I'm migrating from Cairo to 4.1.1 and discovered some strangeness with DatabasePlugin 14908 (17 Sep 2007).

I went through the configure process on the web to set up the new format for LocalSite.cfg. Two things became immediately apparent:

• If my database description doesn't match the database name, the connection to the database fails.
• DATABASE_REPEAT appears to use table in places instead of table_name which causes it to fail.
  • The work around seems to be to replace table_name with table in the configuration file for TWiki.
    

Here is my example where I see the second failing.

 %DATABASE_REPEAT{description="pandora" columns="name,version,descrip,instdate"}%| [[%SCRIPTURL%/view%SCRIPTSUF
FIX%/%WEB%/PandoraToolInfo?name=%name%&version=%version%][%name% %version%]] | <nop>%descrip% | <nop> %instdat
e% |
%DATABASE_REPEAT% 
%DATABASE_EDIT{description="pandora" display_text="Edit the above table"}%

My LocalSite.cfg for the plugin looks like:

 $TWiki::cfg{Plugins}{DatabasePlugin}{Databases} = [
                                                    {   
                                                      'sid' => '',
                                                      'hostname' => 'databasehost',
                                                      'description' => 'pandora',
                                                      'username' => 'pandora_admin',
                                                      'database' => 'pandora',
                                                      'password' => 'password',
                                                      'table' => 'packages',
                                                      'driver' => 'mysql'
                                                    }   
                                                  ];  

The stack backtrace when description doesn't match database is

No such DB pandora at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins/DatabasePlugin.pm line 76. at /usr/local/.package/perl-5.8.8/lib/5.8.8/CGI/Carp.pm   line 319 CGI::Carp::realdie('No such DB pandora at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1...') 
called at /usr/local/.package/perl-5.8.8/lib/5.8.8/CGI/Carp.pm line 396 CGI::Carp::die('No such DB pandora') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins/DatabasePlugin.pm line 76 eval {...} 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins/DatabasePlugin.pm line 75 TWiki::Plugins::DatabasePlugin::_dispatch('DATABASE_REPEAT',           'description="pandora" columns="name,version,descrip,instdate"', '| [[http://www/twiki-test/testboot/twiki4.1.1/bin/view/Mai...') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins/DatabasePlugin.pm line 95 TWiki::Plugins::DatabasePlugin::commonTagsHandler('---+!!              PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are curr...', 'PandoraToolsList', 'Main', 0) 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugin.pm line 245 TWiki::Plugin::invoke('TWiki::Plugin=HASH(0x8d8df04)', 'commonTagsHandler', '---+!!   PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are curr...', 'PandoraToolsList', 'Main', 0) 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins.pm line 333 TWiki::Plugins::_dispatch('TWiki::Plugins=HASH(0x88213c8)', 'commonTagsHandler',     '---+!!PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are curr...', 'PandoraToolsList', 'Main', 0) 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins.pm line 470 TWiki::Plugins::commonTagsHandler('TWiki::Plugins=HASH(0x88213c8)', '---+!!          PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are curr...', 'PandoraToolsList', 'Main', 0) 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki.pm line 2596 TWiki::handleCommonTags('TWiki=HASH(0x804d6d0)', '---+!!PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are currently ins...', 'Main', 'PandoraToolsList') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/UI/View.pm line 375 TWiki::UI::View::_prepare('---+!!PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools   that are currently ins...', 'TWiki=HASH(0x804d6d0)', 'Main', 'PandoraToolsList', 'TWiki::Meta=HASH(0x903b028)', 0) 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/UI/View.pm line 359 TWiki::UI::View::view('TWiki=HASH(0x804d6d0)') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/UI.pm line 157 TWiki::UI::__ANON__() 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/CPAN/lib//Error.pm line 379 eval {...} 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/CPAN/lib//Error.pm line 371 Error::subs::try('CODE(0x804d5b0)', 'HASH(0x904f154)') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/UI.pm line 197 TWiki::UI::run('CODE(0x809e7e4)', 'view', 1) 
called at /home/apache/www/htdocs/twiki-test/testboot/twiki4.1.1/bin/view line 31  No such DB pandora at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins/  DatabasePlugin.pm line 76. at /usr/local/.package/perl-5.8.8/lib/5.8.8/CGI/Carp.pm line 319 CGI::Carp::realdie('No such DB pandora at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/  twiki4.1.1...') 
called at /usr/local/.package/perl-5.8.8/lib/5.8.8/CGI/Carp.pm line 396 CGI::Carp::die('No such DB pandora') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins/DatabasePlugin.pm line 76 eval {...} 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins/DatabasePlugin.pm line 75 TWiki::Plugins::DatabasePlugin::_dispatch('DATABASE_EDIT',             'description="pandora" display_text="Edit the above table"') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins/DatabasePlugin.pm line 97 TWiki::Plugins::DatabasePlugin::commonTagsHandler('---+!!              PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are curr...', 'PandoraToolsList', 'Main', 0) 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugin.pm line 245 TWiki::Plugin::invoke('TWiki::Plugin=HASH(0x8d8df04)', 'commonTagsHandler', '---+!!   PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are curr...', 'PandoraToolsList', 'Main', 0)  
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins.pm line 333 TWiki::Plugins::_dispatch('TWiki::Plugins=HASH(0x88213c8)', 'commonTagsHandler',     '---+!!PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are curr...', 'PandoraToolsList', 'Main', 0)  
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins.pm line 470 TWiki::Plugins::commonTagsHandler('TWiki::Plugins=HASH(0x88213c8)', '---+!!          PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are curr...', 'PandoraToolsList', 'Main', 0) 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki.pm line 2596 TWiki::handleCommonTags('TWiki=HASH(0x804d6d0)', '---+!!PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are currently ins...', 'Main', 'PandoraToolsList') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/UI/View.pm line 375 TWiki::UI::View::_prepare('---+!!PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools   that are currently ins...', 'TWiki=HASH(0x804d6d0)', 'Main', 'PandoraToolsList', 'TWiki::Meta=HASH(0x903b028)', 0) 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/UI/View.pm line 359 TWiki::UI::View::view('TWiki=HASH(0x804d6d0)') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/UI.pm line 157 TWiki::UI::__ANON__() 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/CPAN/lib//Error.pm line 379 eval {...} 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/CPAN/lib//Error.pm line 371 Error::subs::try('CODE(0x804d5b0)', 'HASH(0x904f154)') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/UI.pm line 197 TWiki::UI::run('CODE(0x809e7e4)', 'view', 1) 
called at /home/apache/www/htdocs/twiki-test/testboot/twiki4.1.1/bin/view line 31

And here's the output when DATABASE_REPEAT fails.

 No table defined in pandora at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins/DatabasePlugin/DATABASE_REPEAT.pm line 10. at /usr/local/.package/perl-5.8. 8/lib/5.8.8/CGI/Carp.pm line 319 CGI::Carp::realdie('No table defined in pandora at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/t...') 
called at /usr/local/.package/perl-5.8.8/lib/5.8.8/CGI/Carp.pm line 396 CGI::Carp::die('No table defined in pandora') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins/DatabasePlugin/DATABASE_REPEAT.pm line 10 TWiki::Plugins::DatabasePlugin::DATABASE_REPEAT::      handle('TWiki::Plugins::DatabasePlugin::Connection=HASH(0x8fe7b04)', 'description="pandora" columns="name,version,descrip,instdate"', '| [[http://www/twiki-test/    testboot/twiki4.1.1/bin/view/Mai...') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins/DatabasePlugin.pm line 81 eval {...} 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins/DatabasePlugin.pm line 75 TWiki::Plugins::DatabasePlugin::_dispatch('DATABASE_REPEAT',           'description="pandora" columns="name,version,descrip,instdate"', '| [[http://www/twiki-test/testboot/twiki4.1.1/bin/view/Mai...') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins/DatabasePlugin.pm line 95 TWiki::Plugins::DatabasePlugin::commonTagsHandler('---+!!              PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are curr...', 'PandoraToolsList', 'Main', 0) 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugin.pm line 245 TWiki::Plugin::invoke('TWiki::Plugin=HASH(0x8d8e1b4)', 'commonTagsHandler', '---+!!   PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are curr...', 'PandoraToolsList', 'Main', 0) 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins.pm line 333 TWiki::Plugins::_dispatch('TWiki::Plugins=HASH(0x8821438)', 'commonTagsHandler',     '---+!!PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are curr...', 'PandoraToolsList', 'Main', 0) 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/Plugins.pm line 470 TWiki::Plugins::commonTagsHandler('TWiki::Plugins=HASH(0x8821438)', '---+!!          PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are curr...', 'PandoraToolsList', 'Main', 0) 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki.pm line 2596 TWiki::handleCommonTags('TWiki=HASH(0x804d6d0)', '---+!!PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools that are currently ins...', 'Main', 'PandoraToolsList') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/UI/View.pm line 375 TWiki::UI::View::_prepare('---+!!PandoraToolsList\x{a}\x{a}This is a list of tools   that are currently ins...', 'TWiki=HASH(0x804d6d0)', 'Main', 'PandoraToolsList', 'TWiki::Meta=HASH(0x903b0b0)', 0) 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/UI/View.pm line 359 TWiki::UI::View::view('TWiki=HASH(0x804d6d0)') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/UI.pm line 157 TWiki::UI::__ANON__() 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/CPAN/lib//Error.pm line 379 eval {...} 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/CPAN/lib//Error.pm line 371 Error::subs::try('CODE(0x804d5b0)', 'HASH(0x904f644)') 
called at /proj/twiki/testing/testboot/twiki4.1.1/lib/TWiki/UI.pm line 197 TWiki::UI::run('CODE(0x809e7e4)', 'view', 1) 
called at /home/apache/www/htdocs/twiki-test/testboot/twiki4.1.1/bin/view line 31    

-- TWiki:Main/TravisCampbell - 26 Oct 2007

I can verify the two statements. The docs could emphasize that 'description' must match database and the other macros could be hidden by a twistie maybe. Otherwise I don't know if it would be a good idea to update this plugin a bit or make a *Ng plugin. Only DATABASE_SQL is actually needed, I think, and it could be written with a registerTagHandler instead of commonTagsHandler. The other macros are documented to be for compatability (for?) and should not be used. The DATABASE_EDIT also seem to be suitable for a registered tag. I won't start doing this until after getting some feedback. We must remember those who have old TWiki's who wants to upgrade

-- LarsEik