a scalar reference. This is done for efficiency in the cases where the record data may be very large. Likewise, the first parm to create() is allowed to be a scalar reference.

retrieve( $num[, $pos] )

Retrieves a record. The parm $num may be one of

- a key number, i.e., record sequence number
- a file number

The parm $pos is required if $num is a file number.

Returns a Flatfile::DataStore::Lite::Record object.

update( $object_or_string[, $record_data][, $user_data] )

Updates a record. The parm $object_or_string may be one of:

- FlatFile::DataStore::Lite::Record object
- FlatFile::DataStore::Lite::Preamble object
- Preamble string

The parms $record_data and $user_data may be omitted only if $object_or_string is a FF::DS::Record object, in which case the record and user data will be gotten from it.

Returns a Flatfile::DataStore::Lite::Record object.

delete( $object_or_string[, $record_data][, $user_data] )

Deletes a record. The parm $object_or_string may be one of:

- FlatFile::DataStore::Lite::Record object
- FlatFile::DataStore::Lite::Preamble object
- Preamble string

The parms $record_data and $user_data may be omitted only if $object_or_string is a FF::DS::Record object, in which case the record and user data will be gotten from it.

Returns a Flatfile::DataStore::Lite::Record object.

OBJECT METHODS, Accessors

$ds->specs( [$omap] )

Sets and returns the specs attribute value if $omap is given, otherwise just returns the value.

An 'omap' is an ordered hash as defined in

http://yaml.org/type/omap.html

That is, it's an array of single-key hashes. This ordered hash contains the specifications for constructing and parsing a record preamble as defined in the name.uri file.

$ds->dir( [$dir] )

Sets and returns the dir attribute value if $dir is given, otherwise just returns the value.

If $dir is given, the directory must already exist.

Preamble accessors

The following methods set and return their respective attribute values if $value is given. Otherwise, they just return the value.

$ds->indicator( [$value] ); # from uri (length-characters)
$ds->keynum(    [$value] ); # from uri (length-base)
$ds->reclen(    [$value] ); # from uri (length-base)
$ds->thisfnum(  [$value] ); # from uri (length-base)
$ds->thisseek(  [$value] ); # from uri (length-base)
$ds->user(      [$value] ); # from uri (length-characters)

Other accessors

$ds->name(        [$value] ); # from uri, name of data store
$ds->desc(        [$value] ); # from uri, description of data store
$ds->recsep(      [$value] ); # from uri (character(s))
$ds->uri(         [$value] ); # full uri as is
$ds->preamblelen( [$value] ); # length of full preamble string
$ds->toclen(      [$value] ); # length of toc entry
$ds->keylen(      [$value] ); # length of stored keynum
$ds->keybase(     [$value] ); # base of stored keynum
$ds->fnumlen(     [$value] ); # length of stored file number
$ds->fnumbase(    [$value] ); # base of stored file number
$ds->regx(        [$value] ); # capturing regx for preamble string
$ds->datamax(     [$value] ); # maximum bytes in a data file
$ds->crud(        [$value] ); # hash ref, e.g.,

    {
       create => '+',
       update => '=',
       delete => '-'
    }

(translates logical actions into their symbolic indicators)

Optional accessors

$ds->dirmax(  [$value] ); # maximum files in a directory
$ds->dirlev(  [$value] ); # number of directory levels
$ds->tocmax(  [$value] ); # maximum toc entries
$ds->keymax(  [$value] ); # maximum key entries

If no dirmax, directories will keep being added to.

If no dirlev, toc, key, and data files will reside in top-level directory. If dirmax given, dirlev defaults to 1.

If no tocmax, there will be only one toc file, which will grow indefinitely.

If no keymax, there will be only one key file, which will grow indefinitely.

OBJECT METHODS, UTILITARIAN

howmany( [$regx] )

Returns count of records whose indicators match regx, e.g.,

$self->howmany( qr/create|update/ );
$self->howmany( qr/delete/ );
$self->howmany( qr/oldupd|olddel/ );

If no regx, howmany() returns numrecs from the toc file.

CAVEATS

This module is still in an experimental state. The tests and pod are sparse. When I start using it in production, I'll up the version to 1.00.

Until then (afterwards, too) please use with care.

TODO

- iteration
- cgi to analyze data store configuation (for uri to point to)
- more tests
- more pod

AUTHOR

Brad Baxter, <bbaxter@cpan.org>

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

Copyright (C) 2009 by Brad Baxter

This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself, either Perl version 5.8.8 or, at your option, any later version of Perl 5 you may have available.