working-with-existing-databases.txt

+++ Introduction

A common case when looking for ORM tools like Doctrine is that the database and the code that access it is growing large/complex. A more substantial tool is needed then manual SQL code. 

Doctrine has support for generating Doctrine_Record classes from your existing database. There is no need for you to manually write all the Doctrine_Record classes for your domain model. 

+++ Making the first import

Let's consider we have a mysql database called test with a single table called 'file'.

The file table has been created with the following sql statement:

<code type="sql">
CREATE TABLE file (
    id INT UNSIGNED AUTO_INCREMENT NOT NULL,
    name VARCHAR(150),
    size BIGINT,
    modified BIGINT,
    type VARCHAR(10),
    content TEXT,
    path TEXT,
    PRIMARY KEY(id))
</code>

Now we would like to convert it into Doctrine record class. It can be achieved easily with the following code snippet:

<code type="php">
require_once('lib/Doctrine.php');

spl_autoload_register(array('Doctrine', 'autoload'));
$conn = Doctrine_Manager::connection('mysql://root:dc34@localhost/test');

// import method takes one parameter: the import directory (the directory where
// the generated record files will be put in
$conn->import->importSchema('myrecords');
</code>

That's it! Now there should be a file called File.php in your myrecords directory. The file should look like:

<code type="php">
/**
 * This class has been auto-generated by the Doctrine ORM Framework
 * Created: Saturday 10th of February 2007 01:03:15 PM
 */
class File extends Doctrine_Record
{
    public function setTableDefinition()
    {
        $this->hasColumn('id', 'integer', 4, array('notnull' => true,
                                                   'primary' => true,
                                                   'unsigned' > true,
                                                   'autoincrement' => true));
        $this->hasColumn('name', 'string', 150);
        $this->hasColumn('size', 'integer', 8);
        $this->hasColumn('modified', 'integer', 8);
        $this->hasColumn('type', 'string', 10);
        $this->hasColumn('content', 'string', null);
        $this->hasColumn('path', 'string', null);
    }
    public function setUp()
    {

    }
}
</code>

+++ Import options