NAME

Class::AutoDB::Collection - Schema information for one collection

SYNOPSIS

This is a helper class for Class::AutoDB::Registry which represents the schema information for one collection.

use Class::AutoDB::Registration;
use Class::AutoDB::Collection;
my $registration=new Class::AutoDB::Registration
  (-class=>'Person',
   -collection=>'Person',
   -keys=>qq(name string, dob integer, significant_other object, 
             friends list(object)),
   -transients=>[qw(age)],
   -auto_gets=>[qw(significant_other)]);

my $collection=new Class::AutoDB::Collection
  (-name=>'Person',-register=>$registration);

# Get the object's attributes
my $name=$collection->name; 
my $keys=$collection->keys;            # hash of key=>type pairs
my $tables=$collection->tables;        # Class::AutoDB::Table objects 
                                       #   that implement this collection 

my @sql=$collection->schema;           # SQL statements to create collection
my @sql=$collection->schema('create'); # same as above
my @sql=$collection->schema('drop');   # SQL statements to drop collection
my @sql=$collection->schema('alter',$diff); 
                                       # SQL statements to alter collection
                                       #   ($diff is CollectionDiff object)

DESCRIPTION

This class represents processed registration information for one collection. Registrations are fed into the class via the 'register' method which combines the information to obtain a single hash of key=>type pairs. It makes sure that if the same key is registered multiple times, it has the same type each time. It further processes the information to determine the database tables needed to implement the collection, and the SQL statements needed to create, and drop those tables. It also has the ability to compare its current state to a Class::AutoDB::CollectionDiff object and generate the SQL statements needed to alter the current schema the new one.

This class does not talk to the database.