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==== NAME ====

Tie::FieldVals - an array tie for a file of enhanced Field:Value data


==== VERSION ====

This describes version ``0.01'' of Tie::FieldVals.


==== DESCRIPTION ====

This is a Tie object to map the records in an enhanced Field:Value data file
into an array. Each file has multiple records, each record has its values
defined by a Field:Value pair, with the enhancements that (a) the Value part
can extend over more than one line (because the Field names are predefined)
and (b) Fields can have multiple values by repeating the Field:Value part
for a given field.

Because of its use of the Tie::File module, access to each record is
reasonably fast.

The advantage of this setup is that one can have useful data files which are
plain text, human readable, human editable, and at the same time able to be
accessed faster than using XML (I know, I wrote a version of my reporting
software using XML data, and even the fastest XML parsers weren't as fast as
this setup, once there were a reasonable number of records). This also has
advantages over a simpler setup where values are given one per line with no
indication of what value belongs to what field; the problems with that is
that it is harder to fix corrupted data by hand, and it is harder to add new
fields, and one can't have multi-line data.

Naturally, if one's data needs are more complex, it is probably better to
use a fully-fledged database; this is oriented towards those who don't wish
to have the overhead of setting up and maintaining a relational database
server, and wish to use something more straightforward.

This comes bundled with other support modules, such as the
Tie::FieldVals::Row module. The Tie::FieldVals::Select module is for
selecting and sorting a sub-set from a Tie::FieldVals array, and the
Tie::FieldVals::Join is a very simple method of joining two files on a
common field.


==== REQUIRES ====

    Test::More
    Carp
    Tie::Array
    Tie::File
    Fcntl
    Data::Dumper


==== INSTALLATION ====

To install this module, run the following commands:

    perl Build.PL
    ./Build
    ./Build test
    ./Build install

Or, if you're on a platform (like DOS or Windows) that doesn't like the "./"
notation, you can do this:

   perl Build.PL
   perl Build
   perl Build test
   perl Build install

In order to install somewhere other than the default, such as in a directory
under your home directory, like "/home/fred/perl" go

   perl Build.PL --install_base /home/fred/perl

as the first step instead.

This will install the files underneath /home/fred/perl.

You will then need to make sure that you alter the PERL5LIB variable to find
the modules, and the PATH variable to find the script.

Therefore you will need to change: your path, to include
/home/fred/perl/script (where the script will be)

        PATH=/home/fred/perl/script:${PATH}

the PERL5LIB variable to add /home/fred/perl/lib

        PERL5LIB=/home/fred/perl/lib:${PERL5LIB}


==== AUTHOR ====

    Kathryn Andersen (RUBYKAT)
    perlkat AT katspace dot com
    http://www.katspace.com


==== COPYRIGHT AND LICENCE ====

Copyright (c) 2004 by Kathryn Andersen

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

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