DbFramework is a collection of classes for manipulating DBI databases.
The classes are loosely based on the CDIF Data Model Subject Area.

This module will help you to

  - Present data model objects (tables, columns) as HTML
  - Add persistency to your Perl objects
  - Manipulate DBI databases through an HTML forms interface

See the POD for further details.

paul@miraclefish.com

Prerequisites
=============

  Alias
  Pod::Usage
  CGI
  DBI 1.06 or later
  Msql-Mysql-modules-1.21_15 or later
  Text::FillIn
  ePerl (for dbforms.cgi)

Installation
============

  1) Ensure you have installed the prerequisites above.

  2)  perl Makefile.PL
	Select each DBD driver you wish to test DbFramework against.
      make
      make test
	You will need permission to create the databases 'dbframework_test'
	and 'dbframework_catalog' for each DBI driver you chose to test.
      make install

To use forms/dbforms.cgi, install it in a CGI directory then 'perldoc
forms/dbforms.cgi'.

DbFramework has been successfully built and tested on (at least) the
following configurations:

	   RedHat Linux 5.1
		Mysql 3.22.14-gamma
		Msql 2.0.8


History
=======

28-03-1999                  Paul Sharpe                  <paul@miraclefish.com>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RELEASE 1.07

Highlights
==========
  + Support for Msql (and potentially all DBI drivers.)
  + Improved template support.

= API
  Attribute::
    -- BUG FIXES
	- as_html_form_field() was producing invalid HTML for date fields.
    - as_html_heading() now takes $bgcolor argument.
  Catalog.pm (NEW CLASS)
  DataModel::
    - new() now takes data source name to move away from dependence on Mysql.
    - init_db_metadata() now needs to be called explicity (not called in
      new()).
    - New methods driver() and db().
  DataType::ANSII:: (NEW CLASS)
  DataType/Mysql:: (NEW CLASS)
  ForeignKey::
    -- BUG FIX
       - as_html_form_field() was using pk attribute names to select
         defaults in select field.  Should use fk attribute names.
  Table::
    - read_form now takes ($name,$path) arguments.
    - get_dbh() now takes data source name to move away from dependence on
      Mysql.
  Persistent::
    - New method init_pk()
    - New method table_qualified_attribute_hashref()
    - Removed method fill_template().  Templates now handled by Template.pm.
    - select() now takes extra argument $order.
  PrimaryKey::
    - New method as_query_string()
    - html_select_field() sets null value labels to the string 'NULL'.
  Table::
    -- BUG FIXES
      - insert() should only try to insert values which are defined.
      - Don't try to update columns where the value is undefined.
      - as_html_heading() required more specific pattern match.
      - Quoting in insert() and update() required type to correctly quote
        numeric fields.
      - new() was using wrong argument in belongs_to()

    - new() now takes optional DataModel argument
    - New method belongs_to()
    - get_attribute_names renamed attribute_names()
    - New method select_loh()
    - @columns in select() and select_loh() can contain references to
      database functions to be applied to the column.
    - removed methods set_templates(), read_form() and fill_templates()
      as template handling is now done in Template.pm
    - as_html_heading() now adds one heading for each key attribute.
    - insert() returns -1 for non auto increment columns.
  Template:: (NEW CLASS)
  Util::
    - Removed get_db() as it was Mysql specific.  The database name can
      be retrieved from DbFramework::DataModel::db
    - New sub do_sql()
    - get_dbh() now takes data source name to move away from
      dependence on Mysql.

= Makefile.PL configures drivers to test at 'make test' stage.

= dbforms.cgi
  - Now accepts DBI driver CGI parameter (default is Mysql.)

= Overhaul of test scripts.


12-1-1999                   Paul Sharpe                  <paul@miraclefish.com>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RELEASE 1.06

= UI
  Default input templates now produce 'datasheet' view.

= API
  Attribute::
    - New method as_html_heading()
  Key::
    - New method as_html_heading()
  PrimaryKey::
    - New method as_html_heading()
  Table::
    - New method as_html_heading()


6-1-1999                    Paul Sharpe                  <paul@miraclefish.com>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RELEASE 1.05

= INTERFACE
  Table
    - New method dbh($dbh) (added pod for AUTOLOAD() method)
    = Improved form and template support
      - new() now takes list of forms rather than template definitions and
        evals configuration from config.pl files.
      - New method read_form()
      - More pod  
  - Default output templates now handle foreign keys by replacing them
    with columns from the related table.
  - <DbValue> template tag can now contain a list of attributes to be
    substituted for values.
  dbforms.cgi
    - fills values from related table for foreign keys in default
      output template.
    - Now handles user-defined forms.

18-Dec-1998                 Paul Sharpe                  <paul@miraclefish.com>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RELEASE 1.04

= INTERFACE
  ForeignKey
    - New method as_html_form_field(\%values)
  Table
    - as_html_form() now returns fields for foreign keys too.
    - fill_template() now creates selection boxes for <DbFKey> tags.

= dbforms.cgi
  New experimental UI separating search and modify.
  Catches and displays SQL errors.

11-Dec-1998                 Paul Sharpe                  <paul@miraclefish.com>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RELEASE 1.03
- Bug fixes.

11-Dec-1998                 Paul Sharpe                  <paul@miraclefish.com>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RELEASE 1.02
- dbforms.cgi HTML forms application
- Bug fixes: Table::select(), Attribute::as_html_form_field()
- INTERFACE
  *_h_byname() methods take an array rather than an arrayref
  Persistent
    - New method make_class()
    - New method fill_template()
    - New method as_html_form()
    - fill_template() now takes $name argument
  Table
    - New method in_foreign_key()
    - as_html_form() doesn't return <FORM></FORM> container so doesn't
      require $action argument.
    - New method in_key()
    - New method in_primary_key()
    - New method in_any_key()
    - New method non_key_attributes()
    - Removed method html_pk_select_field()
    - New attribute/methods HAS_FOREIGN_KEYS_H
    - fill_template() now supports <DbFKey table.name> placeholders.
  Key
    - New method belongs_to()
    - new() now takes a reference to a hash of templates.
    - fill_template() now takes a template name and reference to a hash of
      values.
    - templates() removed
    - New method set_templates()
    - New method bgcolor()
  Attribute
    - New method _input_template()
    - New method _output_template()
    - New method bgcolor()
  PrimaryKey
    - New method html_select_field()

26-Nov-1998                 Paul Sharpe                  <paul@miraclefish.com>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RELEASE 1.01 (FIRST PUBLIC RELEASE)


To do
=====
* Tue Jan 12, 1999
  BUG - dbforms.cgi/Persistent.pm can't update columns in the pk e.g. where an
        attribute in the pk is a fk

* Fri Jan 8, 1999
  BUG - >1 fk relating to the same pk table in a single table is not
       handled by dbforms.cgi
  
4/1/1999
  - User-defined templates specify attributes to be used for foreign keys
    and ordering
  - Allow relationships between the same table (in different roles).
    Needs documenting

* Make Bundle::DbFramework

* Schema grammar
  - might be better off using Jeeves (from the Panther book)
  - should handle relationships of degree >2
  - could be CDIF compliant

* Attributes of relationships should be stored so that full schema
  including attributes of relationships can be built from meta-data.

* add support for UNIQUE columns (different to ordinary KEYs)

* make primary key in grammar optional (1:1 relationships) 

* make relationships optional in grammar