diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'src/interfaces/python/README')
| -rw-r--r-- | src/interfaces/python/README | 719 |
1 files changed, 719 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/src/interfaces/python/README b/src/interfaces/python/README new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..751ba67235 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/interfaces/python/README @@ -0,0 +1,719 @@ + +PyGreSQL - v2.0: PostgreSQL module for Python +============================================== + +0. Copyright notice +=================== + + PyGreSQL, version 2.0 + A Python interface for PostgreSQL database. + Written by D'Arcy J.M. Cain, darcy@druid.net<BR> + Based heavily on code written by Pascal Andre, andre@chimay.via.ecp.fr. + Copyright (c) 1995, Pascal ANDRE (andre@via.ecp.fr) + + Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its + documentation for any purpose, without fee, and without a written agreement + is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice and this + paragraph and the following two paragraphs appear in all copies or in any + new file that contains a substantial portion of this file. + + IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE TO ANY PARTY FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, + SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, + ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE AND ITS DOCUMENTATION, EVEN IF THE + AUTHOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. + + THE AUTHOR SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED + TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR + PURPOSE. THE SOFTWARE PROVIDED HEREUNDER IS ON AN "AS IS" BASIS, AND THE + AUTHOR HAS NO OBLIGATIONS TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE, SUPPORT, UPDATES, + ENHANCEMENTS, OR MODIFICATIONS. + + Further modifications copyright 1997 by D'Arcy J.M. Cain (darcy@druid.net) + subject to the same terms and conditions as above. + +1. Presentation +=============== + +1.1. Introduction +----------------- + +PostgreSQL is a database system derived from Postgres4.2. It conforms to +(most of) ANSI SQL and offers many interesting capabilities (C dynamic linking +for functions or type definition, etc.). This package is copyright by the +Regents of the University of California, and is freely distributable. + +Python is a interpretated programming langage. It is object oriented, simple +to use (light syntax, simple and straighforward statements), and has many +extensions for building GUIs, interfacing with WWW, etc. An intelligent web +browser (HotJava like) is currently under development (november 1995), and +this should open programmers many doors. Python is copyrighted by Stichting S +Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and is freely distributable. + +PyGreSQL is a python module that interfaces to a PostgreSQL database. It +embeds the PostgreSQL query library to allow easy use of the powerful +PostgreSQL features from a Python script. + +PyGreSQL 2.0 was developed and tested on a NetBSD 1.3_BETA system. It is +based on the PyGres95 code written by Pascal Andre, andre@chimay.via.ecp.fr. +I changed the version to 2.0 and updated the code for Python 1.5 and +PostgreSQL 6.2.1. While I was at it I upgraded the code to use full ANSI +style prototypes and changed the order of arguments to connect. + + +1.2. Distribution files +----------------------- + + README - this file + Announce - announcement of this release + ChangeLog - changes that affected this package during its history + pgmodule.c - the C python module + pgext.py - PyGreSQL library + This file should go in your Python library directory. It + contains some interesting functions for pg use. All pg + function are imported in this file. + tutorial/ - demos directory + Content: basics.py, syscat.py, advanced.py, func.py and + pgtools.py. The samples here have been taken from the + PostgreSQL manual and were used for module testing. They + demonstrate some PostgreSQL features. Pgtools.py is an + add-in used for demonstation. + +1.3. Installation +----------------- + +You first have to get and build Python and PostgreSQL. You have to copy the +pgmodule.c file to the Python Modules directory and add the following line to +the Setup file there. + pg pgmodule.c -I[pg inc] -L[pg lib] -lpq +or, for a dynamic module: + pg [pg mod]pgmodule.c ../Objects/access.c -I[pg inc] -L[pg lib] -lpd +where: + pg mod - directory where you did put the module files + pg inc - path of the PostgreSQL include + pg lib - path of the PostgreSQL libraries + +Some options may be added to this line: + -DNO_DEF_VAR - no default variables support + -DNO_DIRECT - no direct access methods + -DNO_LARGE - no large object support + +These options will be described in the next sections. + + +1.4. Where to get ... ? +----------------------- + +The home sites of the differents packages are: + + - Python: ftp://ftp.python.org:/pub/python + - PosgreSQL: ftp://ftp.PostgreSQL.org/pub/postgresql-6.2.1.tar.gz + - PyGreSQL: ftp://ftp.druid.net/pub/contrib/pygresql-2.0.tgz + +1.5. Information and support +---------------------------- + +If you need information about these packages please check their web sites: + + - Python: http://www.python.org/ + - PyGres95: http://www.via.ecp.fr/via/products/pygres.html + - PyGreSQL: http://www.druid.net/pygresql/ + +For support: + + - Python: newgroup comp.lang.python + - PostgreSQL: mailing list (see package documentation for information) + - PyGres95: contact me (andre@via.ecp.fr) for bug reports, ideas, remarks + I will try to answer as long as my free time allow me to do + that. + - PyGreSQL: contact me (darcy@druid.net) concerning the changes to 2.0. + + +2. Programming information +========================== + +This module defines three objects: the pgobject that handles the connection +and all the requests to the database, the pglargeobject that handles +all the accesses to Postgres large objects and pgqueryobject that handles +query results. + +2.1. pg module description +---------------------------- + +The module defines only a few methods that allow to connect to a database and +to allow to define "default variables" that override the environment variables +used by PostgreSQL. + +These "default variables" were designed to allow you to handle general +connections parameters without heavy code in your programs. You can prompt the +user for a value, put it in the default variable, and forget it, without +having to modify environment. The support for default variables can be disabled +by setting the -DNO_DEF_VAR option in the Python Setup file. Methods relative +to this are specified by te tag [DV]. + +All variables are set to None at module initialisation, specifying that +standard environment variables should be used. + + 2.1.1. connect - opens a pg connection + ---------------------------------------- + + Syntax: + connect(dbname, host, port, opt, tty) + Parameters: + dbname - name of connected database (string/None) + host - name of the server host (string/None) + port - port used by the database server (integer/-1) + opt - connection options (string/None) + tty - debug terminal (string/None) + Return type: + pgobject - the object handling the connection + Exceptions raised: + TypeError - bad argument type, or too many arguments + SyntaxError - duplicate argument definition + pg.error - some error occured during pg connection definition + (+ all exceptions relative to object allocation) + Description: + This method opens a connection to a specified database on a given + PostgreSQL server. You can use keywords here, as described in the + Python tutorial; + the names of the keywords are the name of the parameters given in the + syntax line. For a precise description of the parameters, please refer to + the PostgreSQL user manual. + + 2.1.2. get_defhost, set_defhost - default server host name handling [DV] + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + Syntax: get_defhost() + Parameters: + none + Return type: + string, None - default host specification + Exceptions raised: + SyntaxError - too many arguments + Description: + This method returns the current default host specification, or None if the + environment variables should be used. Environment variables won't be looked + up. + + Syntax: set_defhost(host) + Parameters: + host - new default host (string/None) + Return type: + string, None - previous default host specification + Exceptions raised: + TypeError - bad argument type, or too many arguments + Description: + This methods sets the default host value for new connections. If None is + supplied as parameter, environment variables will be used in future + connections. It returns the previous setting for default host. + + 2.1.3. get_defport, set_defport - default server port handling [DV] + ------------------------------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: get_defport() + Parameters: none + Return type: + integer, None - default port specification + Exceptions raised: + SyntaxError - too many arguments + Description: + This method returns the current default port specification, or None if + the environment variables should be used. Environment variables won't + be looked up. + + Syntax: set_defport(port) + Parameters: + port - new default port (integer/-1) + Return type: + integer, None - previous default port specification + Description: + This methods sets the default port value for new connections. If -1 is + supplied as parameter, environment variables will be used in future + connections. It returns the previous setting for default port. + + 2.1.4. get_defopt, set_defopt - default connection options handling [DV] + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + Syntax: get_defopt() + Parameters: none + Return type: + string, None - default options specification + Exceptions raised: + SyntaxError - too many arguments + Description: + This method returns the current default connection options specification, + or None if the environment variables should be used. Environment variables + won't be looked up. + + Syntax: set_defopt(options) + Parameters: + options - new default connection options (string/None) + Return type: + string, None - previous default options specification + Exceptions raised: + TypeError - bad argument type, or too many arguments + Description: + This methods sets the default connection options value for new connections. + If None is supplied as parameter, environment variables will be used in + future connections. It returns the previous setting for default options. + + 2.1.5. get_deftty, set_deftty - default connection debug tty handling [DV] + -------------------------------------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: get_deftty() + Parameters: none + Return type: + string, None - default debug terminal specification + Exceptions raised: + SyntaxError - too many arguments + Description: + This method returns the current default debug terminal specification, or + None if the environment variables should be used. Environment variables + won't be looked up. + + Syntax: set_deftty(terminal) + Parameters: + terminal - new default debug terminal (string/None) + Return type: + string, None - previous default debug terminal specification + Exceptions raised: + TypeError - bad argument type, or too many arguments + Description: + This methods sets the default debug terminal value for new connections. If + None is supplied as parameter, environment variables will be used in future + connections. It returns the previous setting for default terminal. + + 2.1.6. get_defbase, set_defbase - default database name handling [DV] + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: get_defbase() + Parameters: none + Return type: + string, None - default database name specification + Exceptions raised: + SyntaxError - too many arguments + Description: + This method returns the current default database name specification, or + None if the environment variables should be used. Environment variables + won't be looked up. + + Syntax: set_defbase(base) + Parameters: + base - new default base name (string/None) + Return type: + string, None - previous default database name specification + Exceptions raised: + TypeError - bad argument type, or too many arguments + Description: + This methods sets the default database name value for new connections. If + None is supplied as parameter, environment variables will be used in + future connections. It returns the previous setting for default host. + + 2.1.7. Module constants + ----------------------- + + Some constants are defined in the module dictionnary. They are intended to be +used as parameters for methods calls. You should refer to PostgreSQL user +manual for more information about them. These constants are: + + - large objects access modes, used by (pgobject.)locreate and + (pglarge.)open: (pg.)INV_READ, (pg.)INV_WRITE, (pg.)INV_ARCHIVE + - positionnal flags, used by (pglarge.)seek: (pg.)SEEK_SET, + (pg.)SEEK_CUR, (pg.)SEEK_END. + +2.2. pgobject description +--------------------------- + + This object handle a connection to a PostgreSQL database. It embends and +hides all the parameters that define this connection, thus just leaving really +significant parameters in function calls. + Some methods give direct access to the connection socket. They are specified +by the tag [DA]. DO NOT USE THEM UNLESS YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. If +you prefer disabling them, set the -DNO_DIRECT option in the Python Setup file. + Some other methods give access to large objects (refer to PostgreSQL user +manual for more information about these). if you want to forbid access to these +from the module, set the -DNO_LARGE option in the Python Setup file. These +methods are specified by the tag [LO]. + + 2.2.1. query - executes a SQL command string + -------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: query(command) + Parameters: + command - SQL command (string) + Return type: + pgqueryobject, None - result values + Exceptions raised: + TypeError - bad argument type, or too many arguments. + ValueError - empty SQL query + pg.error - error during query processing, or invalid connection + Description: + This method simply sends a SQL query to the database. If the command does + not return a result (ie. is not a some kind of SELECT statement), it + returns None. Otherwise, it returns a pgqueryobject that can be + accessed via the getresult method or printed. + + pgqueryobject methods + --------------------- + + 2.2.1.1. getresult - gets the values returned by the query + ------------------------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: getresult() + Parameters: none + Return type: + list - result values + Exceptions raised: + SyntaxError - too many parameters + pg.error - invalid previous result + Description: + This method returns the list of the values returned by the last query. + More information about this result may be get using listfields, + fieldname and fiednum methods. All list elements are strings. + + 2.2.3. listfields - lists the fields names of the previous query result + ----------------------------------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: listfields() + Parameters: none + Return type: + list - fields names + Exceptions raised: + SyntaxError - too many parameters + pg.error - invalid previous result, or invalid connection + Description: + This method returns the list of names of the fields defined for the + query result. The fields are in the same order as the result values. + + 2.2.4. fieldname, fieldnum - field name-number conversion + --------------------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: fieldname(i) + Parameters: + i - field number (integer) + Return type: + string - field name + Exceptions raised: + TypeError - bad parameter type, or too many parameters + ValueError - invalid field number + pg.error - invalid previous result, or invalid connection + Description: + This method allows to find a field name from its rank number. It can be + useful for displaying a result. The fields are in the same order than the + result values. + + Syntax: fieldnum(name) + Parameters: + name - field name (string) + Return type: + integer - field number + Exceptions raised: + TypeError - bad parameter type, or too many parameters + ValueError - unknown field name + pg.error - invalid previous result, or invalid connection + Description: + This method returns a field number from its name. It can be used to + build a function that converts result list strings to their correct + type, using a hardcoded table definition. The number returned is the + field rank in the result values list. + + 2.2.5. getnotify - gets the last notify from the server + ------------------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: getnotify() + Parameters: none + Return type: + tuple, None - last notify from server + Exceptions raised: + SyntaxError - too many parameters + pg.error - invalid connection + Description: + This methods try to get a notify from the server (from the SQL statement + NOTIFY). If the server returns no notify, the methods retuns None. + Otherwise, it returns a tuple (couple) (relname, pid), where relname is the + name of the notify and pid the process id of the connection that triggered + the notify. + + 2.2.6. inserttable - insert a list into a table + ----------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: inserttable(table, values) + Parameters: + table - the table name (string) + values - list of rows values (list) + Return type: + None + Exception raised: + pg.error - invalid connection + TypeError - bad argument type, or too many arguments + Description: + This method allow to quickly insert large blocks of data in a table: it + inserts the whole values list into the given table. The list is a list of + tuples/lists that define the values for each inserted row. The rows values + may contain string, integer, long or double (real) values. + BE VERY CAREFUL: this method doesn't typecheck the fields according to the + table definition; it just look whether or not it knows how to handle such + types. + + 2.2.7. putline - writes a line to the server socket [DA] + -------------------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: putline(line) + Parameters: + line - line to be written (string) + Return type: + None + Exceptions raised: + pg.error - invalid connection + TypeError - bad parameter type, or too many parameters + Description: + This method allows to directly write a string to the server socket. + + 2.2.8. getline - gets a line from server socket [DA] + ---------------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: getline() + Parameters: none + Return type: + string - the line read + Exceptions raised: + pg.error - invalid connection + SyntaxError - too many parameters + Description: + This method allows to directly read a string from the server socket. + + 2.2.9. endcopy - synchronizes client and server [DA] + ---------------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: endcopy() + Parameters: none + Return type: + None + Exceptions raised: + pg.error - invalid connection + SyntaxError - too many parameters + Description: + The use of direct access methods may desynchonize client and server. This + method ensure that client and server will be synchronized. + + 2.2.10. locreate - creates of large object in the database [LO] + --------------------------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: locreate(mode) + Parameters: + mode - large object create mode + Return type: + pglarge - object handling the postgres large object + Exceptions raised: + pg.error - invalid connection, or creation error + TypeError - bad parameter type, or too many parameters + Description: + This method creates a large object in the database. The mode can be defined + by OR-ing the constants defined in the pg module (INV_READ, INV_WRITE and + INV_ARCHIVE). Please refer to PostgreSQL user manual for a description of + the mode values. + + 2.2.11. getlo - builds a large object from given oid [LO] + --------------------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: getlo(oid) + Parameters: + oid - oid of the existing large object (integer) + Return type: + pglarge - object handling the postgres large object + Exceptions raised: + pg.error - invalid connection + TypeError - bad parameter type, or too many parameters + ValueError - bad oid value (0 is invalid_oid) + Description: + This method allows to reuse a formerly created large object through the + pglarge interface, providing the user have its oid. + + 2.2.12. loimport - import a file to a postgres large object [LO] + ---------------------------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: loimport(name) + Parameters: + name - the name of the file to be imported (string) + Return type: + pglarge - object handling the postgres large object + Exceptions raised: + pg.error - invalid connection, or error during file import + TypeError - bad argument type, or too many arguments + Description: + This methods allows to create large objects in a very simple way. You just + give the name of a file containing the data to be use. + + 2.2.13. pgobject attributes + ----------------------------- + + Every pgobject defines a set of read-only attributes that describe the +connection and its status. These attributes are: + host - the hostname of the server (string) + port - the port of the server (integer) + db - the selected database (string) + options - the connection options (string) + tty - the connection debug terminal (string) + user - the username on the database system (string) + status - the status of the connection (integer: 1 - OK, 0 - BAD) + error - the last warning/error message from the server (string) + +2.3. pglarge description +-------------------------- + + This object handles all the request concerning a postgres large object. It +embends and hides all the 'recurrent' variables (object oid and connection), +exactly in the same way pgobjects do, thus only keeping significant +parameters in function calls. It keeps a reference to the pgobject used for +its creation, sending requests though with its parameters. Any modification but +dereferencing the pgobject will thus affect the pglarge object. +Dereferencing the initial pgobject is not a problem since Python won't +deallocate it before the large object dereference it. + All functions return a generic error message on call error, whatever the +exact error was. The 'error' attribute of the object allow to get the exact +error message. + + 2.3.1. open - opens a large object + ---------------------------------- + + Syntax: open(mode) + Parameters: + mode - open mode definition (integer) + Return type: + None + Exceptions raised: + pg.error - invalid connection + TypeError - bad parameter type, or too many parameters + IOError - already opened object, or open error + Description: + This method opens a large object for reading/writing, in the same way than + the UNIX open() function. The mode value can be obtained by OR-ing the + constants defined in the pgmodule (INV_READ, INV_WRITE). + + 2.3.2. close - closes a large object + ------------------------------------ + + Syntax: close() + Parameters: none + Return type: + None + Exceptions raised: + pg.error - invalid connection + SyntaxError - too many parameters + IOError - object is not opened, or close error + Description: + This method closes a previously opened large object, in the same way than + the UNIX close() function. + + 2.3.4. read, write, tell, seek, unlink - file like large object handling + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + Syntax: read(size) + Parameters: + size - maximal size of the buffer to be read + Return type: + sized string - the read buffer + Exceptions raised: + pg.error - invalid connection or invalid object + TypeError - bad parameter type, or too many parameters + IOError - object is not opened, or read error + Description: + This function allows to read data from a large object, starting at current + position. + + Syntax: write(string) + Parameters: + (sized) string - buffer to be written + Return type: + None + Exceptions raised: + pg.error - invalid connection or invalid object + TypeError - bad parameter type, or too many parameters + IOError - object is not opened, or write error + Description: + This function allows to write data to a large object, starting at current + position. + + Syntax: seek(offset, whence) + Parameters: + offset - position offset + whence - positionnal parameter + Return type: + integer - new position in object + Exception raised: + pg.error - invalid connection or invalid object + TypeError - bad parameter type, or too many parameters + IOError - object is not opened, or seek error + Description: + This method allows to move the position cursor in the large object. The + whence parameter can be obtained by OR-ing the constants defined in the + pg module (SEEK_SET, SEEK_CUR, SEEK_END). + + Syntax: tell() + Parameters: none + Return type: + integer - current position in large object + Exception raised: + pg.error - invalid connection or invalid object + SyntaxError - too many parameters + IOError - object is not opened, or seek error + Description: + This method allows to get the current position in the large object. + + Syntax: unlink() + Parameter: none + Return type: + None + Exception raised: + pg.error - invalid connection or incaid object + SyntaxError - too many parameters + IOError - object is not closed, or unlink error + Description: + This methods unlinks (deletes) the postgres large object. + + 2.3.5. size - gives the large object size + ----------------------------------------- + + Syntax: size() + Parameters: none + Return type: + integer - large object size + Exceptions raised: + pg.error - invalid connection or invalid object + SyntaxError - too many parameters + IOError - object is not opened, or seek/tell error + Description: + This (composite) method allows to get the size of a large object. Currently + the large object needs to be opened. It was implemented because this + function is very useful for a WWW interfaced database. + + 2.3.6. export - saves a large object to a file + ---------------------------------------------- + + Syntax: export(name) + Parameters: + name - file to be created + Return type: + None + Exception raised: + pg.error - invalid connection or invalid object + TypeError - bad parameter type, or too many parameters + IOError - object is not closed, or export error + Description: + This methods allows to dump the content of a large object in a very simple + way. The exported file is created on the host of the program, not the + server host. + + 2.3.7. Object attributes + ------------------------ + + pglarge objects define a read-only set of attributes that allow to get some +information about it. These attributes are: + oid - the oid associated with the object + pgcnx - the pgobject associated with the object + error - the last warning/error message of the connection +BE CAREFUL: in multithreaded environments, 'error' may be modified by another +thread using the same pgobject. Remember these object are shared, not +duplicated. You should provide some locking to be able if you want to check +this. + The oid attribute is very interesting because it allow you reuse the oid +later, creating the pglarge object with a pgobject getlo() method call. |