[R-sig-DB] Database R Package

Mon Jun 18 21:30:16 CEST 2012

Hello Julien,

Thanks for your comments.

I see there is a lot going on outside of CRAN :-). Indeed there are a lot
of initiatives for dealing with tables and how to acquire and write data to
them, but less when it turns to dealing with DBA tasks, like creating /
resizing / moving tablespaces or even creating databases.

As you pointed out, I am also not sure if there is a way of running the
CRAN tests in the package when it depends on a pre-configured database with
valid credentials (local or remote). I will consider r-forge, in case I
don't find out a way to submit it to CRAN.

Once again, thank you for your comments and suggestions!

Best,

Jim Jones
Institute for Geoinformatics
University of M��nster, Germany

2012/6/18 Julien Moeys <julien.moeys using slu.se>

> Hi
>
> I think packages that simplify database handling from R, for non-expert
> users, potentially can be very useful. As you said, database script
> language is not always easy for beginners.
>
> I have myself programmed an R packages (
> http://easydb.r-forge.r-project.org/) that makes it easier to read, write
> and subset data to and from SQLite, MySQL, MS Access and MS Excel (based on
> RSQLite and RODBC). I found that it speeds-up the development of R-Database
> applications, reduces the amount of code, and makes it easier to switch
> from one database system to another. It also saves some time when helping
> other R users writing scripts that involve a database.
>
> On the other hand it is not easy to make sure such a package will always
> work as expected. I don't know any way to run tests that involve a local
> database server during the package compilation on CRAN or r-forge (are
> there any?).
>
> There are several other projects with similar ideas:
> - dfdb (http://r-forge.r-project.org/projects/dfdb-rodbc/)
> - dbframe (https://github.com/gcalhoun/dbframe-R-library)
>
> You may find r-forge useful if you are not sure it is ready for CRAN.
>
> All the best
>
> Julien Moeys
> PS: I shall precise that I am not a database "expert", but rather a
> regular user of database systems.
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: r-sig-db-bounces using r-project.org [mailto:r-sig-db-bounces using r-
> > project.org] On Behalf Of Jim Jones
> > Sent: 18 June 2012 11:56
> > To: Prof Brian Ripley; r-sig-db using r-project.org
> > Subject: Re: [R-sig-DB] Database R Package
> >
> > Dear Prof. Ripley,
> >
> > Thanks a lot for your feedback!
> >
> > You're right, the packages DBI and RODBC already provide R-level
> interfaces
> > for databases. My proposed package actually depend on them. What I
> > wanted to propose is to have predifined functions, e.g.
> pgCreateTablespace,
> > so that the user doesn't need to care about the database script
> language, but
> > just need to call the package functions and provide the necessary
> > parameters. Something simple that in my opinion saves some time.
> >
> > Best,
> > Jim Jones
> >
> > 2012/6/18 Prof Brian Ripley <ripley using stats.ox.ac.uk>
> >
> > > On 17/06/2012 10:59, Jim Jones wrote:
> > >
> > >> Gentlemen,
> > >>
> > >> Last winter at university in the R Programming course I developed an
> > >> R Package (so far called rdba) for dealing with some DBA tasks from R
> > >> scripts. The package basically avoids the need of the user to have
> > >> knowledge of database (PostgreSQL + PostGIS) scripts to manage their
> > >> databases. It aims to facilitate the scripts development when "on the
> fly"
> > >> you need to handle databases and tablespaces in a physical level.
> > >>
> > >> The package contains the following functions:
> > >>
> > >> Create Database (With or without a template) Drop Databse List
> > >> Database Database Exists
> > >>
> > >> Create Tablespace
> > >> Drop Tablespace
> > >> List Tablespace
> > >> Rename Tablespace
> > >> Tablespace Exists
> > >> Change Owner Tablespace
> > >>
> > >> ListUsers
> > >> UserExists
> > >>
> > >> I would like to hear your opinion about submitting it to CRAN, since
> > >> I'm new in the list and you are the experts. Initially I just wrote
> > >> the functions for PostgreSQL, but it is already in my plans to extend
> > >> it to Oracle and SQL Server. What do you think?
> > >>
> > >
> > > I think you are re-inventing the wheel.  Please see the R posting
> > > guide (it asks for no HTML, for example), especially about doing your
> > > homework before posting.
> > >
> > > Both RODBC and DBI provide R-level interfaces to this kind of thing
> > > the latter with a few backends including RPostgreSQL and ROracle (but
> > > not SQL Server).  'Owner' is not really a portable concept: see the
> > > RODBC manual for how it and similar things are implemented in a range
> > > of DBMSs
> > >
> > > CRAN does not make value judgements about usefulness of packages, so
> > > duplication is no bar there.
> > >
> > >
> > >> Best,
> > >>
> > >> Jim Jones
> > >> University of M��������nster
> > >> Germany
> > >>
> > >>        [[alternative HTML version deleted]]
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> ______________________________**_________________
> > >> R-sig-DB mailing list -- R Special Interest Group
> > >> R-sig-DB using r-project.org
> > >> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/**listinfo/r-sig-db<https://stat.ethz.ch
> > >> /mailman/listinfo/r-sig-db>
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Brian D. Ripley,                  ripley using stats.ox.ac.uk
> > > Professor of Applied Statistics,
> > http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~**ripley/<
> http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/%7Eripley/
> > >
> > > University of Oxford,             Tel:  +44 1865 272861 (self)
> > > 1 South Parks Road,                     +44 1865 272866 (PA)
> > > Oxford OX1 3TG, UK                Fax:  +44 1865 272595
> > >
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> > >
> >
> >       [[alternative HTML version deleted]]
>
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