Re: [gnome-db] libgda: Public and semi-public API?

["Vivien Malerba" <vmalerba gmail com>]

On 1/16/07, Murray Cumming <murrayc murrayc com> wrote:
> The new libgda API is very large. I suspect that it's not all useful
> from applications. I guess that much of the API is only useful for
> implementing providers, and some might even be pure implementation.

The libgda's API could be devided into:
1) the dictionary API
2) the data model and query API
3) the connection
4) the providers API
5) misc other functions

The details about the API for each "block" is:
1) for the dictionary API: that API is mainly for internal usage: the
end user generally only needs to create a dictionary object, and set
its contents (from a file or from a sync. with the DBMS).
2) the data model and query API: it is designed to be used by end
users even if there are parts which are more difficult to understand
3) the connection API: it is quite simple and is designed to be used
by end users
4) the providers API: end users generally work with a connection and
do not access the provider object; this API is largely hidden except
for the GdaServerProvider object
5) other functions: a minor part of the total API.

> Are there any plans to make this simpler or more obvious?

There is an "easy libgda" API listed at the end of the libgda.h file.

> I don't have a full understanding of how the various objects work
> together (documentation?) but I might try using regexxer to figure it
> out, and then I might try moving some .h/.c files into a
> libgda/providers/ directory.

I don't like the idea of making a major sources reorganization at this
stage, but I understand the need for a simpler API.

What about creating a complete simple API based on the current API,
and for example in a simple/ dir (stating for example with the "easy
libgda" API)?

That simple API can have the minimum to:
* open a connection
* create and drop a table
* run SQL queries and fetch data

Vivien