Description
Book SynopsisOne of the greatest strengths of the Perl programming language is its ability to manipulate large amounts of data. Database programming is therefore a natural fit for Perl, not only for business applications but also for CGI-based web and intranet applications. The primary interface for database programming in Perl is DBI. DBI is a database-independent package that provides a consistent set of routines regardless of what database product you use--Oracle, Sybase, Ingres, Informix, you name it. The design of DBI is to separate the actual database drivers (DBDs) from the programmer's API, so any DBI program can work with any database, or even with multiple databases by different vendors simultaneously. Programming the Perl DBI is coauthored by Alligator Descartes, one of the most active members of the DBI community, and by Tim Bunce, the inventor of DBI. For the uninitiated, the book explains the architecture of DBI and shows you how to write DBI-based programs. For the experienced DBI dabbler, this book reveals DBI's nuances and the peculiarities of each individual DBD. The book includes: *An introduction to DBI and its design *How to construct queries and bind parameters *Working with database, driver, and statement handles *Debugging techniques *Coverage of each existing DBD *A complete reference to DBI This is the definitive book for database programming in Perl.
Trade Review'The book is very well written with frequent examples. It certainly maintained my interest from beginning to end. I mirrored the authors' examples with my own MySQL databases and had no problems. I learnt SQL as well. If you need to interact with databases and you have access to Perl, then this book is a must.' - Mick Farmer, news@UK, June 2000
Table of ContentsPreface. 1. Introduction From Mainframes to Workstations Perl DBI in the Real World A Historical Interlude and Standing Stones. 2. Basic Non-DBI Databases Storage Managers and Layers Query Languages and Data Functions Standing Stones and the Sample Database Flat-File Databases Putting Complex Data into Flat Files Concurrent Database Access and Locking DBM Files and the Berkeley Database Manager The MLDBM Module Summary. 3. SQL and Relational Databases The Relational Database Methodology Datatypes and NULL Values Querying Data Modifying Data Within Tables Creating and Destroying Tables. 4. Programming with the DBI DBI Architecture Handles Data Source Names Connection and Disconnection Error Handling Utility Methods and Functions. 5. Interacting with the Database Issuing Simple Queries Executing Non-SELECT Statements Binding Parameters to Statements Binding Output Columns do( ) Versus prepare( ) Atomic and Batch Fetching. 6. Advanced DBI Handle Attributes and Metadata Handling LONG/LOB Data Transactions, Locking, and Isolation. 7. ODBC and the DBI ODBC-Embraced and Extended DBI-Thrashed and Mutated The Nuts and Bolts of ODBC ODBC from Perl The Marriage of DBI and ODBC Questions and Choices Moving Between Win32::ODBC and the DBI And What About ADO? 8. DBI Shell and Database Proxying dbish-The DBI Shell Database Proxying A. DBI Specification B. Driver and Database Characteristics C. ASLaN Sacred Site Charter Index
