Some php + berkeley db questions

Question

I have some questions about using php with bdb.
First, I compiled Berkeley db and then linked php to it using the configure directive.
Then I accessed bdb through the php standard dba_* APIs. This works, but it seems like locking is broken. The php documentation (and common sense) says that calls to dba_open() with a write lock will block when another such call has succeeded in another process. But my tests show many concurrent processes all getting write locks no problem.
So then I compiled the native php_db4 extension that ships with bdb. I tried to use the API documented here:
http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/berkeley-db/db/ref/ext/php.html
Can anybody direct me to a more complete (and more correct) fuller documented version of this API? For instance, the put method is not shown in the Db4 class, but it does exist.
I'm trying to infer how the php API works from the C API docs, but it's not very easy, particularly when it comes to error codes returned. Is there a db_strerror in the php?
I can get the simple demos that come in the db4 php dir to work, but what I need is a locking environment, much like the one documented here:
http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/berkeley-db/db/ref/cam/intro.html
However, when I try to open the DBENV with the DB_INIT_CDB and DB_INIT_MPOOL flags, as directed, the call fails in the php. I cannot figure out why or how to get an errorr code or message I can debug?
Any help will be much appreciated. If you could just point me at any real-world examples of php and berkeley db that would be a great start.

Answer 1

Hi,
From what I'm aware of, there is no extra documentation on php & BDB (maybe just php.net :) ). Also, I don't know if is there anyone who published his source code.
What kind of application do you want to build? I think that a good option for the moment is to try to use BDB XML version ( Berkeley DB XML and http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/berkeley-db/xml/index.html ), since there are many cases there in which the BDB XML product is used via PHP, and this is why you can have a better support. I think that you can try to achieve the same approach using XML, please let me know if you agree or not.
BDB XML's PHP API's are mapped over C++ API, and you'll have the ability to use XML and XQuery rather than tables and SQL.
If you can point me with a specific issue in PHP APIs for BDB, and provide me with test cases, I can try to work them out. Also, in the next weeks, I 'll try to have a look on PHP APIs in my spare time, and maybe I'll be able to work on supporting the latest BDB APIs. If there is somebody working on a PHP app and is willing to help on testing and maintaining the PHP APIs, please post here.
Regards,
Bogdan Coman, Oracle