NAME

ObjStore - Perl Extension For ObjectStore OODBMS

SYNOPSIS

Like perl? Sick of SQL? Ready to try something new? This extension implements databases that look exactly like normal perl. The same can also be extended with arbitrary C++ objects (!).

PREREQUISITES

- ObjectStore 5.1 (see http://www.odi.com; evaluations are available!)

- Perl 5.005 (5.004_04 might still work too)

- Tree::Fat perl extension

- ExtUtils::ExCxx (only needed on Digital UNIX, HP (5.x), OS/2 (3.x), or MS Windows NT/95; send email)

See http://www.perl.com/CPAN/authors/id/JPRIT/ !

IS THIS PERL ONLY?

On Mon, 21 Sep 1998 tp@mccall.com wrote: > I was sort of hoping I'd be able to use perl to write quick-and-dirty data > manipulation scripts to mess around with my databases that are used by my > C++ applications. I don't know if I'd ever need that, but it sounded like > a useful thing to have in the toolbox, so to speak.

My experience with ObjectStore is that it is very low-level. This is an advantage for applications that require the highest level of performance. However, there is nothing that I do with databases that needs such extreme degrees of optimization.

Rather, I value ease of use and ease of change slightly above raw performance. When I designed the perl interface, I was always trying to optimize for these priorities. For example, I decided to start with a generic schema. This gained some big advantages: All perl databases are compatible. All perl databases will never require schema evolution. All perl databases can be edited with a standard perl shell.

Even so, ObjectStore's recent support of DLL schemas allows the seemless integration of application specific C++ objects. For example, a code generator is available (ObjStore-REP-HashRecord) that creates optimized records (ordered, typed list of fields like a C structure). Recently, I also got PDL properly integrated (ObjStore-Lib-PDL). PDL is a perl extension for matrix mathematics.

I believe the uncommon ability to integrate with everything at the lowest level (C) while still remaining maximally generic is unique among database architectures.

R!CENT CHANGES

** 11-05-98 RELEASE 1.50

- Fixed order of PUTBACK/POPSTACK.

** 11-04-98 RELEASE 1.49

- Stargate reengineering for ObjStore::Lib::PDL.

- MIN_PERL_DEFINE clean up for 5.005_53.

- Various API improvements. Safer safe_rv(). osp_pathexam fixes.

- Safer typemap code. Added debugging mode for dynacasts. Resolved serious name conflict by renaming ObjStore::Server to ObjStore::ServerInfo (Gack!!).

- Various tweaks & fixes.

** 10-13-98 RELEASE 1.48

- The transient memory leak is finally fixed!! A patch for 5.005_02 is bundled with this distribution (see patches/leak.fix). The patch is also planned to be included by default in 5.005_5x.

- Many updates for Event 0.20+.

- Integrated osp_keypack1 into the API.

- Reduced maximum number of keys from eight to four.

see ./INSTALL for hints on installation see ./UPGRADE if you are starting from a prior releases see ./TODO for a list of stuff in the tuit queue see ./CHANGES for a visionary perspective

Send any questions or comments to perl-objectstore@parallax.co.uk.

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------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1997-1998 Joshua Nathaniel Pritikin. All rights reserved.

This package is free software and is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty. It may be used, redistributed and/or modified under the terms of the Perl Artistic License (see http://www.perl.com/perl/misc/Artistic.html)

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