Re: [HACKERS] idea for 'module' support

Hi Mark,

This is truly a very nice idea, since it would from an application
developers perspective simplify the process of getting users to for
instance update the inner works of a postgresql driven application.

It would be great to also in a package be able to include SQL scripts,
so one could do "patches" for database applications that are easily
installed by end-users/administrators.

For instance, updating stored procedures, classes and external .so
libs could be done with a simple LOAD PACKAGE 'package-name' facility.

I'm uncertain if this really fits in the pgsql db itself, it might be
better to have it outside of the main package, as a utility (suite)
like pg_package-install/update/list.

Some more thoughts on what would fit nicely in the package-idea:
- Scriptability. A package should be a PostgreSQL "SQL" script,
runable from psql.
- Digitally signed (encrypted?) packages
- Version control
- External transport (ftp, httpd from update server)

I think the XEmacs 21.x package handling might be a good model, which
according to me works very well even for relatively newbie users.

Just some thoughts, might need refining and discussion, but the main
idea is to have an increased modularity, adding/updating/managing
separate modules easily.

Be well,
/Daniel

Mark Hollomon writes:
> I would like to add the following command:
>
> LOAD PACKAGE 'package-name';
...
> LOAD PACKAGE 'plperl';
>
> This would not only load the shared library "plperl.so", but call
> the function "package_init" which could the use the SPI facilities
> to properly setup the system tables for the new language.
> New types could be packaged the same way.
> This would give a very modular way to add 'packages' of functionality.

--
_______________________________________________________________ /\__
Daniel Lundin - MediaCenter, UNIX and BeOS Developer \/
http://www.umc.se/~daniel/