Re: Bulk insert/delete (Re: [CDBI] Re: Make CDBI go fast)

Michael Schwern suggested:
>>> * A bulk insert method
>>> * A bulk delete method
>>>
>>> Calling ->insert over and over again is inefficient. Having to load
>>> an object only to delete it is even worse. Bulk insert and delete
>>> methods would be handy.

Ed Sabol replied:
>> For some reason, I just don't like the sound of these methods. I would
>> suggest going the CDBI::Plugin route with them instead. Not everything needs
>> to be in the core module.

Michael Schwern asked:
> Got anything more specific about why you don't like it?

I suppose it's mostly a philosophical objection. They stray a little too far
outside the "one CDBI object == one row in the database" paradigm that is
Class::DBI's strength. I strongly suspect that's why Tony deprecated the
Class->delete() method as well.

I think they would make for a fine Plugin though. Just not one I see needing
personally. I'm using creating/inserting single objects at a time. When I'm
loading a table up in bulk, I don't use CDBI.

Michael Schwern:
> If nothing else a bulk insert would be faster because it does not have to
> create return a new object at the end. In fact, insert() could be made to be
> more efficient in void context.

I have no objection to making insert() more efficient when called in void
context. That sounds better to me than the bulk_insert() method you
suggested, and I suspect the improvement in speed would be comparable.

Perrin wrote:
> Bulk inserts don't see to come up too often, and for bulk deletes I
> just write the sql.  I actually find set_sql to be just fine for more
> complex tasks.

I agree with Perrin here. For bulk deletes, I would just use SQL with a
suitable WHERE clause. Something like Class::DBI::AbstractSearch but for
deletes could be useful, however. (Class::DBI::AbstractDelete anyone? Should
be pretty straightforward.)

Michael, you might want to check out Class::DBI::Plugin::FastDelete:

http://search.cpan.org/author/NEKOKAK/Class-DBI-Plugin-FastDelete/lib/Class/DBI/Plugin/FastDelete.pm