Data::Package::SQLite - A data package for a SQLite database

  ### Creating a SQLite data package

  package My::Data;

  use strict;
  use base 'Data::Package::SQLite';

  sub sqlite_locate { file => '/var/cache/mydata.sqlite' }

  1;

  ### Using your SQLite data package

  use My::Data;

  # Default data access
  $dbh = My::Data->get;

  # ... or if you want to be explicit
  $dbh = My::Data->get('DBI::db');

One of the best ways to distribute medium-sized (100k - 100meg) packages containing datasets is using SQLite databases.

It allows you to have full SQL access to your data, and you can still provide the data as a single file that does not need user/password access and provides it's own security model (tied to filesystem access).

Data::Package::SQLite is a Data::Package sub-class for providing simplified read-only access to these databases in the form of a DBI connection handle, without the caller needing to know anything about where the data is actually stored.

Although the primary interface when using a Data::Package::SQLite module should be the same as for any other Data::Package module, some additional methods are defined for people creating their own sub-classes of Data::Package::SQLite.

The sqlite_dsn method return a valid DBI dsn for the creation of the database handle. For any Data::Package::SQLite package that you get a database handle from, the sqlite_dsn method will always return the location of the database that was loaded.

When creating a sub-class, you should not return this directly, but are encouraged to instead define your own sqlite_file or even better your own sqlite_location.

Returns a DSN string, or throws an exception on error.

  sub sqlite_file { '/var/cache/my_class/data.sqlite' }

The sqlite_file method returns the location of the SQLite file to be loaded.

Please note that the fact a file name is returned by this method does not necesarily mean it exists, because in some cases incorrect file names can be generated, or a sub-class might defined this method (incorrectly) directly.

Returns a file path string, or throws an exception in some error situations.

  # A general file location somewhere
  sub sqlite_location { file => '/var/cache/my_class/data.sqlite' }

  # The default data.sqlite for a distribution
  sub sqlite_location { dist_file => 'My-Dist' }

  # A specific file for a distribution
  sub sqlite_location { dist_file => 'My-Dist', 'sqlite.db' }

  # The default data.sqlite for a module
  sub sqlite_location { module_file => 'My::Module' }

  # A specific file for a module
  sub sqlite_location { module_file => 'My::Module', 'sqlite.db' }

The sqlite_location method is the primary method for sub-classes to specify the location of the SQLite database file.

It should return a simple 2-3 element list, consisting of a location type and 1 or more location values.

The sqlite_location method currently accepts 3 location types.

file

Mostly provides a direct pass-through to sqlite_file.

Takes a second param of the location of the file as a simple string.

dist_file

The dist_file option provides access to the functionality provided by the File::ShareDir function dist_file.

It takes two additional values, the name of the distribution and the name of the file within the dist dir.

If the file name is not provided, a default value of data.sqlite is used.

module_file

The module_file option provides access to the functionality provided by the File::ShareDir function module_file.

It takes two additional values, the name of the module and the name of the file within the dist dir.

If the file name is not provided, a default value of data.sqlite is used.

If not provided, the default implementation of sqlite_location will return ( module_file => $class ), where $class is the name of the Data::Package::SQLite sub-class.

Bugs should be always be reported via the CPAN bug tracker at:

http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Data-Package-SQLite

For other issues, contact the author.

Adam Kennedy <adamk@cpan.org>

Data::Package, DBD::SQLite, http://ali.as/

Copyright 2006 Adam Kennedy.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

The full text of the license can be found in the LICENSE file included with this module.