Object Databases

piersk

Firstly, the reason why I'm putting this here rather than the database forum is because it's not really related to SQL or PHP.

Has anyone used object databases before? My housemate has been talking about them a bit and I wondered if someone could go into a bit more detail. I just don't understand the principal of storing data in objects rather than rows and columns and he was crap and explaining it.

thorpe

there is a tutorial here, might help explain it some. ive never bothered to try and impliment it myself, but i think it could be somewhat usefull.

piersk

I think you have got the wrong end of the stick. I'm not talking about an object to manipulate databases. I'm talking about the idea of an object database rather than your standard relational database

thorpe

i think you'll find there much the same thing. they still store the data in a database. i had a link to a framework implimenting it, but i cant seem to find it at the moment.

will post it when i do.

piersk

How are they the same? The database object is a way of manipulating the tables and columns. An object database stores the data in objects, not tables.

thorpe

here. this might be more relevent. and propel was the framework i was looking at.

hope this helps.

piersk

I don't think it's purely for PHP. The database is like MySQL or PgSQL or SQL Server. But using objects rather than relationship.

thorpe

you say this...

I just don't understand the principal

then fail to listen to replies. what? read the wiki and im sure things will become clearer. no its not purely for php, java uses it allot. its bassically just persistant objects that map methods / properties to tables in a database.

vaaaska

Interesting idea as Piersk presents it. Ruby works with Apache to do object database (java-like) but I know nothing about it.

If it's merely an api/framework that deals with the db...another framework...there are so many already...

Very curious.

thorpe

If it's merely an api/framework that deals with the db...another framework...there are so many already...

there not the same as a database abstraction layer if that what your refering too.

bubblenut

wikiwikiwonderfull

[edit]
This article gives a little more explanation on the underlying concept.

piersk

Bingo. Just what I wanted to know. Cheers Bub

Weedpacket

PostgreSQL is an object database, if you're interested; that is to say, along with the usual SQL types you can also have objects.

bubblenut

Postgres in an object-relational database. It doesn't quite have the full feature-set of something like ObjectDB (unless I'm mistaken). I don't think you can bind methods to datasets and I don't think you can really navigate to data non-declaratively.

Having said that, I can't actually find PsgreSQL's docs for it's object stuff right now (I've read it before though) so don't take my statement as gospel. If anyone has a link to PostgreSQL's object stuff I'd appreciate it.

thorpe

i guess were talking about composite types? ive just never really thought of them as objects, but i suppose they are to some extent.