Re: Linked Data with web2py

Hi Kingsley,

Internally we use the Python ODBC driver for the connection to DB2 and  
to MSSQL. We use more specific drivers for the other databases, as  
recommended by the official documentation. Anyway, from the Python  
programming point of view they all expose the same Python API.

The fact is ODBC only unifies the data access API and that is a small  
part of we needed since different database still have different  
dialects. Our DAL completely abstracts the database and writes the SQL  
in the specific dialect of specific backend.

For example a limit query in SQLite is done with "SELECT ...  FIRST N"  
The same query in MSSQL is done with "SELECT .... TOP N", in Oracle it  
requires two nested selects "SELECT ... FROM (SELECT w_tmp.*, ROWNUM  
w_row FROM (SELECT ...) w_tmp WHERE ROWNUM<=N)...;".  In the case of  
the Google App Engine there is not even SQL so our DAL translates  
directly into Google API calls.

The same query in the web2py DAL reads like, for example:

     db=DAL('postgresql://username:password@localhost', pool_size=100)
     db.define_table('person',Field('name'))
     db.person.insert(name='Ken')
     rows = db(db.person.name=='Ken').select(limitby = (0,10))

The first line choose the most appropriate connection driver (which  
may be ODBC). The second line tried to define a table "person". If it  
does not exist, it is CREATEd. If it exists and has a different  
stricture, it is ALTERed. The third line inserts a second. The forth  
line is performs the limit query.

As you can see we do not use raw SQL anywhere in our system, although  
our system may use SQL to talk to the database. Using raw SQL also  
presents the disadvantage that, if one is not very careful in escaping  
variables, one may introduce SQL Injections vulnerabilities. We do not  
have to worry about that with the DAL.

The RDF tagging is done at the DAL level:

     db.person.name.rdf = { .... }

Anyway, it is possible there is some feature of ODBC that we have  
overlooked and we may be able to take  advantage of.

Massimo

On Dec 24, 2009, at 6:57 AM, Kingsley Idehen wrote:

> Massimo Di Pierro wrote:
>> Hello everybody,
>>
>> I am a new member of this list and first of all I wish everybody  
>> Happy
>> Holidays.
>>
>> I also take the occasion to introduce the RDF plugin for web2py.
>>
>>    http://web2py.com/semantic
>>
>> web2py is an Open Source web framework for rapid application
>> development written in Python and programmable in Python. web2py runs
>> almost everywhere and includes everything you need for web  
>> development
>> in one package including a ssl-enabled web server, a transaction-safe
>> relational database, a web-based IDE, a web-based database
>> administration tool, and a Database Abstraction Layer that writes SQL
>> for you and works transparently on SQLite, MySQL, Postgresql, Oracle,
>> MSSQL, FireBird, DB2, Informix, Ingres, and on Google App Engine.
>>
>> Web2py requires no installation: just download, unzip and click to
>> start it.
>> You can see an online demo here:
>>
>>   http://web2py.com/demo_admin
>>
>> The RDF plugin allows to label (tag) database fields and relations
>> with ontologies and web2py automatically exposes the data in the
>> database as Linked Data via a RESTful web service. Works with all
>> database back-ends listed above.
>>
>> Any comment and feedback will be appreciated.
> Any reason why you don't use ODBC for your data access? Your  
> references
> above imply you implemented data access APIs on a DBMS by DBMS basis.
> ODBC is not only superior to all Native DBMS APIs, it is generic  
> thereby
> shrinking you development and maintenance costs.
>
> Kingsley
>>
>> Massimo
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------
>> Massimo Di Pierro
>> Associate Professor
>> School of Computing and Digital Media
>> DePaul University
>> 243 S Wabash Ave
>> Chicago IL 60604
>> +1-312-375-6536 (phone)
>> +1-312-375-6116 (fax)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> -- 
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Kingsley Idehen	      Weblog: http://www.openlinksw.com/blog/~kidehen
> President & CEO
> OpenLink Software     Web: http://www.openlinksw.com
>
>
>
>

Received on Thursday, 24 December 2009 14:26:50 UTC