CPAN::SQLite::Search - perform queries on the database

  my $max_results = 200;
  my $query = CPAN::SQLite::Search->new(db_dir => $db_dir,
                                        db_name => $db_name,
                                        max_results => $max_results);
  $query->query(mode => 'module', name => 'Net::FTP');
  my $results = $query->{results};

This module queries the database via various types of queries and returns the results for subsequent display. The CPAN::SQLite::Search object is created via the new method as

  my $query = CPAN::SQLite::Search->new(db_dir => $db_dir,
                                        db_name => $db_name,
                                        max_results => $max_results);

which takes as arguments

* db_dir => $db_dir

This is the directory where the database file is stored. This is optional if the CPAN option is given.

* CPAN => $CPAN

This option specifies the cpan_home directory of an already configured CPAN.pm, which is where the database file will be stored if db_dir is not given.

* max_results => $max_results

This is the maximum value used to limit the number of results returned under a user query. If not specified, a value contained within CPAN::SQLite::Search will be used.

A basic query then is constructed as

   $query->query(mode => $mode, $type => $value);

with the results available as

   my $results = $query->{results}

There are three basic modes:

* module

This is for information on modules.

* dist

This is for information on distributions.

* author

This is for information on CPAN authors or cpanids.

For a mode of module, dist, and author, there are four basic options to be used for the $type => $value option:

* query => $query_term

This will search through module names, distribution names, or CPAN author names and ids (for module, dist, and author modes respectively). The results are case insensitive, and Perl regular expressions for the $query_term are recognized.

* name => $name

This will report exact matches (in a case sensitive manner) for the module name, distribution name, or CPAN author id, for module, dist, and author modes respectively.

* id => $id

This will look up information on the primary key according to the mode specified. This is more for internal use, to help speed up queries; using this "publically" is probably not a good idea, as the ids may change over the course of time.

After making the query, the results can be accessed through

  my $results = $query->{results};

No results either can mean no matches were found, or else an error in making the query resulted (in which case, a brief error message is contained in $query->{error}). Assuming there are results, what is returned depends on the mode and on the type of query. See CPAN::SQLite::Populate for a description of the fields in the various tables listed below - these fields are used as the keys of the hash references that arise.

* name or id query

This returns the auth_id, cpanid, email, and fullname of the auths table. As well, an array reference $results->{dists} is returned representing all distributions associated with that cpanid - each member of the array reference is a hash reference describing the dist_id, dist_name, dist_abs, dist_vers, and dist_file fields in the dists table. An additional entry, download, is supplied, which can be used as $CPAN/authors/id/$download to specify the url of the distribution.

* query query

If this results in more than one match, an array reference is returned, each member of which is a hash reference containg the auth_id, cpanid, and fullname fields. If there is only one result found, a name query based on the matched cpanid is performed.

* name or id query

This returns the mod_id, mod_name, mod_abs, mod_vers, dslip, chapterid, dist_id, dist_name, dist_file, auth_id, cpanid, fullname, and email of the auths, mods, and dists tables. As well, the following entries may be present.

* download

This can be used as $CPAN/authors/id/$download to specify the url of the distribution.

* dslip_info

If dslip is available, an array reference dslip_info is supplied, each entry being a hash reference. The hash reference contains two keys - desc, whose value is a general description of the what the dslip entry represents, and what, whose value is a description of the entry itself.

* query query

If this results in more than one match, an array reference is returned, each member of which is a hash reference containing the mod_id, mod_name, mod_abs, mod_abs, dist_vers, dist_abs, auth_id, cpanid, dist_id, dist_name, and dist_file. As well, a download field which can be used as $CPAN/authors/id/$download to specify the url of the distribution is provided. If there is only one result found, a name query based on the matched mod_name is performed.

* name or id query

This returns the dist_id, dist_name, dist_abs, dist_vers, dist_file, size, birth, auth_id, cpanid, and fullname of the auths, mods, and dists tables. As well, the following entries may be present.

* download

This can be used as $CPAN/authors/id/$download to specify the url of the distribution.

* mods

This is an array reference containing information on the modules present. Each entry is a hash reference containing the mod_id, mod_name, mod_abs, mod_vers, and dslip fields for the module.

* dslip and dslip_info

If the module name and distribution name are related by s/::/-, the dslip and dslip_info entries for that module are returned.

* query query

If this results in more than one match, an array reference is returned, each member of which is a hash reference containing the dist_id, dist_name, dist_abs, dist_file, and cpanid fields. As well, a download field which can be used as $CPAN/authors/id/$download to specify the url of the distribution is provided. If there is only one result found, a name query based on the matched dist_name is performed.

CPAN::SQLite::Populate.

Randy Kobes (passed away on September 18, 2010)

Serguei Trouchelle <stro@cpan.org>

Copyright 2006,2008 by Randy Kobes <r.kobes@uwinnipeg.ca>.

Copyright 2011 by Serguei Trouchelle <stro@cpan.org>.

Use and redistribution are under the same terms as Perl itself.