Re: Conf: argue !

On 25 Feb 2005 at 13:52, Manuel Holtgrewe wrote:

> Wim Niemans ri schrieb:
> > On 23 Feb 2005 at 0:22, Manuel Holtgrewe wrote:
> > 
> > Config_values form a tree. Trees are hierarchies and by-default hard to 
> > implement in a relational model because they don't adhere to that.
> 
> Oh, they adhere perfectly. The relational model handles them well, too. 

Oh please, Manuel. Give me a chance to understand what you're saying.
You are suggesting that there is something commonly known as 'the 
relational model'. I do know about at least 3 slightly different versions. 
Can you explain what you mean by 'the relational model' ?

> The only weak spot in the relational model is the implementation and 
> specification of SQL: If SQL would implement the relational model, it 
> would be easy to use, easier to implement and smell less of hacks.
> 
> Read Fabian Pascal's "Practical Issues In Database Management" about a 
> short but pretty complete explanation of that topic.

This is definitive not the first book written on the subject. The topics 
covered rised already in early 1970 when mr. Codd introduced SQL and the 
relational approach of massive data. Apperently human mankind didn't 
manage to overcome the restrictions and/or is just starting to understand 
the full impact of his paper.

And...eeeh...did you notice that the proposal for the table in the draft 
is just a complete normalization of conf_values (excluding future 
additions offcourse) ?
The essence of it all is that there is a key to a config_value: call it 
path or otherwise.

> > From current code of Conf:, method get(path):
> > $assign='return $this->domains'."['".str_replace('/',"']['",$path)."'];";
> > return eval($assign);
> > 
> Okay, so it seems to be simple to expand the data in the database into a 
> PHP array tree.

At the current technology level, yes, it's simple. But anybody is invited 
to come up with a simpler or faster solution.
And, to be honest, that we have to build a php array from it SUCKS.
It's a restriction that is introduced by the way conf_values are handled 
in BC.

wim niemans