NAME

       DateTime::Format::DBI - Find a parser class for a database connection.

SYNOPSIS

         use DBI;
         use DateTime;
         use DateTime::Format::DBI;

         my $db = DBI->connect('dbi:...');
         my $db_parser = DateTime::Format::DBI->new($dbh);
         my $dt = DateTime->now();

         $db->do("UPDATE table SET dt=? WHERE foo='bar'",undef,
           $db_parser->format_datetime($dt);

DESCRIPTION

       This module finds a "DateTime::Format::*" class that is suitable for the use with a given
       DBI connection (and "DBD::*" driver).

       It currently supports the following format modules: IBM DB2 (DB2), Microsoft SQL (MSSQL),
       MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL (Pg), SQLite, and Sybase.

       NOTE: This module provides a quick method to find the correct parser and formatter class.
       However, this is usually not sufficient for full database abstraction. You will also have
       to cater for differences in the syntax and semantics of SQL datetime functions (and other
       SQL commands).

CLASS METHODS

       This module provides a single factory method:

       •   new( $dbh )

           Creates a new "DateTime::Format::*" instance, the exact class of which depends on the
           database driver used for the database connection referenced by $dbh.

PARSER/FORMATTER INTERFACE

       "DateTime::Format::DBI" is just a front-end class factory that will return one of the
       format classes based on the nature of your $dbh.

       For information on the interface of the returned parser object, please see the
       documentation for the class pertaining to your particular $dbh.

       In general, parser classes for databases will implement the following methods.  For more
       information on the exact behaviour of these methods, see the documentation of the parser
       class.

       •   parse_datetime( $string )

           Given a string containing a date and/or time representation from the database used,
           this method will return a new "DateTime" object.

           If given an improperly formatted string, this method may die.

       •   format_datetime( $dt )

           Given a "DateTime" object, this method returns a string appropriate as input for all
           or the most common date and date/time types of the database used.

       •   parse_duration( $string )

           Given a string containing a duration representation from the database used, this
           method will return a new "DateTime::Duration" object.

           If given an improperly formatted string, this method may die.

           Not all databases and format/formatter classes support durations; please use
           UNIVERSAL::has to check for the availability of this method.

       •   format_duration( $du )

           Given a "DateTime::Duration" object, this method returns a string appropriate as input
           for the duration or interval type of the database used.

           Not all databases and parser/formatter classes support durations; please use
           UNIVERSAL::has to check for the availability of this method.

       Parser/formatter classes may additionally define methods like parse_type or format_type
       (where type is derived from the SQL type); please see the documentation of the individual
       format class for more information.

SUPPORT

       Please report bugs and other requests to the rt tracker:
       <https://rt.cpan.org/Public/Dist/Display.html?Name=DateTime-Format-DBI>.

AUTHOR

       Claus Faerber <CFAERBER@cpan.org>

LICENSE

       Copyright 2003-2013 Claus Faerber.  All rights reserved.

       This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same
       terms as Perl itself.

       The full text of the license can be found in the LICENSE file included with this module.

SEE ALSO

       DateTime, DBI

       datetime@perl.org mailing list

       http://datetime.perl.org/