Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- v5:dictionary:dictionary_index [2016/01/13 04:00] – ↷ Page name changed from v5:dictionary:index to v5:dictionary:dictionary_index mnewnham
+++ v5:dictionary:dictionary_index [2024/12/18 10:19] (current) – [Introduction] dregad
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+<WRAP right box>
+[[v5:dictionary:Index]]\\
+</WRAP>
 ====== The Data Dictionary ======
 ===== Introduction =====
-The Data Dictionary provides a series of functions **'Meta-Functions'** that allow a portable method of managing the schema of databases, from simple querying of data attributes of columns to XML based routines to build and manage new tables.
+The Data Dictionary provides a series of **'Meta-Functions'** that allow a portable method of managing the schema of databases, from simple querying of data attributes of columns to XML based routines to build and manage new tables.
 ===== Portable Data Types =====
 ADOdb provides a cross-platform method of identifying the data type of a field. These values can be used as a replacement in code that relies on the data type of field to produce a result. Each database driver contains a cross-reference table of datatypes that can accessed using the [[v5:dictionary:metatype|metaType()]] method.
-==== Summary Of Types ====
+==== Summary Of Standard Types ====
-^ Type  ^ Represents Field Types                                                                                                                                ^ When Using addColumnSql               ^ Example  ^
+^ Type  ^ Represents Field Types                                                                                                                                                                    ^ When Using addColumnSql               ^ Example  ^
-| C     | character fields that should be shown in a <input type="text"> tag                                                                                    | Add the length of the field           | C 20     |
+| C     | character fields that should be shown in a <input type="text"> tag                                                                                                                        | Add the length of the field           | C(20)    |
-| X     | TeXt, large text or CLOB fields that should be shown in a <textarea>                                                                                          |                                       |          |
+| C2    | Like a C field, but where possible a field that can hold multi-byte (unicode) data is created                                                                                             | Add the length of the field           | C2(20)   |
-| B     | Blobs, or Binary Large Objects. Typically images.                                                                                                     |                                       |          |
+| X     | TeXt, large text or CLOB fields that should be shown in a <textarea>                                                                                                                      |                                       |          |
-| D     | Date (sometimes DateTime) field                                                                                                                                            |                                       |          |
+| X2    | Like an X field, but where possible creates a field that can hold multi-byte (unicode) data is created                                                                                    |                                       |          |
-| T     | Timestamp field                                                                                                                                       |                                       |          |
+| XL    | On systems that support it, creates a large clob field (>32K). This may require additional database configuration. If the database does not support it, a standard clob field is created.  |                                       |          |
-| L     | Logical field (boolean or bit-field). Some databases emulate logicals using I2 fields                                                                 |                                       |          |
+| B     | Blobs, or Binary Large Objects. Typically images.                                                                                                                                         |                                       |          |
-| I     | Integer field, This may be broken down further into I2,I4 or I8 types to represent small,medium and large integers. The largest integer data size is always represented by an I field                                                                                  |                                       |          |
+| D     | Date (sometimes DateTime) field                                                                                                                                                           |                                       |          |
-| N     | Numeric field. Includes autoincrement, numeric, floating point, real and integer.                                                                     | Add the precision and decimal digits  | N 14.4   |
+| T     | Timestamp field                                                                                                                                                                           |                                       |          |
-| R     | Serial field. Includes serial, autoincrement integers. This works for selected databases. Some databases do not signify if a field is auto-increment  |                                       |          |
+| L     | Logical field (boolean or bit-field). Some databases emulate logicals using I2 fields                                                                                                     |                                       |          |
+| I     | Integer field, This may be broken down further into I2,I4 or I8 types to represent small,medium and large integers. The largest integer data size is always represented by an I field     |                                       |          |
+| N     | Numeric field. Includes autoincrement, numeric, floating point, real and integer.                                                                                                         | Add the precision and decimal digits  | N 14.4   |
+| R     | Serial field. Includes serial, autoincrement integers. This works for selected databases. Some databases do not signify if a field is auto-increment                                      |                                       |          |
 ==== Using Data Types For Non-Portable Applications ====
 There are benefits to using ADOdb data types even when writing an application that is not designed to be portable. The ''metaType()'' method can hide numerous data sub-types from a developer, when the difference in the field is not important. For example the following actual data types in the [[v5:database:microsoft_sql_server]] driver are all represented by the ADOdb type ''C'':
@@ Line 29: / Line 35: @@
 | [[v5:dictionary:actualtype|actualType()]]            | Returns a string description of the actual data type linked to the [[v5:dictionary:metatype|metaType]] for the currently connected database  |
+| [[v5:reference:connection:setcustomactualtype|setCustomActualType()]]     | Links a physical database type to a custom metatype |
+| [[v5:dictionary:getcustomactualtypes|getCustomActualTypes()]]    | Returns a list of previously defined custom  |
 | [[v5:dictionary:metacolumns|metaColumns()]]          | Returns a list of available columns and column type information for the supplied table name                                               |
 | [[v5:dictionary:metacolumnnames|metaColumnNames()]]  | Returns a list of available columns for the supplied table name                                                                           |
@@ Line 39: / Line 47: @@
 | [[v5:dictionary:metatransaction|metaTransaction()]]  | Returns a database specific transaction mode for a provided meta transaction type                                                         |
 | [[v5:dictionary:metatype|metaType()]]                | Converts database-specific data type into a portable type                                                                                 |
-| [[v5:dictionary:serverinfo|serverInfo()]]            | Returns a set of server information                                                                                                       |
+| [[v5:dictionary:setcustommetatype|setCustomMetaType()]] | Creates a custom, database-specific data type and defines how it is handled by inserts and updates                                                                            |
+| [[v5:dictionary:getcustommetatypes|getCustomMetaTypes()]] | Returns a list of custom metatypes                                                                             |
+| [[v5:reference:connection:serverinfo|serverInfo()]]            | Returns a set of server information                                                                                                       |
 ===== Schema Management =====
 <WRAP info>
-The userid used when establishing a database connection may need specific privileges beyond normal INSERT,DELETE,UPDATE,SELECT in order to manage a schema in a database. Those privileges vary from one DBMS to another.
+The user id used when establishing a database connection may need specific privileges beyond normal INSERT, DELETE, UPDATE, SELECT in order to manage a schema in a database. Those privileges vary from one DBMS to another.
 </WRAP>
 ==== Executing prepared code to update the schema ====
-Each of the methods below return an array of data, which should be executed using the [[v5:dictionary:executesqlarray|executeSqlArray()]] method
+Each of the methods below returns an array of data, which should be executed using the [[v5:dictionary:executesqlarray|executeSqlArray()]] method.
 ==== Creating A Database ====
-|[[v5:dictionary:createdatabase]]|Returns the SQL necessary to create a database|
+| [[v5:dictionary:createdatabase|createDatabase()]]  | Returns the SQL necessary to create a database  |
 ==== Managing Tables ====