• From: North :: World
  • Registered: 2006-02-09
  • Posts: 6

Topic: Running punBB on Oracle - How?

Hi folks,

I'd like to deploy a punBB installation on an Oracle DB server [Oracle 10 or 9].

Since punBB has this nice DB-abstraction layer and adding a
new DB-driver seems to be simple, I wonder why punBB ships
without an Oracle db-module 'oracle.php'.

Thus, these are my questions:

- May I run punBB connected to an Oracle Server?
- If not, are there any known problems?
- Does someone has a punBB DB-abstraction layer modul for punBB?

Thanks for your help and go on with your great work,

deepblue

deepblue's Website

  • From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2001-11-02
  • Posts: 9,167

Re: Running punBB on Oracle - How?

The biggest problem with using oracle is that it doesn't support LIMIT/OFFSET, so there's no simple way to display 30 topics starting with topic number 100.

And before anyone comments on this. Yes, I'm aware that LIMIT/OFFSET is not SQL Standard, but that doesn't change the fact that it's damn convenient.

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Rickard's Website

  • From: North :: World
  • Registered: 2006-02-09
  • Posts: 6

Re: Running punBB on Oracle - How?

Rickard wrote:

The biggest problem with using oracle is that it doesn't support LIMIT/OFFSET, so there's no simple way to display 30 topics starting with topic number 100.

A starting point might be this query:

>>>
SELECT * FROM
  (SELECT firstName, lastName FROM customer ORDER BY firstName)
WHERE ROWNUM < 6
<<<

This might be not quite cheap, but at least useful. Shouldn't a combination of two ROWNUM restrictions like this one

>>>
WHERE ROWNUM < 100 and ROWNUM > 90
<<<

solve the problem?

Rickard wrote:

And before anyone comments on this. Yes, I'm aware that LIMIT/OFFSET is not SQL Standard, but that doesn't change the fact that it's damn convenient.

No problem here. I see good reasons for your decision.

deepblue's Website

  • From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2001-11-02
  • Posts: 9,167

Re: Running punBB on Oracle - How?

Well, I guess that would solve it. We would have to add some code to the query method of the db class to rewrite the query, but that's very possible. Also, I'm sure a couple of queries would have to be rewritten completely, but that's no biggie either.

However, I have never been in contact with an Oracle database, so I wouldn't even know where to start. If someone else would be willing to investigate this, I would be very grateful.

Then there's another thing. The search feature of PunBB is the thing I am least satisfied with. It does it's own search word indexing and performance is not good. MySQL has built-in fulltext indexing that works great. Problem is, what do with do with the other databases? Sometime I wish I hadn't added PostgreSQL and SQLite support in the first place smile

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Rickard's Website

  • From: North :: World
  • Registered: 2006-02-09
  • Posts: 6

Re: Running punBB on Oracle - How?

Rickard wrote:

Well, I guess that would solve it. We would have to add some code to the query method of the db class to rewrite the query, but that's very possible. Also, I'm sure a couple of queries would have to be rewritten completely, but that's no biggie either.

This confirmes my expectations.

Rickard wrote:

However, I have never been in contact with an Oracle database, so I wouldn't even know where to start. If someone else would be willing to investigate this, I would be very grateful.

I'll forward details to my colleges. They are going to implement this.

In case of problems, should we send emails to you directly or should we forward details to the forum?

Technically:

All Oracle code should go in an 'oracle.php' module and dispatching code to 'common_db.php'.

But how about the other queries your mentioned? If my colleges need to change other
source modules, do they need to use a special syntax to mark changes to get merged in
the main code stream later on?

Or should they just download the lastest release, change things as needed and you diff stuff
later on?

Rickard wrote:

Then there's another thing. The search feature of PunBB ...

Sorry, not enough time these days - as all days, probably later ;-)

deepblue's Website