DBIx::DataModel::Meta::Association - meta-information about an association
# create the assoc.; best called through $meta_schema->define_association(..) my $association = new ( schema => $meta_schema, A => { table => $meta_table_instance, role => $role_name, # optional multiplicity => $multiplicity_spec, # ex. "1..*" join_cols => [$col1, ...] # optional }, B => $B_association_end, # same structure as 'A' name => $association_name, #optional kind => $kind, # one of : Association, Aggregation, Composition ); # example my $path = $association->path_AB; #
An instance of this class represents a UML association between two instances of DBIx::DataModel::Meta::Source::Table.
The association also creates instances of DBIx::DataModel::Meta::Path for representing the directional paths between those sources. Perl methods are created within the DBIx::DataModel::Meta::Path class, so Perl symbol tables are not touched by the present class.
Constructor method. Normally this will be called indirectly through
$meta_schema->define_association(%args)
because the "define_association" in DBIx::DataModel::Meta::Schema method automatically adds its own invocant (the $meta_schema) into %args.
$meta_schema
%args
Named arguments to new() are :
new()
An instance of DBIx::DataModel::Meta::Schema.
A description of the first association end, which is composed of
An instance of DBIx::DataModel::Meta::Source::Table.
The role name of that source within the association. A Perl method of the same name will be defined in the remote source (the other end of the association). Besides, the role name is also used when building joins through
$schema->join(qw/FirstTable role1 role2 .../)
One of the role names in the association can be anonymous (undef), but not both. If anonymous, there will be no Perl method and no possibility to join in that direction, so it defines a unidirectional association.
The multiplicity specification, i.e. the minimum and maximum number of occurrences of that association end, for any given instance of the other end (if not clear, see UML textbooks).
The multiplicity can be expressed either as an arrayref [$min, $max], or as a string "$min..$max". The $max can be '*' or 'n', which is interpreted as the maximum integer value. If expressed as a string, a mere '*' is interpreted as '0..*', and a mere '1' is interpreted as '1..1'.
[$min, $max]
"$min..$max"
$max
'*'
'n'
'0..*'
'1'
'1..1'
An arrayref of columns that participate in the database join, for this side of the association. The full database join will be built by creating a LEFT|INNER JOIN ... ON .. clause in which the left-hand and right-hand sides of the ON subclause come from the join_cols of both association ends.
LEFT|INNER JOIN ... ON ..
ON
join_cols
This argument is optional: if absent, it will be filled by default by taking the primary key of the table with minimum multiplicity 1, for both sides of the association.
If the association is many-to-many (i.e. if the maximum multiplicity is greater than 1 on both sides), then join_cols takes a special meaning : it no longer represents database columns, but rather represents two role names (in the sense just defined above) to follow for reaching the remote end of the association. Therefore join_cols must contain exactly 2 items in that case : the path to the intermediate table, and the path from the intermediate table to the remote end. Here is again the example from "SYNOPSIS" in DBIx::DataModel :
My::Schema->define_association( kind => 'Association', A => { table => My::Schema::Department->metadm, role => 'departments', multiplicity => '*', join_cols => [qw/activities department/], }, B => { table => My::Schema::Employee->metadm, role => 'employees', multiplicity => '*', join_cols => [qw/activities employee/], }, );
A description of the second association end, following exactly the same principles as for the 'A' end.
'A'
Optional name for the association (otherwise an implicit name will be built by default from the concatenation of the role names).
A string describing the association kind, i.e. one of : Association, Aggregation or Composition.
Association
Aggregation
Composition
Special behaviour is attached to the kind Composition :
the multiplicity must be 1-to-n
the 'B' end of the association (the "component" part) must not be component of another association (it can only be component of one single composite table).
'B'
this association can be used for auto-expanding the composite object (i.e. automatically fetching all component parts from the database) -- see "expand" in DBIx::DataModel::Source and "auto_expand" in DBIx::DataModel::Source
this association can be used for cascaded inserts like
$source->insert({ column1 => $val1, ... $component_name1 => [{$sub_object1}, ...], ... })
see "insert" in DBIx::DataModel::Source
returns the $meta_schema to which this association belongs
hashref decribing the 'A' end of the association
hashref decribing the 'B' end of the association
An instance of DBIx::DataModel::Meta::Path for the path from A to B within this association (if any).
A
B
An instance of DBIx::DataModel::Meta::Path for the path from B to A within this association (if any).
The association name.
The association kind.
For multiplicities given as strings, parse into an arrayref [$min, $max], including the rules for shorthands '*' and '1', as described above.
Implementation for regular associations (1-to-n or 1-to-1): create a DBIx::DataModel::Meta::Path object from one side to the other.
Implementation for many-to-many associations : just create navigation methods from one side to the other, relying on pre-existing paths through the intermediate table.
Checks that special conditions on compositions (described above) are fullfilled.
To install DBIx::DataModel, copy and paste the appropriate command in to your terminal.
cpanm
cpanm DBIx::DataModel
CPAN shell
perl -MCPAN -e shell install DBIx::DataModel
For more information on module installation, please visit the detailed CPAN module installation guide.