---
name: "UR::DataSource::FileMux"
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::FileMux"
---

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

Parent class for datasources which can multiplex many files together

## NAME

UR::DataSource::FileMux - Parent class for datasources which can multiplex many files together

## DEPRECATED

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

## SYNOPSIS

```
  package MyNamespace::DataSource::MyFileMux;
  class MyNamespace::DataSource::MyFileMux {
      is => ['UR::DataSource::FileMux', 'UR::Singleton'],
  };
  sub column_order { ['thing_id', 'thing_name', 'thing_color'] }
  sub sort_order { ['thing_id'] }
  sub delimiter { "\t" }
  sub constant_values { ['thing_type'] }
  sub required_for_get { ['thing_type'] }
  sub file_resolver {
      my $thing_type = shift;
      return '/base/path/to/files/' . $thing_type;
  }
  package main;
  class MyNamespace::ThingMux {
      id_by => ['thing_id', 'thing_type' ],
      has => ['thing_id', 'thing_type', 'thing_name','thing_color'],
      data_source => 'MyNamespace::DataSource::MyFileMux',
  };
  my @objs = MyNamespace::Thing->get(thing_type => 'people', thing_name => 'Bob');
```

## DESCRIPTION

UR::DataSource::FileMux provides a framework for file-based data sources where the data files are split up between one or more parameters of the class.  For example, in the synopsis above, the data for the class is stored in several files in the directory /base/path/to/files/.  Each file may have a name such as 'people' and 'cars'.

When a **get()** request is made on the class, the parameter 'thing\_type' must be present in the rule, and the value of that parameter is used to complete the file's pathname, via the **file\_resolver()** function.  Note that even though the 'thing\_type' parameter is not actually stored in the file, its value for the loaded objects gets filled in because that parameter exists in the **constant\_values()** configuration list, and in the **get()** request.

### Configuration

These methods determine the configuration for your data source and should appear as properties of the data source or as functions in the package.

- **delimiter()**

  - **record\_separator()**

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

  - **column\_order()**

  - **sort\_order()**

  These configuration items behave the same as in a UR::DataSource::File-based data source.

- **required\_for\_get()**

  **required\_for\_get()** should return a listref of parameter names.  Whenever a **get()** request is made on the class, the listed parameters must appear in the rule, or be derivable via **UR::Context::infer\_property\_value\_from\_rule()**.

- **file\_resolver()**

  **file\_resolver()** is called as a function (not a method).  It should accept the same number of parameters as are mentioned in **required\_for\_get()**.  When a **get()** request is made, those named parameters are extracted from the rule and passed in to the **file\_resolver()** function in the same order.  **file\_resolver()** must return a string that is used as the pathname to the file that contains the needed data.  The function must not have any other side effects.

  In the case where the data source is a regular object (not a UR::Singleton'), then  the file\_resover parameter should return a coderef.

- **constant\_values()**

  **constant\_values()** should return a listref of parameter names.  These parameter names are used by the object loader system to fill in data that may not be present in the data files.  If the class has parameters that are not actually stored in the data files, then the parameter values are extracted from the rule and stored in the loaded object instances before being returned to the user.

  In the synopsis above, thing\_type is not stored in the data files, even though it exists as a parameter of the MyNamespace::ThingMux class.

### Theory of Operation

As part of the data-loading infrastructure inside UR, the parameters in a **get()**  request are transformed into a UR::BoolExpr instance, also called a rule.   UR::DataSource::FilMux hooks into that infrastructure by implementing **create\_iterator\_closure\_for\_rule()**.  It first collects the values for all the parameters mentioned in **required\_for\_get()** by passing the rule and needed parameter to **infer\_property\_value\_from\_rule()** of the current Context.  If any of the needed parameters is not resolvable, an exception is raised.

Some of the rule's parameters may have multiple values.  In those cases, all the  combinations of values are expanded.  For example of param\_a has 2 values, and param\_b has 3 values, then there are 6 possible combinations.

For each combination of values, the **file\_resolver()** function is called and  returns a pathname.  For each pathname, a file-specific data source is created (if it does not already exist), the **server()** configuration parameter created to return that pathname.  Other parameters are copied from the values in the FileMux data source, such as column\_names and delimiter. **create\_iterator\_closure\_for\_rule()** is called on each of those data sources.

Finally, an iterator is created to wrap all of those iterators, and is returned.

## INHERITANCE

UR::DataSource

## SEE ALSO

UR, UR::DataSource, UR::DataSource::File