Chapter 20. Python Reference

Method: MySQL.connect( )

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Signature

connection = MySQL.connect(host)

Synopsis

Connects to the MySQL database engine on the specified server. If you call connect() with no arguments, it will connect you to the MySQL database engine on the local machine. It returns a Python object representing a connection to a MySQL database.

Example

conn = MySQL.connect(`carthage.imaginary.com');

Method: connection.selectdb( )

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Signature

connection.selectdb(database)

Synopsis

Selects the database against which you intend to operate.

Example

connection.selectdb(`test');

Method: connection.do( )

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Signature

results = connection.do(sql)

Synopsis

Sends the specified SQL statement to the currently selected database for execution. The results are returned as a list of lists where each list represents a single row. The method is also used for updates -- you just do not process the return value.

Example

results = conn.do(`SELECT title, year FROM movies');
row1 = results[0];

Method: statement_handle.affectedrows( )

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Signature

rowcount = statement_handle.affectedrows()

Synopsis

Assuming the results of the SQL represented by this statement handler came from an UPDATE, DELETE, or INSERT, this method returns the number of rows actually modified by that statement.

Example

rowcount = hndl.affectedrows()

Method: statement_handle.numrows( )

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Signature

rowcount = statement_handle.numrows()

Synopsis

Assuming the results of the SQL represented by this statement handler came from a SELECT, this method provides the number of rows in the result set.

Example

rowcount = hndl.numrows()

Method: statement_handle.fields( )

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Signature

list = statement_handle.fields()

Synopsis

Provides meta-information about the columns in the results returned by this query. The list is actually a list of lists. Each member of the returned list is a list of meta-information about a specific column. In other words, the returned list will have one member for each column in the result set. The first member of the list represents the first column, the second member the second column, and so on.

The meta-data for each column is a list of five elements:

• A string containing the column name

• A string containing the name of the table from which the column came

• A string with the name of the SQL datatype for the column

• An int containing the size of the column

• A string containing the column modifies such as NOTNULL

Example

flds = hndl.fields();
for column in flds:
name = column[0];
table = column[1];
type = column[2];
size = columns[3];
mods = column[4];

Method: statement_handle.fetchrows( )

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Signature

list = statement_handle.fetchrows(rownum)

Synopsis

Fetches the row values of the specified row number associated with the result set represented by the statement handler. If you pass -1 as an argument, this method will return a list of all the rows. For each row in the list, a row is represented by a list whose number of elements equals the number of columns in the result set. The first element represents the first column value, the second element the second column, and so on.

Example

rows = hndl.fetchrows(-1);
for row in rows:
    col1 = row[0];
    col2 = row[1];

Method: connection.listdbs( )

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Signature

dbs = connection.listdbs()

Synopsis

Provides a Python list of databases available on the database server.

Example

dbs = conn.listdbs()