use Perl

• See UsingJoins on the wiki (Score:2)

  by TeeJay (2309)

  There is a UsingJoins [class-dbi.com] section on the wiki that is quite good.

  The documentation also has quite a lot about using custom sql and Class::DBI provides things like sth_to_objects which allows you to 'SELECT __ESSENTIAL__ from table_foo a, table_bar b where %s' when used with SQL::Abstract.

  I was working on something like this last night and it works a treat. I was working from Randal's rather handy example.

  --
  
  @JAPH = qw(Hacker Perl Another Just);
  print reverse @JAPH;
• Just use SQL then (Score:1)

  by perrin (4270)

  package TableOne;
   
  # set up columns and table here...
   
  __PACKAGE__->set_sql('by_join' => qq{
  select title, descr
  from table_1, table_2, table_3
  where table_1.pkey=table_2.fkey and date='2004-12-16' and
  table_1.pkey=table_3.fkey and
  field_3 = 'test'});
   
  # then, in some nearby code:
   
  my @table_ones = TableOne->search_by_join();

  Using SQL directly is what makes Class::DBI so useful, in my opinion. You always have an escape hatch when you need it.