+++ Introduction

A common case when looking for ORM tools like Doctrine is that the database and the code that access it is growing large/complex. A more substantial tool is needed then manual SQL code. 

Doctrine has support for generating Doctrine_Record classes from your existing database. There is no need for you to manually write all the Doctrine_Record classes for your domain model. 

+++ Making the first import

Let's consider we have a mysql database called test with a single table called 'file'.

The file table has been created with the following sql statement:

<code type="sql">
CREATE TABLE file (
    id INT UNSIGNED AUTO_INCREMENT NOT NULL,
    name VARCHAR(150),
    size BIGINT,
    modified BIGINT,
    type VARCHAR(10),
    content TEXT,
    path TEXT,
    PRIMARY KEY(id))
</code>

Now we would like to convert it into Doctrine record class. It can be achieved easily with the following code snippet:

<code type="php">
require_once('path-to-doctrine/lib/Doctrine.php');

spl_autoload_register(array('Doctrine', 'autoload'));
Doctrine_Manager::connection('mysql://root:dc34@localhost/test');

// import method takes one parameter: the import directory (the directory where
// the generated record files will be put in
Doctrine::generateModelsFromDb('myrecords');
</code>

That's it! Now there should be a file called File.php in your myrecords directory. The file should look like:

<code type="php">
/**
 * This class has been auto-generated by the Doctrine ORM Framework
 */
abstract class BaseFile extends Doctrine_Record
{
  public function setTableDefinition()
  {
    $this->setTableName('file');
    $this->hasColumn('id', 'integer', 4, array (
  'alltypes' => 
  array (
    0 => 'integer',
  ),
  'ntype' => 'int(10) unsigned',
  'unsigned' => 1,
  'values' => 
  array (
  ),
  'primary' => true,
  'notnull' => true,
  'autoincrement' => true,
));
    $this->hasColumn('name', 'string', 150, array (
  'alltypes' => 
  array (
    0 => 'string',
  ),
  'ntype' => 'varchar(150)',
  'fixed' => false,
  'values' => 
  array (
  ),
  'primary' => false,
  'notnull' => false,
  'autoincrement' => false,
));
    $this->hasColumn('size', 'integer', 8, array (
  'alltypes' => 
  array (
    0 => 'integer',
  ),
  'ntype' => 'bigint(20)',
  'unsigned' => 0,
  'values' => 
  array (
  ),
  'primary' => false,
  'notnull' => false,
  'autoincrement' => false,
));
    $this->hasColumn('modified', 'integer', 8, array (
  'alltypes' => 
  array (
    0 => 'integer',
  ),
  'ntype' => 'bigint(20)',
  'unsigned' => 0,
  'values' => 
  array (
  ),
  'primary' => false,
  'notnull' => false,
  'autoincrement' => false,
));
    $this->hasColumn('type', 'string', 10, array (
  'alltypes' => 
  array (
    0 => 'string',
  ),
  'ntype' => 'varchar(10)',
  'fixed' => false,
  'values' => 
  array (
  ),
  'primary' => false,
  'notnull' => false,
  'autoincrement' => false,
));
    $this->hasColumn('content', 'string', null, array (
  'alltypes' => 
  array (
    0 => 'string',
    1 => 'clob',
  ),
  'ntype' => 'text',
  'fixed' => false,
  'values' => 
  array (
  ),
  'primary' => false,
  'notnull' => false,
  'autoincrement' => false,
));
    $this->hasColumn('path', 'string', null, array (
  'alltypes' => 
  array (
    0 => 'string',
    1 => 'clob',
  ),
  'ntype' => 'text',
  'fixed' => false,
  'values' => 
  array (
  ),
  'primary' => false,
  'notnull' => false,
  'autoincrement' => false,
));
  }
}
</code>

+++ Import options