DBIx::Class::Helper::Row::OnColumnChange(3)

NAME
DBIx::Class::Helper::Row::OnColumnChange - Do things when the values of a column change

SYNOPSIS
 package MyApp::Schema::Result::Account;

 use parent 'DBIx::Class::Core';

 __PACKAGE__->load_components(qw(Helper::Row::OnColumnChange));

 __PACKAGE__->table('Account');

 __PACKAGE__->add_columns(
    id => {
       data_type         => 'integer',
       is_auto_increment => 1,
    },
    amount => {
       data_type          => 'float',
       keep_storage_value => 1,
    },
 );
 sub on_column_change_allow_override_args { 1 }

 __PACKAGE__->before_column_change(
   amount => {
      method   => 'bank_transfer',
      txn_wrap => 1,
   }
 );

 sub bank_transfer {
   my ($self, $old_value, $new_value) = @_;

   my $delta = abs($old_value - $new_value);
   if ($old_value < $new_value) {
      Bank->subtract($delta)
   } else {
      Bank->add($delta)
   }
 }

 1;

or with DBIx::Class::Candy:

 package MyApp::Schema::Result::Account;

 use DBIx::Class::Candy -components => ['Helper::Row::OnColumnChange'];

 table 'Account';

 column id => {
    data_type         => 'integer',
    is_auto_increment => 1,
 };

 column amount => {
    data_type          => 'float',
    keep_storage_value => 1,
 };
 sub on_column_change_allow_override_args { 1 }

 before_column_change amount => {
    method   => 'bank_transfer',
    txn_wrap => 1,
 };

 sub bank_transfer {
   my ($self, $old_value, $new_value) = @_;

   my $delta = abs($old_value - $new_value);
   if ($old_value < $new_value) {
      Bank->subtract($delta)
   } else {
      Bank->add($delta)
   }
 }

 1;

DESCRIPTION
This module codifies a pattern that I've used in a number of projects, namely that of doing something when a column changes it's value in the database. It leverages DBIx::Class::Helper::Row::StorageValues for passing in the $old_value, which do not have to use. If you leave the "keep_storage_value" out of the column definition it will just pass "undef" in as the $old_value. Also note the "txn_wrap" option. This allows you to specify that you want the call to "update" and the call to the method you requested to be wrapped in a transaction. If you end up calling more than one method due to multiple column change methods and more than one specify "txn_wrap" it will still only wrap once.

I've gone to great lengths to ensure that order is preserved, so "before" and "around" changes are called in order of definition and "after" changes are called in reverse order.

To be clear, the change methods only get called if the value will be changed after "update" runs. It correctly looks at the current value of the column as well as the arguments passed to "update".

CANDY EXPORTS
If used in conjunction with DBIx::Class::Candy this component will export:

before_column_change
around_column_change
after_column_change

NO SURPRISE RACE CONDITIONS
One thing that should be made totally clear is that the column change callbacks are in effect only once in a given update. If you expect to be able to do something weird like calling one of the callbacks which changes a value with an accessor which calls a callback etc etc, you probably just need to write some code to do that yourself. This helper is specifically made with the aim of reacting to changes immediately before they hit the database.

METHODS

  before_column_change
 __PACKAGE__->before_column_change(
   col_name => {
      method   => 'method', # <-- anything that can be called as a method
      txn_wrap => 1,        # <-- true if you want it to be wrapped in a txn
   }
 );

Note: the arguments passed to "method" will be "$self, $old_value, $new_value".

  after_column_change
 __PACKAGE__->after_column_change(
   col_name => {
      method   => 'method', # <-- anything that can be called as a method
      txn_wrap => 1,        # <-- true if you want it to be wrapped in a txn
   }
 );

Note: the arguments passed to "method" will be "$self, $new_value, $new_value". (Because the old value has been changed.)

  around_column_change
 __PACKAGE__->around_column_change(
   col_name => {
      method   => 'method', # <-- anything that can be called as a method
      txn_wrap => 1,        # <-- true if you want it to be wrapped in a txn
   }
 );

Note: the arguments passed to "method" will be "$self, $next, $old_value, $new_value".

Around is subtly different than the other two callbacks. You must call $next in your method or it will not work at all. A silly example of how this is done could be:

 sub around_change_name {
   my ($self, $next, $old, $new) = @_;

   my $govt_records = $self->govt_records;

   $next->();

   $govt_records->update({ name => $new });
 }

Note: the above code implies a weird database schema. I haven't actually seen a time when I've needed around yet, but it seems like there is a use-case.

Also Note: you don't get to change the args to $next. If you think you should be able to, you probably don't understand what this component is for. That or you know something I don't (equally likely.)

  on_column_change_allow_override_args
This is a method that allows a user to circumvent a strange bug in the initial implementation. Basically, if the user wanted, she could use "before_column_change" to override the value of a given column before "update" gets called, thus replacing the value. Unfortunately this worked in the case of accessors setting the value, but not if the user had used an argument to "update". To be clear, if you want the following to actually replace the value:

 __PACKAGE__->before_column_change(
    name => {
       method   => sub {
          my ($self, $old, $new) = @_;

          $self->name(uc $new);
       },
    },
 );

you will need to define this in your result class:

 sub on_column_change_allow_override_args { 1 }

If for some reason you need the old style, a default of false is already set. If you are painted in the corner and need both, you can create an accessor and set it yourself to change the behavior:

 __PACKAGE__->mk_group_accessors(inherited => 'on_column_change_allow_override_args');
 ...
 $obj->on_column_change_allow_override_args(1); # works the new way

AUTHOR
Arthur Axel "fREW" Schmidt <frioux+cpan@gmail.com>

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
This software is copyright (c) 2024 by Arthur Axel "fREW" Schmidt.

This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.