Re: get_info (was: Common DBI Driver Test Suite - Requirements)

On 28/09/2013 17:01, Tim Bunce wrote:
> On Fri, Sep 27, 2013 at 09:12:09AM +0100, Martin J. Evans wrote:
>> On 26/09/13 23:29, Tim Bunce wrote:
>
>>> I'm expecting that one of the side-effects of DBIT will be a great
>>> improvement in support for get_info by drivers. That'll be a win for all.
>>
>> It definitely is a win. I can't even begin to tell you the pain I had
>> writing DBD neutral code just for ODBC, Oracle, DB2, mysql and
>> postgres. We persevered for some time but ended up with so much of the
>> class methods overridden we ended up with effectively 5 different
>> applications - although it did not look like it from the front. Once
>> you include the SQL as well - it really is not fun and although I
>> don't use DBIx::Class myself, it must be quite a piece of code. It
>> will be so much nicer to do:
>
>> if ($h->get_info(parameters_need_colons)) {
>>    do this
>> } else {
>>    do this
>> }
>>
>> than
>>
>> if ($h->{driver} eq 'Oracle' || $h->{driver} eq 'postres') blah blah
>
> So, Martin, would you be interested in starting a little side-project
> to propose an extension to the DBI spec for get_info()?

yes, of course.

> It's likely that DBIT will feed into that work, but there's clearly a
> need beyond DBIT and you've clearly got (painful) experience to draw on :)

so true.

> I suggest drawing up a list of things you'd like get_info to provide
> info about (as you did informally in a recent email) then compare that
> list with the those provided by the ANSI/ODBC standard to see which are
> already covered.

will do.


> Somewhat independant of that, I'd like to identify a set of get_info
> items that we recommend all drivers define.
>
> Tim.
>

I've added it to my TO_DO list. By all means pester me is you hear nothing.

Martin
-- 
Martin J. Evans
Wetherby, UK