Actually apache scripts don't use Apache::DBI, or rather not in the sense you are talking about. All of your scripts should use DBI only.

What Apache::DBI does is keep a pool of database connections available so when your script runs multiple times it can reuse the database connection rather than opening a new one every time. This process is transparent to your scripts.

So just continue using DBI like normal and when you need or want higher performance stick 'PerlModule Apache::DBI' in your httpd.conf

Thank tedrek. What you said are correct. (And PerlModule Apache::DBI is in fact how I did it.)

Maybe my question should have been something more general, like how to dynamically select which modules to use, if possible.

Like, a regular DB module could probably be used under Apache as well, except that it would not need "use Apache::Reload", although it won't do anything harm if I redundantly include it.

So, dynamically determining which modules to use at runtime is out of the question?

Thanks.

"... a regular DB module could probably be used under Apache as well ..."

A regular DB module? Are you wanting to create another database handle, in addition to the persistent ones provided by Apache::DBI? One that is not persistent?

If so then check out recipe 2.13 from the mod_perl Developer's Cookbook. The idea is to use the optional %attr parameter in DBI->connect to allow uncached connections to be created - set dbi_connect_method to the value connect:

my $dbh = DBI->connect(
   'dbi:AnyData:',
   {dbi_connect_method => 'connect'}, 
);
[download]

This will not affect the previously cached connections.

jeffa

L-LL-L--L-LL-L--L-LL-L--
-R--R-RR-R--R-RR-R--R-RR
B--B--B--B--B--B--B--B--
H---H---H---H---H---H---
(the triplet paradiddle with high-hat)

Yes you can use one of the other DB modules instead of DBI.

Apache::Reload is for when you are developing a module and don't want to restart apache everytime you make a change to your module, or when the module's on the server get updated very often.

It is possible to dynamically select a module to use however you don't need to very often. and you probably don't need to in this case. That being said:

#Dynamically choose betten Foo and Bar
my $type = 'foo';
if ($type eq 'foo') {
    eval "use Foo";
}
else {
    eval "use Bar";
}
[download]

note that you have to use a quoted string for the eval rather than a block. if you use a block it will always 'use' that module.