Re: [Gnumed-devel] Gnumed on Windows: the pain of pyPgSQL

[Ian Haywood]

Tim Churches wrote:
> Karsten Hilbert wrote:
> 
>>On Fri, Sep 09, 2005 at 02:07:11PM +0800, address@hidden wrote:
>>
>>Good things are heard of psycopg. I am currently unsure of
>>it's Windows support, though. If so I'd consider that one
>>when switching GNUmed.
>>
>>
>>
>>>Or should I have a another bash at my pure-python adaptor
>>>(as this is easier to support)
>>
>>I do have to admit a pure Python one sounds intriguing and
>>useful. I wonder why there isn't any. The one relevant
>>question probably is: Can it be made performant ?
> 
> 
> Look, GNUmed is (collectively) your project - I am just an interested
> observer - but I really don't understand why you need to change
> Python-PostgreSQL database adaptors. 
I have a number of criticisms of PyPgSQL besides lack of windows binaries,
particularly:
        - gratuitious dependency on mxDateTime (and that is a lot of work, as 
this
package is slowly vanishing from the distros.)
        -forces use of cursors, which imposes a speed penalty (I don't know how 
much of course)
and requires various hacks as not all postgres commands work inside a 
transaction.


> I sent Ian binaries of pyPgSQL for
> Win32 and Python2.4 obtained from www.haering.de
Thanks, will test on Monday.
> - unfortunately that
> Web site now seems to be some other sort of company. Nevertheless, the
> maintained pyPgSQL code can be checked out of the SourceForge CVS and a
> Win32 binary compiled. Sure that is extra work, but is it more or less
> extra work than a) writing your own Python-PostgreSQL adaptor 
That's the point, I'm honestly not sure, particularly with mxDateTime.

> operations will detect any problems early on, but it seems like you are
> making a rod for your collective backs, given that there seem to be
> more pressing tasks with respect to finishing GNUmed. 
Quite true, Given your provision of windows binaries there certainly isn't
any compelling need to change.

> I would have
> thought that there is at least several (very tedious) person-weeks work
> in just writing unit tests for a new adaptor 
So about 10x the time taken to actually develop the adaptor??

I'll have a look at the pyPgSQL unit tests to get a better idea.

Ian