# SQL::Eval - phpMan

## NAME
    [SQL::Eval] - Base for deriving evaluation objects for [SQL::Statement]

## SYNOPSIS
        require [SQL::Statement];
        require [SQL::Eval];

        # Create an SQL statement; use a concrete subclass of
        # [SQL::Statement]
        my $stmt = MyStatement->new("SELECT * FROM foo, bar",
                                    [SQL::Parser]->new('Ansi'));

        # Get an eval object by calling open_tables; this
        # will call [MyStatement::open_table]
        my $eval = $stmt->open_tables($data);

        # Set parameter 0 to 'Van Gogh'
        $eval->param(0, 'Van Gogh');
        # Get parameter 2
        my $param = $eval->[param(2)];

        # Get the [SQL::Eval::Table] object referring the 'foo' table
        my $fooTable = $eval->table('foo');

## DESCRIPTION
    This module implements two classes that can be used for deriving
    subclasses to evaluate [SQL::Statement] objects. The [SQL::Eval] object can
    be thought as an abstract state engine for executing SQL queries and the
    [SQL::Eval::Table] object is a table abstraction. It implements methods
    for fetching or storing rows, retrieving column names and numbers and so
    on. See the "test.pl" script as an example for implementing a subclass.

    While reading on, keep in mind that these are abstract classes, you
    *must* implement at least some of the methods described below. In
    addition, you need not derive from [SQL::Eval] or [SQL::Eval::Table], you
    just need to implement the method interface.

    All methods throw a Perl exception in case of errors.

  Method interface of [SQL::Eval]
    new     Constructor; use it like this:

                $eval = [SQL::Eval]->new(\%attr);

            Blesses the hash ref \%attr into the [SQL::Eval] class (or a
            subclass).

    param   Used for getting or setting input parameters, as in the SQL
            query

                INSERT INTO foo VALUES (?, ?);

            Example:

                $eval->param(0, $val);        # Set parameter 0
                $eval->[param(0)];              # Get parameter 0

    params  Used for getting or setting the complete array of input
            parameters. Example:

                $eval->params($params);       # Set the array
                $eval->params();              # Get the array

    table   Returns or sets a table object. Example:

                $eval->table('foo', $fooTable);  # Set the 'foo' table object
                $eval->table('foo');             # Return the 'foo' table object

    column  Return the value of a column with a given name; example:

                $col = $eval->column('foo', 'id');  # Return the 'id' column of
                                                    # the current row in the
                                                    # 'foo' table

            This is equivalent to and a shorthand for

                $col = $eval->table('foo')->column('id');

    _gen_access_fastpath
            Return a subroutine reference for fast accessing columns for
            read-only access. This routine simply returns the
            "_gen_access_fastpath" of the referenced table.

  Method interface of [SQL::Eval::Table]
    new     Constructor; use it like this:

                $eval = [SQL::Eval::Table]->new(\%attr);

            Blesses the hash ref \%attr into the [SQL::Eval::Table] class (or
            a subclass).

            The following attributes are used by "[SQL::Eval::Table]":

            col_names   Array reference containing the names of the columns
                        in order they appear in the table. This attribute
                        must be provided by the derived class.

            col_nums    Hash reference containing the column names as keys
                        and the column indexes as values. If this is omitted
                        (does not exist), it will be created from
                        "col_names".

            capabilities
                        Hash reference containing additional capabilities.

            _gen_access_fastpath
                        Return a subroutine reference for fast accessing
                        columns for read-only access. When the instantiated
                        object does not provide own methods for "column" and
                        "column_num" a subroutine reference is returned
                        which directly access the internal data structures.
                        For all other cases a subroutine directly calling
                        "$self->column($_[0])" is returned.

    row     Used to get the current row as an array ref. Do not confuse
            getting the current row with the fetch_row method! In fact this
            method is valid only after a successful "$table->fetchrow()".
            Example:

                $row = $table->row();

    column  Get the column with a given name in the current row. Valid only
            after a successful "$table->fetchrow()". Example:

                $col = $table->column($colName);

    column_num
            Return the number of the given column name. Column numbers start
            with 0. Returns undef, if a column name is not defined, so that
            you can use this for verifying column names. Example:

                $colNum = $table->column_num($colNum);

    col_nums
            Returns an hash ref of column names with the column names as
            keys and the column indexes as the values.

    col_names
            Returns an array ref of column names ordered by their index
            within the table.

    capability
            Returns a boolean value whether the table has the specified
            capability or not. This method might be overridden by derived
            classes, but ensure that in that case the parent capability
            method is called when the derived class does not handle the
            requested capability.

            The following capabilities are used (and requested) by
            [SQL::Statement]:

            update_one_row
                        Defines whether the table is able to update one
                        single row. This capability is used for backward
                        compatibility and might have (depending on table
                        implementation) several limitations. Please
                        carefully study the documentation of the table or
                        ask the author of the table, if this information is
                        not provided.

                        This capability is evaluated automatically on first
                        request and must not be handled by any derived
                        classes.

            update_specific_row
                        Defines if the table is able to update one single
                        row, but keeps the original content of the row to
                        update.

                        This capability is evaluated automatically on first
                        request and must not be handled by derived classes.

            update_current_row
                        Defines if the table is able to update the currently
                        touched row. This capability requires the capability
                        of "inplace_update".

                        This capability is evaluated automatically on first
                        request and must not be handled by derived classes.

            rowwise_update
                        Defines if the table is able to do row-wise updates
                        which means one of "update_one_row",
                        "update_specific_row" or "update_current_row". The
                        "update_current_row" is only evaluated if the table
                        has the "inplace_update" capability.

                        This capability is evaluated automatically on first
                        request and must not be handled by derived classes.

            inplace_update
                        Defines if an update of a row has side effects
                        (capability is not available) or can be done without
                        harming any other currently running task on the
                        table.

                        Example: The table storage is using a hash on the
                        "PRIMARY KEY" of the table. Real perl hashes do not
                        care when an item is updated while the hash is
                        traversed using "each". "SDBM_File" 1.06 has a bug,
                        which does not adjust the traversal pointer when an
                        item is deleted.

                        "[SQL::Statement::RAM::Table]" recognizes such
                        situations and adjusts the traversal pointer.

                        This might not be possible for all implementations
                        which can update single rows.

                        This capability could be provided by a derived class
                        only.

            delete_one_row
                        Defines whether the table can delete one single row
                        by it's content or not.

                        This capability is evaluated automatically on first
                        request and must not be handled by derived classes.

            delete_current_row
                        Defines whether a table can delete the current
                        traversed row or not. This capability requires the
                        "inplace_delete" capability.

                        This capability is evaluated automatically on first
                        request and must not be handled by derived classes.

            rowwise_delete
                        Defines if any row-wise delete operation is provided
                        by the table. "row-wise" delete capabilities are
                        "delete_one_row" and "delete_current_row".

                        This capability is evaluated automatically on first
                        request and must not be handled by derived classes.

            inplace_delete
                        Defines if the deletion of a row has side effects
                        (capability is not available) or can be done without
                        harming any other currently running task on the
                        table.

                        This capability should be provided by a derived
                        class only.

            insert_new_row
                        Defines if a table can easily insert a new row
                        without need to seek or truncate. This capability is
                        provided by defining the table class method
                        "insert_new_row".

                        This capability is evaluated automatically on first
                        request and must not be handled by derived classes.

            If the capabilities *rowwise_update* and *insert_new_row* are
            provided, the table primitive "push_row" is not required anymore
            and may be omitted.

    The above methods are implemented by [SQL::Eval::Table]. The following
    methods are not, so that they *must* be implemented by the subclass. See
    the "[DBD::DBM::Table]" or "[DBD::CSV::Table]" for example.

    drop    Drops the table. All resources allocated by the table must be
            released after "$table-"drop($data)>.

    fetch_row
            Fetches the next row from the table. Returns "undef", if the
            last row was already fetched. The argument $data is for private
            use of the subclass. Example:

                $row = $table->fetch_row($data);

            Note, that you may use

                $row = $table->row();

            for retrieving the same row again, until the next call of
            "fetch_row".

            "[SQL::Statement]" requires that the last fetched row is available
            again and again via "$table-"row()>.

    push_row
            As fetch_row except for storing rows. Example:

                $table->push_row($data, $row);

    push_names
            Used by the *CREATE TABLE* statement to set the column names of
            the new table. Receives an array ref of names. Example:

                $table->push_names($data, $names);

    seek    Similar to the seek method of a filehandle; used for setting the
            number of the next row being written. Example:

                $table->seek($data, $whence, $rowNum);

            Actually the current implementation only uses "seek($data, 0,
            0)" (first row) and "seek($data, 2, 0)" (beyond last row, end of
            file).

    truncate
            Truncates a table after the current row. Example:

                $table->truncate($data);

## INTERNALS
    The current implementation is quite simple: An [SQL::Eval] object is an
    hash ref with only two attributes. The "params" attribute is an array
    ref of parameters. The "tables" attribute is an hash ref of table names
    (keys) and table objects (values).

    [SQL::Eval::Table] instances are implemented as hash refs. Attributes used
    are "row" (the array ref of the current row), "col_nums" (an hash ref of
    column names as keys and column numbers as values) and "col_names", an
    array ref of column names with the column numbers as indexes.

## MULTITHREADING
    All methods are working with instance-local data only, thus the module
    is reentrant and thread safe, if you either do not share handles between
    threads or grant serialized use.

## BUGS
    Please report any bugs or feature requests to "bug-sql-statement at
    rt.cpan.org", or through the web interface at
    <<http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=SQL-Statement>>. I will
    be notified, and then you will automatically be notified of progress on
    your bug as I make changes.

## SUPPORT
    You can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command.

        perldoc [SQL::Eval]
        perldoc [SQL::Statement]

    You can also look for information at:

    *   RT: CPAN's request tracker

        <<http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/Bugs.html?Dist=SQL-Statement>>

    *   AnnoCPAN: Annotated CPAN documentation

        <<http://annocpan.org/dist/SQL-Statement>>

    *   CPAN Ratings

        <<http://cpanratings.perl.org/s/SQL-Statement>>

    *   Search CPAN

        <<http://search.cpan.org/dist/SQL-Statement/>>

## AUTHOR AND COPYRIGHT
    Written by Jochen Wiedmann and currently maintained by Jens Rehsack.

    This module is Copyright (C) 1998 by

        Jochen Wiedmann
        Am Eisteich 9
        72555 Metzingen
        Germany

        Email: <joe@ispsoft.de>
        Phone: +49 7123 14887

    and Copyright (C) 2009, 2017 by

         Jens Rehsack < rehsackATcpan.org>

    All rights reserved.

    You may distribute this module under the terms of either the GNU General
    Public License or the Artistic License, as specified in the Perl README
    file.

## SEE ALSO
    SQL::[Statement(3)]

