MadMongers

A while back Chris Dolan and I were talking about how if any of us release new modules to CPAN we should post them to the list here to make our other members aware of them, and maybe discuss the strengths and weaknesses about the modules.

I completely forgot, but last month I released new versions of two existing modules.

Config::JSON -  A JSON based config file management system. Fixed a few bugs, and added the addToArrayAfter and addToArrayBefore methods. Also added support for escaping of slashes in directives.

SSH::RPC - Allows you to control one server from another server via SSH in a controlled manner. The protocol is based upon SSH and JSON so you can easily write shells and clients in other languages if you wish. Made the module work. I uploaded it in haste at a MadMonger's meeting without first having the code working.

I'm also working on a new module called SimpleDB::Class, which very much like DBIx::Class for Amazon's SimpleDB database service. I'll be releasing that in the near future, and will announce it here when I do. Actually, if nobody is doing a talk in January, I may also do a talk on it, because it's been a pretty interesting experience developing it. It's also my first real experience with Moose, so I can convey what I've learned there as well.

Ok, I found what my problem was, and it's got nothing to do with your
module.  I was hand-editing the config file and not
double-backslashing backslashes, (which is legal javascript) but
illegal perl.  When both entering, saving, and retrieving data with
your module, things work as expected.

Good thinking with the forward slash encoding: I haven't run into that
problem yet, but I could easily have by now.

BTW, what are you thinking for full-text search now?  I've been
looking at a few other database solutions for down the road, including
Tokyo Dystopia which seems pretty cool.  Also, since the Sphinx talk I
gave a few months ago, I've found some ways of really simplifying the
index management that are probably more along the lines of how Sphinx
was meant to be used.  Specifically, if the index boundaries are
defined by meta db queries, you can get around the overhead of the
moving parts I had in my design.  In short, I was making it a lot
harder than it had to be.

On Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 12:52 PM,   wrote:
> jt wrote:
>
> Actually I was referring to forward slashes, because you can access
> directives like this:
> my $color = $config->get("products/p119/color");
> For a config that is represented like $href->{products}{p119}{color}
> So if there is a slash in any of the elements along the way, that would
> screw up the pathing. If you're having problems with backslashes, do let me
> know how to replicate it, and I'll get a fix rolled out.
>
>
> On Nov 29, 2009, at 12:37 PM,
>  wrote:
>
> mcholste wrote:
>
> Thanks for letting us know.  I use Config::JSON in production, and
> have found it very helpful.  I did run into problems with strings
> containing backslashes as they get double-escaped, so I hope that's
> the escaping you're referring to.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Martin
>
> On Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 11:24 AM,   wrote:
>> jt wrote:
>>
>> A while back Chris Dolan and I were talking about how if any of us release
>> new modules to CPAN we should post them to the list here to make our other
>> members aware of them, and maybe discuss the strengths and weaknesses
>> about
>> the modules.
>>
>> I completely forgot, but last month I released new versions of two
>> existing
>> modules.
>>
>> Config::JSON -  A JSON based config file management system. Fixed a few
>> bugs, and added the addToArrayAfter and addToArrayBefore methods. Also
>> added
>> support for escaping of slashes in directives.
>>
>> SSH::RPC - Allows you to control one server from another server via SSH in
>> a
>> controlled manner. The protocol is based upon SSH and JSON so you can
>> easily
>> write shells and clients in other languages if you wish. Made the module
>> work. I uploaded it in haste at a MadMonger's meeting without first having
>> the code working.
>>
>> I'm also working on a new module called SimpleDB::Class, which very much
>> like DBIx::Class for Amazon's SimpleDB database service. I'll be releasing
>> that in the near future, and will announce it here when I do. Actually, if
>> nobody is doing a talk in January, I may also do a talk on it, because
>> it's
>> been a pretty interesting experience developing it. It's also my first
>> real
>> experience with Moose, so I can convey what I've learned there as well.
>>
>> View Online
>>
>>
>> Madison Area Perl Mongers - MadMongers
>> http://www.madmongers.org
>>
>>
>
> View Online
>
> Madison Area Perl Mongers - MadMongers
> http://www.madmongers.org
>
>
> JT Smith
> ph: 703-286-2525 x810
> Create like a god, command like a king, work like a slave.
>
> View Online
>
>
> Madison Area Perl Mongers - MadMongers
> http://www.madmongers.org
>
>

> Ok, I found what my problem was, and it's got nothing to do with your
> module.  I was hand-editing the config file and not
> double-backslashing backslashes, (which is legal javascript) but
> illegal perl.  When both entering, saving, and retrieving data with
> your module, things work as expected.
>

Sweet. Thanks for letting me know.

> Good thinking with the forward slash encoding: I haven't run into that
> problem yet, but I could easily have by now.
>
> BTW, what are you thinking for full-text search now?  I've been
> looking at a few other database solutions for down the road, including
> Tokyo Dystopia which seems pretty cool.  Also, since the Sphinx talk I
> gave a few months ago, I've found some ways of really simplifying the
> index management that are probably more along the lines of how Sphinx
> was meant to be used.  Specifically, if the index boundaries are
> defined by meta db queries, you can get around the overhead of the
> moving parts I had in my design.  In short, I was making it a lot
> harder than it had to be.

Search is low on our todo list at the moment (other important things). But when we do get back to it, I'm still thinking Sphinx. However, I'd love to talk to you about what you've been doing at the next meeting or whenever.