Thanks, Andi.
yeah, I will wait for Thies to reply to me. We have sort of a started this discussion with him before, so hopefully he will join into this one. My main concerns about OCI8 are the followings ones. Some of them are related to the opverall idea of PHP-DB usage, some to the actual performance and some to the missing functionalities. Some, might be bogus or hardly accomplisheble. Here's what I think: 1. Datatype support. Right now, OCI8 only supports string and integer datatypes binded via PLSQL. It would be great being able to use all the remaining ones like booleans and dates, the other, incompatible onces might need to be translated into PHP's way so they can be used within PHP. Main problem of this is that, tipically, DBAs would grant the access via PLSQL (stored procedures) to a various number of clients, applications and langueages. Since, PHP does not funny support PLSQL, interfacing Oracle via PHP not having to change stored procedures is very limited. 2. XMLTYPE. This is new since Oracle 9.2. Will all the XML fever of today, wouldn't it be possible to add some extra compatibility for it to stipulate Oracle users using PHP? Always if this is dopable and logical. 3. Record type from Stored Procedures. (similar to #1) This is a VERY BIG limitation. It is, probably, the 50% of the reason why PHP is not used much with Oracle. Most programming languages can retrieve RECORD type from stored procs. and use it as arrays of data (like plain SQL records return). PHP fails on it, it only allows you to return the cursor, and for that you need to modify (descresing so performance) the stored procedures directly. At my work, (Italian Government) a datadase had over 500 stored procedures used via other programming languages. To migrate onto PHP, these all had to be changed and the backwards compatibility to the previous programming language was completely lost. It's a big issue. 4. OCI8 module naming conventions. How come OCI module is named OCI8 (specifically)? I think this makes it hard for many to believe that it can fully be compatible with upcoming releases of Oracle. Lots of businesses count a lot on application life-times and, seeing '8' (or so would be with '9') makes management feel that they might not be able to upgrade their expensive Oracle licences till PHP comes up with some newer number on the extension name. Which, in our case means changing the whole extension and, I really don't think we would be doing that too often. I personaly would see Oracle extension better with one only generic name like OCI, ora, oracle or whatever but not version-labeled. This could also help us keeping the OCI8 intact while adding newer changes. 5. Functions are called OCI .* I do well know what it refers to, but this is only because I learned the original oci.h API. Wouldn't itbe more standard for PHP to use similar naming as mySQL, pgSQL, MSSQL extensions ect? OCI make it a bit confusing, I always heard from my co-workers. Besides, this can also be a great input for newer Oracle's updates. Here's one of the sample bugs that can be occuring while continuing the current OCI8 extension with Oracle 9 and so on... http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=18758 Hope, Thies and the rest of Dev Group can comment on my thought, and try to think of a way improving PHP's Oracle support so we can start working on it. Btw, I do not have a karma for php4, so keep that in mind :) -- Maxim Maletsky [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.PHPBeginner.com // where PHP Begins Andi Gutmans <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote... : > Hey, > > I'm sure that if there's work to be done people using Oracle will > appreciate your contribution. > Personally, I don't use Oracle so I suggest you talk to Thies who's the > maintainer of the extension about the things you feel are missing. (It can > also be public here on php-dev if you need feedback from other users). > > Andi > > At 01:51 PM 10/15/2002 +0200, Maxim Maletsky wrote: > > >Guys, a few month ago, I have been trying to offer some of my help for > >developing Oracle 9i extension, or in anyway, to improve the existing > >PHP/Oracle functionality. > > > >original posts are here: > >>http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=aiquvp%2412e7%241%40FreeBSD.csie.NCTU.edu.tw&rnum=120&prev=/groups%3Fq%3DOCI8%2Bgroup:mailing.www.php-dev%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26scoring%3Dd%26start%3D110%26sa%3DN) > > > > > >Having put onto the real-life test OCI8 extensions for the Italian > >Government framework, I noticed many serious imperfections with the > >current OCI8 extension. > > > >I personally think that Oracle is very important for PHP's future, and > >that current extension is not very perfect and up to date. > > > >Please let me know if you are interested in my contributions regarding > >it. > > > >-- > >Maxim Maletsky > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > >-- > >PHP Development Mailing List <http://www.php.net/> > >To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php > > > -- > PHP Development Mailing List <http://www.php.net/> > To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php > -- PHP Development Mailing List <http://www.php.net/> To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
