The best way to connect to a database is through the perl DBI module. This makes access to any given SQL db a cinch. Just install the DBI module, and then the DBD module for the given database. The DBD module is a driver not completely unlike a JDBC driver in Java.

Here is an example to connect to a PostgreSQL database, make a select and read the data. Also, there is data for an INSERT, DROP, or other non-returning stuff.

# Use DBI for generic database access
use DBI;
# DBI connect
$dbh = DBI->connect("DBI:Pg:dbname=$DBName", "$DBUserName", "$DBPasswd
+")
   or die "connectiong: $DBI::errstr";
# Make an sql SELECT
$query = "SELECT * from table1 WHERE pacos='tacos'";
# this is goofy, you prepare it, then actually execute it
# beware, this does not mean it is a prepared statement
$results = $dbh->prepare($query);
$results->execute or die "Exec err: ", $dbh->errstr;
# get the results and print them out
while ((@row) = $results->fetchrow_array) {
     print join(" | ", @row), "\n";
}

# a simple insert
$sql = "INSERT into table1 (pacos) values ('tacos')";
$dbh->do($sql) or print "Error inserting...";

# Disconnect at the end
# $dbh->disconnect;

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In reply to Database Connectivity by pschoonveld

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