---
name: "UR::DataSource::File"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "libur-perl"
version: "0.470+ds-3"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/UR::DataSource::File"
---

# UR::DataSource::File(3pm)

Parent class for file-based data sources

## NAME

UR::DataSource::File - Parent class for file-based data sources

## DEPRECATED

This module is deprecated.  Use UR::DataSource::Filesystem instead.

## SYNOPSIS

```
  package MyNamespace::DataSource::MyFile;
  class MyNamespace::DataSource::MyFile {
      is => ['UR::DataSource::File', 'UR::Singleton'],
  };
  sub server { '/path/to/file' }
  sub delimiter { "\t" }
  sub column_order { ['thing_id', 'thing_name', 'thing_color' ] }
  sub sort_order { ['thing_id'] }
  package main;
  class MyNamespace::Thing {
      id_by => 'thing_id',
      has => [ 'thing_id', 'thing_name', 'thing_color' ],
      data_source => 'MyNamespace::DataSource::MyFile',
  }
  my @objs = MyNamespace::Thing->get(thing_name => 'Bob');
```

## DESCRIPTION

Classes which wish to retrieve their data from a regular file can use a UR::DataSource::File-based data source.  The modules implementing these data sources live under the DataSource subdirectory of the application's Namespace, by convention.  Besides defining a class for your data source inheriting from UR::DataSource::File, it should have the following methods, either as properties or functions in the package.

### Configuration

These methods determine the configuration for your data source.

- **server()**

  **server()** should return a string representing the pathname of the file where the data is stored.

- **file\_list()**

  The **file\_list()** method should return a listref of pathnames to one or more identical files where data is stored.   Use **file\_list()** instead of **server()** when you want to load-balance several NFS servers, for example.

  You must have either **server()** or **file\_list()** in your module, but not both.  The existence of **server()** takes precedence over **file\_list()**.

- **delimiter()**

  **delimiter()** should return a string representing how the fields in each record are split into columns.  This string is interpreted as a regex internally.  The default delimiter is "\\s\*,\\s\*" meaning that the file is separated by commas.

- **record\_separator()**

  **record\_separator()** should return a string that gets stored in $/ before **getline()** is called on the file's filehandle.  The default **record\_separator()** is "\\n" meaning that the file's records are  separated by newlines.

- **skip\_first\_line()**

  **skip\_first\_line()** should return a boolean value.  If true, the first line of the file is ignored, for example if the first line defines the columns in the file.

- **column\_order()**

  **column\_order()** should return a listref of column names in the file.  column\_order is required; there is no default.

- **sort\_order()**

  If the data file is sorted in some way, **sort\_order()** should return a listref of column names (which must exist in **column\_order()**) by which the file is sorted.  This gives the system a hint about how the file is structured, and is able to make shortcuts when reading the file to speed up data access.  The default is to assume the file is not sorted.

## INHERITANCE

```
  UR::DataSource
```

## SEE ALSO

UR, UR::DataSource