=head1 NAME

ObjStore - Perl Extension For C<ObjectStore> OODBMS

=head1 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 (!).


=head1 PREREQUISITES

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

- Perl 5.005_03 or 5.005_5x

- 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/ !


=head1 IS THIS FOR GENERIC C++ OBJECTSTORE OR ONLY PERL?

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 common, generic schema.  This gained some big advantages: All
perl databases are compatible.  All perl databases will never
I<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 (L<ObjStore-REP-HashRecord>)
that creates optimized records (ordered, typed tuple of fields -- like
a C structure declaration).  Recently, I also got PDL properly
integrated (L<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 and easy to
query is unique among database architectures.


=head1 R!CENT CHANGES


** 01-12-99 RELEASE 1.52

- Split FatTree representation into a separate tarball.

- Added ObjStore::REP::Splash::ObjAV, an array that stores only
pointers to composites.

- Fixed growth heuristics for Splash representations.

- More correct integration between C code & perl for APIs with a
variable number of arguments.

- Partially factored tests into ObjStore::Test.

- Updates for Event 0.29.

- Delete some already deprecated code.


** 11-23-98 RELEASE 1.51

- Added more assertions to the API.  A new (transient) memory leak
debugging mode is available.  See ObjStore::MakeMaker.

- os_smart_object tweaks for ObjStore-Lib-PDL.

- Fixed a bug that caused the save-stack to become corrupted during
exceptions.  Yikes!

- Fixed transient memory leak trigger when an SV holding a persistent
object has non-transaction scope.

- Minor fixes to qtposh.


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.

If you'd like to subscribe to the mailing list, send email to
majordomo@parallax.co.uk.  Thanks!

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Copyright © 1997-1999 Joshua Nathaniel Pritikin.  All rights reserved.

This package is free software and is provided "as is" without express
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under the terms of the Perl Artistic License (see
http://www.perl.com/perl/misc/Artistic.html)