<reference id="ref.dba">
  <title>Database (dbm-style) abstraction layer functions</title>
  <titleabbrev>dba</titleabbrev>

  <partintro>
   <para>
    These functions build the foundation for accessing Berkeley DB style
    databases.

   <para>
    This is a general abstraction layer for several file-based databases. As
    such, functionality is limited to a subset of features modern databases
    such as <ulink url="&url.sleepycat;">Sleepycat Software's DB2</ulink>
    support. (This is not to be confused with IBM's DB2 software, which is
    supported through the <link linkend="ref.odbc">ODBC functions</link>.)

   <para>
    The behaviour of various aspects depend on the implementation of the
    underlying database. Functions such as <function>dba_optimize</function>
    and <function>dba_sync</function> will do what they promise for one
    database and will do nothing for others.

   <para>
    The following handlers are supported:

    <itemizedlist>
     <listitem><simpara>
      dbm is the oldest (original) type of Berkeley DB style databases. You
      should avoid it, if possible. We do not support the compatibility
      functions built into DB2 and gdbm, because they are only compatible on
      the source code level, but cannot handle the original dbm format.

     <listitem><simpara>
      ndbm is a newer type and more flexible than dbm. It still has most of the
      arbitrary limits of dbm (therefore it is deprecated).

     <listitem><simpara>
      gdbm is the <ulink url="&url.gdbm;">GNU database manager</ulink>.

     <listitem><simpara>
      db2 is <ulink url="&url.sleepycat;">Sleepycat Software's DB2</ulink>. It
      is described as "a programmatic toolkit that provides high-performance
      built-in database support for both standalone and client/server
      applications."
     
     <listitem><simpara>
      cdb is "a fast, reliable, lightweight package for creating and reading
      constant databases." It is from the author of qmail and can be found
      <ulink url="&url.cdb;">here</ulink>. Since it is constant, we support
      only reading operations.

    </itemizedlist>

   <para>
    <example>
     <title>DBA example</title>
     <programlisting>
&lt;?php

$id = dba_open("/tmp/test.db", "n", "db2");

if(!$id) {
    echo "dba_open failed\n";
    exit;
}

dba_replace("key", "This is an example!", $id);

if(dba_exists("key", $id)) {
    echo dba_fetch("key", $id);
    dba_delete("key", $id);
}

dba_close($id);
?&gt;
</programlisting></example>

   <para>
    DBA is binary safe and does not have any arbitrary limits. It inherits all
    limits set by the underlying database implementation.

   <para>
    All file-based databases must provide a way of setting the file mode of a
    new created database, if that is possible at all. The file mode is commonly
    passed as the fourth argument to <function>dba_open</function> or
    <function>dba_popen</function>.

   <para>
    You can access all entries of a database in a linear way by using the
    <function>dba_firstkey</function> and <function>dba_nextkey</function>
    functions. You may not change the database while traversing it. 
    
   <para>
    <example>
     <title>Traversing a database</title>
     <programlisting>
&lt;?php

# ...open database...

$key = dba_firstkey($id);

while($key != false) {
    if(...) { # remember the key to perform some action later
        $handle_later[] = $key;
    }
    $key = dba_nextkey($id);
}

for($i = 0; $i &lt; count($handle_later); $i++)
    dba_delete($handle_later[$i], $id);

?&gt;
</programlisting></example>

  </partintro>

  <refentry id="function.dba-close">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>dba_close</refname>
    <refpurpose>Close database</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcdef>void <function>dba_close</function></funcdef>
     <paramdef>int <parameter>handle</parameter></paramdef>
    </funcsynopsis>

    <para>
     <function>dba_close</function> closes the established database and frees
     all resources specified by <parameter>handle</parameter>.

    <para>
     <parameter>handle</parameter> is a database handle returned by
     <function>dba_open</function>.

    <para>
     <function>dba_close</function> does not return any value.

    <para>
     See also:
     <function>dba_open</function>
     <function>dba_popen</function>
     
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.dba-delete">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>dba_delete</refname>
    <refpurpose>Delete entry specified by key</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcdef>string <function>dba_delete</function></funcdef>
     <paramdef>string <parameter>key</parameter></paramdef>
     <paramdef>int <parameter>handle</parameter></paramdef>
    </funcsynopsis>

    <para>
     <function>dba_delete</function> deletes the entry specified by
     <parameter>key</parameter> from the database specified with
     <parameter>handle</parameter>.

    <para>
     <parameter>key</parameter> is the key of the entry which is deleted.

    <para>
     <parameter>handle</parameter> is a database handle returned by
     <function>dba_open</function>.

    <para>
     <function>dba_delete</function> returns true or false, if the entry is
     deleted or not deleted, respectively.

    <para>
     See also:
     <function>dba_exists</function>
     <function>dba_fetch</function>
     <function>dba_insert</function>
     <function>dba_replace</function>
     
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.dba-exists">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>dba_exists</refname>
    <refpurpose>Check whether key exists</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcdef>bool <function>dba_exists</function></funcdef>
     <paramdef>string <parameter>key</parameter></paramdef>
     <paramdef>int <parameter>handle</parameter></paramdef>
    </funcsynopsis>

    <para>
     <function>dba_exists</function> checks whether the specified
     <parameter>key</parameter> exists in the database specified by
     <parameter>handle</parameter>.

    <para>
     <parameter>key</parameter> is the key the check is performed for.

    <para>
     <parameter>handle</parameter> is a database handle returned by
     <function>dba_open</function>.

    <para>
     <function>dba_exists</function> returns true or false, if the key is found
     or not found, respectively.

    <para>
     See also:
     <function>dba_fetch</function>
     <function>dba_delete</function>
     <function>dba_insert</function>
     <function>dba_replace</function>
     
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.dba-fetch">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>dba_fetch</refname>
    <refpurpose>Fetch data specified by key</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcdef>string <function>dba_fetch</function></funcdef>
     <paramdef>string <parameter>key</parameter></paramdef>
     <paramdef>int <parameter>handle</parameter></paramdef>
    </funcsynopsis>

    <para>
     <function>dba_fetch</function> fetches the data specified by
     <parameter>key</parameter> from the database specified with
     <parameter>handle</parameter>.

    <para>
     <parameter>key</parameter> is the key the data is specified by.

    <para>
     <parameter>handle</parameter> is a database handle returned by
     <function>dba_open</function>.

    <para>
     <function>dba_fetch</function> returns the associated string or false, if
     the key/data pair is found or not found, respectively.

    <para>
     See also:
     <function>dba_exists</function>
     <function>dba_delete</function>
     <function>dba_insert</function>
     <function>dba_replace</function>
     
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.dba-firstkey">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>dba_firstkey</refname>
    <refpurpose>Fetch first key</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcdef>string <function>dba_firstkey</function></funcdef>
     <paramdef>int <parameter>handle</parameter></paramdef>
    </funcsynopsis>

    <para>
     <function>dba_firstkey</function> returns the first key of the database
     specified by <parameter>handle</parameter> and resets the internal key
     pointer. This permits a linear search through the whole database.

    <para>
     <parameter>handle</parameter> is a database handle returned by
     <function>dba_open</function>.

    <para>
     <function>dba_firstkey</function> returns the key or false depending on
     whether it succeeds or fails, respectively.

    <para>
     See also:
     <function>dba_nextkey</function>
     
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.dba-insert">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>dba_insert</refname>
    <refpurpose>Insert entry</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcdef>bool <function>dba_insert</function></funcdef>
     <paramdef>string <parameter>key</parameter></paramdef>
     <paramdef>string <parameter>value</parameter></paramdef>
     <paramdef>int <parameter>handle</parameter></paramdef>
    </funcsynopsis>

    <para>
     <function>dba_insert</function> inserts the entry described with
     <parameter>key</parameter> and <parameter>value</parameter> into the
     database specified by <parameter>handle</parameter>. It fails, if an entry
     with the same <parameter>key</parameter> already exists.

    <para>
     <parameter>key</parameter> is the key of the entry to be inserted.

    <para>
     <parameter>value</parameter> is the value to be inserted.

    <para>
     <parameter>handle</parameter> is a database handle returned by
     <function>dba_open</function>.

    <para>
     <function>dba_insert</function> returns true or false, depending on
     whether it succeeds of fails, respectively.

    <para>
     See also:
     <function>dba_exists</function>
     <function>dba_delete</function>
     <function>dba_fetch</function>
     <function>dba_replace</function>
     
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.dba-nextkey">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>dba_nextkey</refname>
    <refpurpose>Fetch next key</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcdef>string <function>dba_nextkey</function></funcdef>
     <paramdef>int <parameter>handle</parameter></paramdef>
    </funcsynopsis>

    <para>
     <function>dba_nextkey</function> returns the next key of the database
     specified by <parameter>handle</parameter> and increments the internal
     key pointer. 

    <para>
     <parameter>handle</parameter> is a database handle returned by
     <function>dba_open</function>.

    <para>
     <function>dba_nextkey</function> returns the key or false depending on
     whether it succeeds or fails, respectively.

    <para>
     See also:
     <function>dba_firstkey</function>
     
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.dba-popen">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>dba_popen</refname>
    <refpurpose>Open database persistently</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcdef>int <function>dba_popen</function></funcdef>
     <paramdef>string <parameter>path</parameter></paramdef>
     <paramdef>string <parameter>mode</parameter></paramdef>
     <paramdef>string <parameter>handler</parameter></paramdef>
     <paramdef><parameter><optional>...</optional></parameter></paramdef>
    </funcsynopsis>

    <para>
     <function>dba_popen</function> establishes a persistent database instance
     for <parameter>path</parameter> with <parameter>mode</parameter> using
     <parameter>handler</parameter>.

    <para>
     <parameter>path</parameter> is commonly a regular path in your filesystem.

    <para>
     <parameter>mode</parameter> is "r" for read access, "w" for read/write
     access to an already existing database, "c" for read/write access
     and database creation if it doesn't currently exist, and "n" for
     create, truncate and read/write access.

    <para>
     <parameter>handler</parameter> is the name of the handler which shall be
     used for accessing <parameter>path</parameter>. It is passed all optional
     parameters given to <function>dba_popen</function> and can act on behalf
     of them.

    <para>
     <function>dba_popen</function> returns a positive handler id or false, in
     the case the open is successful or fails, respectively.

    <para>
     See also:
     <function>dba_open</function>
     <function>dba_close</function>
     
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.dba-open">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>dba_open</refname>
    <refpurpose>Open database</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcdef>int <function>dba_open</function></funcdef>
     <paramdef>string <parameter>path</parameter></paramdef>
     <paramdef>string <parameter>mode</parameter></paramdef>
     <paramdef>string <parameter>handler</parameter></paramdef>
     <paramdef><parameter><optional>...</optional></parameter></paramdef>
    </funcsynopsis>

    <para>
     <function>dba_open</function> establishes a database instance for
     <parameter>path</parameter> with <parameter>mode</parameter> using
     <parameter>handler</parameter>.

    <para>
     <parameter>path</parameter> is commonly a regular path in your filesystem.

    <para>
     <parameter>mode</parameter> is "r" for read access, "w" for read/write
     access to an already existing database, "c" for read/write access
     and database creation if it doesn't currently exist, and "n" for
     create, truncate and read/write access.

    <para>
     <parameter>handler</parameter> is the name of the handler which shall be
     used for accessing <parameter>path</parameter>. It is passed all optional
     parameters given to <function>dba_open</function> and can act on behalf of
     them.

    <para>
     <function>dba_open</function> returns a positive handler id or false, in
     the case the open is successful or fails, respectively.

    <para>
     See also:
     <function>dba_popen</function>
     <function>dba_close</function>
     
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.dba-optimize">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>dba_optimize</refname>
    <refpurpose>Optimize database</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcdef>bool <function>dba_optimize</function></funcdef>
     <paramdef>int <parameter>handle</parameter></paramdef>
    </funcsynopsis>

    <para>
     <function>dba_optimize</function> optimizes the underlying database
     specified by <parameter>handle</parameter>.

    <para>
     <parameter>handle</parameter> is a database handle returned by
     <function>dba_open</function>.

    <para>
     <function>dba_optimize</function> returns true or false, if the
     optimization succeeds or fails, respectively.

    <para>
     See also:
     <function>dba_sync</function>
     
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.dba-replace">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>dba_replace</refname>
    <refpurpose>Replace or insert entry</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcdef>bool <function>dba_replace</function></funcdef>
     <paramdef>string <parameter>key</parameter></paramdef>
     <paramdef>string <parameter>value</parameter></paramdef>
     <paramdef>int <parameter>handle</parameter></paramdef>
    </funcsynopsis>

    <para>
     <function>dba_replace</function> replaces or inserts the entry described
     with <parameter>key</parameter> and <parameter>value</parameter> into the
     database specified by <parameter>handle</parameter>. 

    <para>
     <parameter>key</parameter> is the key of the entry to be inserted.

    <para>
     <parameter>value</parameter> is the value to be inserted.

    <para>
     <parameter>handle</parameter> is a database handle returned by
     <function>dba_open</function>.

    <para>
     <function>dba_replace</function> returns true or false, depending on
     whether it succeeds of fails, respectively.

    <para>
     See also:
     <function>dba_exists</function>
     <function>dba_delete</function>
     <function>dba_fetch</function>
     <function>dba_insert</function>
     
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.dba-sync">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>dba_sync</refname>
    <refpurpose>Synchronize database</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcdef>bool <function>dba_sync</function></funcdef>
     <paramdef>int <parameter>handle</parameter></paramdef>
    </funcsynopsis>

    <para>
     <function>dba_sync</function> synchronizes the database specified by
     <parameter>handle</parameter>. This will probably trigger a physical write
     to disk, if supported.

    <para>
     <parameter>handle</parameter> is a database handle returned by
     <function>dba_open</function>.

    <para>
     <function>dba_sync</function> returns true or false, if the
     synchronization succeeds or fails, respectively.

    <para>
     See also:
     <function>dba_optimize</function>
     
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>
 </reference>