Looking for a FlatFile database driver for PHP

Hi group,

Introduction:
I need access to database-functionality for a project.
The problem is I cannot be sure that a database exists on all places where I
need to run the code.
I can only expect PHP to be installed on all the intranets where the
software runs.

So to mimic some databasefunctionality I first thought to use plain files to
store the data. Or maybe write away my datastructures serialized.
That is a bit cumbersome, but can be done.
Things would be nicer for if I could use real SQL.

My question:
So I wondered if there is some way for me to use real SQL-statements on a
flatfile. If that is possible I would really safe me a lot of trouble.
In that way I can use real SQL and do not expect my customers to have to
install mySQL or Postgres.

I hope I make sense. :-)

TIA,
Erwin Moller

Erwin Moller wrote:

> I need access to database-functionality for a project.
> The problem is I cannot be sure that a database exists on all places where I
> need to run the code.
> I can only expect PHP to be installed on all the intranets where the
> software runs.
>
> So I wondered if there is some way for me to use real SQL-statements on a
> flatfile. If that is possible I would really safe me a lot of trouble.
> In that way I can use real SQL and do not expect my customers to have to
> install mySQL or Postgres.

Have a look at this:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/fsql

Now sure how well it works since I've never tried. The README file has
some documentation about what is supported and how to use it.

--
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PHP POSTERS: Please use comp.lang.php for PHP related questions,
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With total disregard for any kind of safety measures Erwin Moller
<since_humans_read_this_I_am_spammed_too_much@spam yourself.com>
leapt forth and uttered:

> Hi group,
>
> Introduction:
> I need access to database-functionality for a project.
> The problem is I cannot be sure that a database exists on all
> places where I need to run the code.
> I can only expect PHP to be installed on all the intranets where
> the software runs.
>
> So to mimic some databasefunctionality I first thought to use
> plain files to store the data. Or maybe write away my
> datastructures serialized. That is a bit cumbersome, but can be
> done. Things would be nicer for if I could use real SQL.
>
> My question:
> So I wondered if there is some way for me to use real
> SQL-statements on a flatfile. If that is possible I would
> really safe me a lot of trouble. In that way I can use real SQL
> and do not expect my customers to have to install mySQL or
> Postgres.
>
> I hope I make sense. :-)
>
> TIA,
> Erwin Moller

Have you looked into PEAR::DBA @ http://pear.php.com/DBA ?

It's a file-based database system that uses either the Berkeley DB
driver extention (if available) or a flatfile-based alternative.
Berkeley DB's are a very stable form of file storage, read the
blurb for yourself at http://www.sleepycat.com/

Also there is PEAR::DBA_Relational
(http://pear.php.net/DBA_Relational) which enables you to use the
above system in a relational database fashion. Complete with stuff
like query joins and other handy things.

--
There is no signature.....

Erwin Moller <since_humans_read_this_I_am_spammed_too_much@spam yourself.com> wrote in message news:<3fd73bd3$0$213$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl>...

<snip>

> My question:
> So I wondered if there is some way for me to use real SQL-statements on a
> flatfile. If that is possible I would really safe me a lot of trouble.
> In that way I can use real SQL and do not expect my customers to have to
> install mySQL or Postgres.

1. "Text DB" http://www.c-worker.ch/txtdbapi/index_eng.php
2. SQLite http://in.php.net/sqlite (if you're provided)

--
"There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who
take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less
competition there." -- Indira Gandhi
Email: rrjanbiah-at-Y!com

Hello,

> My question:
> So I wondered if there is some way for me to use real SQL-statements on a
> flatfile. If that is possible I would really safe me a lot of trouble.
> In that way I can use real SQL and do not expect my customers to have to
> install mySQL or Postgres.

You may want to take a look at this solution written in pure PHP as you
want. It provides support to execute the usual SQL queries SELECT,
UPDATE, INSERT and DELETE, as were CREATE and DROP tables. It is
probably not very fast but is what you asked for.

Class: Perfect Database File
http://www.phpclasses.org/pdbf

--

Regards,
Manuel Lemos

Free ready to use OOP components written in PHP
http://www.phpclasses.org/

Hi all,

Thanks a lot for all your suggestions!
I was afraid to get negative responses or none at all (The worst).
:-)

I am looking into it right now.
Thanks!

Regards,
Erwin Moller

R. Rajesh Jeba Anbiah wrote:

> Erwin Moller
> <snip>
>
>> My question:
>> So I wondered if there is some way for me to use real SQL-statements on a
>> flatfile. If that is possible I would really safe me a lot of trouble.
>> In that way I can use real SQL and do not expect my customers to have to
>> install mySQL or Postgres.
>
> 1. "Text DB" http://www.c-worker.ch/txtdbapi/index_eng.php
> 2. SQLite http://in.php.net/sqlite (if you're provided)
>


Thanks Rajesh,

I found number 1 extremely usefull and userfriendly.

"Text DB" http://www.c-worker.ch/txtdbapi/index_eng.php

Regards,
Erwin

Since "Text DB" is extremely slow, I would reccomend taking a look at
txtSQL (http://txtsql.sf.net) support for a subset of SQL is on the
way. The plus is that it's much quicker than Text DB
(http://chibiguy.dotgeek.org/benchmark.htm)

FarazAli wrote:
> Since "Text DB" is extremely slow, I would reccomend taking a look at
> txtSQL (http://txtsql.sf.net) support for a subset of SQL is on the
> way. The plus is that it's much quicker than Text DB
> (http://chibiguy.dotgeek.org/benchmark.htm)

Nice work. But, looks like that we need to go for another
wrapper--incase if we did code with direct queries
<http://txtsql.sourceforge.net/content/docs/index.php?f=29>

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