DBIx-compatible module to use for CGI CRUD/BREAD?

jfrm has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

I'm writing prototype code to establish proof of concept for a web database app. I have DBIx-Class working and searching OK.

I'd like to use webforms (just basic CGI HTML), first to just to search and show results from searches but also to do CRUD/BREAD. I can see a number of modules that might help. I'd rather not guess which are the best modules/methods to use...

I've located 12 likely modules and skimmed through the documentation of each + other stuff and reduced my list to 3 options. The others I've categorised according to my reason for rejection underneath. I would be grateful if anyone can:

comment on the validity; compare/contrast these 3 otherwise help to decide which is most appropriate
comment on the wisdom of the elimination of the other candidates
Suggest another candidate that I missed?

Otherwise, perhaps the list will be useful to other beginners anyway.

Based on DBIx, sounds straightforward

DBIx::HTMLinterface
Class for creating a CGI interface to a database
DBIx-HTMLinterface-0.11 - 15 Dec 1999 - James Furness
[The DBIx::HTMLinterface class allows a CGI interface to a database. I
+t enables a CGI interface to a database to be created, supporting rec
+ord addition, modification, deletion and searching. It provides a use
+r friendly interface with descriptions of fields provided. The field 
+descriptions along with information on whether the field is visible, 
+hidden or excluded are extracted from a table, allowing easy modifica
+tion and addition of fields and tables without having to edit code.
Features
Simple database administration. Forms are created automatically on dem
+and, SQL statements are generated as needed and processed. The module
+ contains enough autonomy to potentially run with only wrapper perl c
+ode placed around it.
Full form configuration 
Forms can be modified to add descriptions and extra information to fie
+lds, making it easy to change output without having to edit code.
Control 
Extensive callback procedures and configuration options allow output, 
+password protection and logging to be configured as desired.
Full HTML customisation 
HTML output and table formats can be customised easily by the user.]
[download]

DBIx::HTMLView
For creating web userinterfaces to DBI databases.
DBIx-HTMLView-0.1 - 01 Oct 2001 - Hakan Ardo
[This is a general propose module to simplify the creation of web user
+interfaces to a DBI database, currently it can list, view, add, edit 
+and delete entries in the databse using either <input ...> or <textar
+ea> to gather the info. Se the new method description for info on how
+ to define the database format and how the fields should be edited.]
[download]

CGI::FormBuilder
Easily generate and process stateful forms
CGI-FormBuilder-3.0401 - 08 Sep 2006 - Nate Wiger
[Nate: As for feeding DBIC directly into FB w/o Catalyst, all you real
+ly need is to use get_columns and pass this list into FB->new. A simp
+le form will be created automatically.]
[download]

Based on Catalyst or otherwise similarly frightening

Catalyst::Plugin::FormBuilder
Catalyst FormBuilder Plugin
Catalyst-Plugin-FormBuilder-1.05 - 07 Sep 2006 - Nate Wiger
[download]

Catalyst::Plugin::CRUD::DBIC 
CRUD (create/read/update/delete) Plugin for DBIx::Class 
Catalyst-Plugin-CRUD-0.13 - 28 Aug 2006 - Jun Shimizu
[download]

DBIx::Class::HTMLWidget 
Like FromForm but with DBIx::Class and HTML::Widget 
DBIx-Class-HTMLWidget-0.06 - 15 Jun 2006 - Marcus Ramberg 
[ You'll need a working DBIx::Class setup and some knowledge of HTML::
+Widget and Catalyst. ]
[download]

DBIx::Class::InstantCRUD
Like DBIx::Class::HTMLWidget but handles relationships and extra info 
+in the columns_info metadata. It also has methods to put DBIC objects
+ into HTML
Catalyst-Example-InstantCRUD-v0.0.14 - 23 Aug 2006 - Zbigniew Lukasiak
[You'll need a working DBIx::Class setup and some knowledge of HTML::W
+idget and Catalyst. ]
[download]

DBIx::Class::FormTools
Utility module for building forms with multiple related DBIx::Class ob
+jects.
DBIx-Class-FormTools-0.000004 - 21 Jun 2006 - David Jack Olrik
[The module is not ment to be used directly, although it can of-course
+ be done as seen in the above example, but rather used as a utility m
+odule in a Catalyst helper module or other equivalent framework.]
[download]

Based on CDBI - therefore presumably will not have functionalily of modules based on DBIC

CGI::Application::Plugin::BREAD 
Plugin for Dynamic Database Management Application 
CGI-Application-Plugin-BREAD-0.12_2 - 10 Jul 2005 - Jason Purdy 
[A lot of emphasis has been put on Ruby on Rails, Catalyst or other ty
+pe of easy-to-use and easy-to-setup BREAD applications. BREAD (oh how
+ we love acronyms) stands for Browse, Read, Edit, Add and Delete. CRU
+D (Create, Retrieve, Update and Delete) also suffices, but BREAD just
+ sounds better. Either way you slice it (pun intended), this Plugin w
+ill allow you to setup a database management tool for your users in n
+o time.]
[bread_db
This method points the BREAD plugin to what database to work with. The
+re's a lot of flexibility in the parameter choices. You can provide a
+n array reference of Class::DBI classes or Class::DBI::Loader. This m
+ethod will inspect your parameter by looking at its reference.]
[download]

Incomprehensible, inappropriate or dubious

DBIx::Web
Active Web Database Layer
DBIx-Web-0.62 - 30 Jun 2006 - Andrew V. Makarow
[download]

DBIx::Browse::CGI
Perl extension to browse tables with a CGI interface.
DBIx-Browse-2.09 - 10 Dec 2002 - Evilio Jose del Rio Silvan
[download]

[I couldn't find a module called DBIx::HTML which is strange but I fou
+nd]
DBIx::HTML::LinkedMenus
Convert SQL to 2 linked HTML popup menus.
DBIx::HTML::PopupRadio
Convert sql into a popup menu or radio group.
DBIx::HTML::ClientDB
Convert sql into a client-side db with keyed access.
All by - Ron Savage ::
[download]

DBIx::CGI
Easy to Use DBI interface for CGI scripts
DBIx-CGI-0.06 - 24 Dec 1999 - Stefan Hornburg
[download]

DBIx::CGITables
0.001 - Easy DB access from a CGI
DBIx-CGITables-0.001 - 26 Feb 2000 - Tobias Brox
[This module is under development - and this version is not tested ver
+y well.]
[download]

DBIx::HTMLTable
Create HTML table from DBI query output.
DBIx-HTMLTable-0.24 - 17 Mar 2004 - Robert Kiesling
[Note: may be useful for just presenting search results]
[download]

Update 11 Sep

John Siracusa has pointed out that Rose::HTML::Objects is another alternative.

Rose::HTML::Objects 
Object-oriented interfaces for HTML. 
Rose-HTML-Objects-0.53 - 14 Jun 2006 - John Siracusa
[download]

Comment on DBIx-compatible module to use for CGI CRUD/BREAD? Select or Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: DBIx-compatible module to use for CGI CRUD/BREAD? by perrin (Chancellor) on Sep 10, 2006 at 15:51 UTC
Just a little nomenclature thing here: "DBIx" in the title of a module does not refer to DBIx::Class. It means that this is a DBI extension of some kind. To find DBIx::Class struff, you'll have to search for the whole string "DBIx::Class" (or maybe "DBIC" in some cases).	[reply]
Re: DBIx-compatible module to use for CGI CRUD/BREAD? by aquarium (Curate) on Sep 10, 2006 at 10:08 UTC
i know what CRUD is: Create, Read, Update, Delete. what is BREAD?..apart from being food. the hardest line to type correctly is: stty erase ^H	[reply]
Re^2: DBIx-compatible module to use for CGI CRUD/BREAD? by skx (Parson) on Sep 10, 2006 at 17:14 UTC
BREAD is "Browse, Read, Edit, Add and Delete.". Found by reading the POD for CGI::Application::Plugin::BREAD .. Steve --	[reply]
Re: DBIx-compatible module to use for CGI CRUD/BREAD? by aquarium (Curate) on Sep 10, 2006 at 23:45 UTC
Looks like Formbuilder is the only mature and actively supported module from your pick of 3. If you don't run into major issues during prototyping, then i would choose Formbuilder on these merits. You also get good state handling, which is a bonus. Not sure how easy (or otherwise) it is to customize Formbuilder look/workflow. the hardest line to type correctly is: stty erase ^H	[reply]
Re^2: DBIx-compatible module to use for CGI CRUD/BREAD? by jfrm (Monk) on Sep 11, 2006 at 22:26 UTC
Thanks, that's exactly the sort of evaluation I was hoping for. The only other contender that has turned up from a couple of people is CGI::Application with an appropriate plugin. I'm a bit vague about this. I had dismissed CGI::Application::Plugin::BREAD because it seemed to be based on CDBI instead of DBIC. Was this unwise? Or does anyone know of a suitable plugin?	[reply]
Re: DBIx-compatible module to use for CGI CRUD/BREAD? by ait (Hermit) on Sep 11, 2006 at 02:01 UTC
Hi. Just IMHO If you are looking into these matters in Perl I would recommend that you take a look at Catalyst and do the whole tutorial (it will take you about 2 hours each chapter if you really sit down and understand what is going on). You will see many of these things integrated in to a RAD environment and will teach you a lot about Perl for the Web, and Perl best practices in general. It's really, really cool. The pain is probably installing it, but once you get it going do: `perldoc Catalyst::Manual::Tutorial`	[reply]
Re^2: DBIx-compatible module to use for CGI CRUD/BREAD? by jfrm (Monk) on Sep 11, 2006 at 22:22 UTC
Well yes, thanks but please see my separate thread on Catalyst http://www.perlmonks.com/?node_id=572198 in which the conclusion seems to be that Catalyst would be both difficult and also veering on the "sledgehammer to crack a nut" side.	[reply]
Re: DBIx-compatible module to use for CGI CRUD/BREAD? by zby (Vicar) on May 15, 2008 at 12:38 UTC
I've just created a wiki page to gather opinions on what a good Catalyst CRUD library should be. Since it seems hard to get consensus here.	[reply]
Re: DBIx-compatible module to use for CGI CRUD/BREAD? by zby (Vicar) on Sep 13, 2006 at 07:02 UTC
There is also Catalyst::Example::InstantCRUD - actually the DBIx::Class::InstantCRUD you mention is just an internal module of the former. My goal when writing Instant was to have something that generates the CRUD/BREAD code with minimal configuration. It's still work in progress but should work for many scenarios - the main problem are the dependencies.	[reply]


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