40 lines
1.7 KiB
TeX
40 lines
1.7 KiB
TeX
\section{Standard Modules \sectcode{anydbm} and \sectcode{dumbdbm}}
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\label{module-anydbm}
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\label{module-dumbdbm}
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\stmodindex{anydbm}
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\stmodindex{dumbdbm}
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\module{anydbm} is a generic interface to variants of the DBM
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database--DBM, GDBM, or dbhash. If none of these modules is
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installed, the slow-but-simple implementation in module \module{dumbdbm}
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will be used. Both modules provide the same interface:
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% not the best solution, but it's what you get for documenting both
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% at the same time.
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\setindexsubitem{(in modules anydbm, dumbdbm)}
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\begin{funcdesc}{open}{filename\optional{\, flag\, mode}}
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Open the database file \var{filename} and return a corresponding object.
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The optional \var{flag} argument can be
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\code{'r'} to open an existing database for reading only,
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\code{'w'} to open an existing database for reading and writing,
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\code{'c'} to create the database if it doesn't exist, or
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\code{'n'}, which will always create a new empty database. If not
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specified, the default value is \code{'r'}.
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The optional \var{mode} argument is the \UNIX{} mode of the file, used
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only when the database has to be created. It defaults to octal
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\code{0666} (and will be modified by the prevailing umask).
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\end{funcdesc}
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The object returned by \function{open()} supports most of the same
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functionality as dictionaries; keys and their corresponding values can
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be stored, retrieved, and deleted, and the \method{has_key()} and
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\method{keys()} methods are available. Keys and values must always be
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strings.
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Both modules also export the exception \exception{error}, which is
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raised for various problems. The \exception{anydbm.error} exception
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is simply a different name for the \exception{error} exception of the
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underlying implementation module used.
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