Re: [boost] database library (was Report from Berlin C++ Standards Committee meeting)

From: Maciej Sobczak (prog_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-04-14 13:05:23

Hi,

>>Just a quick note that the SOCI database library has been progressing 
>>nicely.
>> 
>>http://soci.sourceforge.net/ 
>> 
>>We are not yet at the point where we are ready to submit to boost, 
>>but we are moving in that direction. 
> 
> Hi Steve - 
>  
> Thanks very much for the update.  I had looked at SOCI awhile back (was 
> there a CUJ article?), but it's progressed very nicely since then.

There was an article published in DDJ. And indeed, SOCI has progressed a 
lot since then. :)

The main line of progress was to refactor the library in a way that 
extracts the database-specific code in the form of "plugin" with the 
obvious goal of allowing many such plugins (we call them backends). 
Indeed, we have 4 backends and it looks like some significant database 
servers are already targeted (Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite).

> To me it 
> looks like it is on exactly the right course: clean C++ user interface, 
> extensibility for user types, ability to build 'drivers' for individual 
> databases.

Yes, these are the driving forces.

> What exactly are you planning on adding before the Boost 
> submission?

At least one backend allowing to target what is traditionally considered 
to be a Microsoft part of the world. ODBC backend would be most generic, 
but we will of course also welcome contributions that can talk to 
particular servers in their native way, which is currently the case for 
all existing backends (jaw-dropping performance gains were reported by 
our users after switching from ODBC-related solutions to SOCI with Oracle).

> Error handling is the only thing that springs to mind looking at 
> the docs

Yes, that's one of the things that can be more elaborated. Currently, 
there's a single exception type (additionally specialized for Oracle) 
for reporting all errors.

> I'd really like to encourage you'all to think about making a submission to 
> the committee.

Thank you very much for this encouragement.
As already said - we are looking for contributors with ODBC competences. 
Before having the ODBC backend it will be difficult to get wider 
acceptance than some of the competing libraries already have.

> As Beman said, it doesn't need to be perfect.

SOCI is not perfect. It's only the best. ;-)

> The only way 
> to make it happen is to have a plan and get organized over the next few 
> months to write up the proposal before the Oct meeting.  Even if you aren't 
> able to come to Portland to present the proposal one of us that is there can 
> help with that aspect. 

Thanks again. :)

---
Maciej Sobczak
http://www.msobczak.com/