Database and SQLAlchemy

In this blog we will explore using programs with data, focused on Databases. We will use SQLite Database to learn more about using Programs with Data. Use Debugging through these examples to examine Objects created in Code.

  • College Board talks about ideas like

    • Program Usage. "iterative and interactive way when processing information"
    • Managing Data. "classifying data are part of the process in using programs", "data files in a Table"
    • Insight "insight and knowledge can be obtained from ... digitally represented information"
    • Filter systems. 'tools for finding information and recognizing patterns"
    • Application. "the preserve has two databases", "an employee wants to count the number of book"
  • PBL, Databases, Iterative/OOP

    • Iterative. Refers to a sequence of instructions or code being repeated until a specific end result is achieved
    • OOP. A computer programming model that organizes software design around data, or objects, rather than functions and logic
    • SQL. Structured Query Language, abbreviated as SQL, is a language used in programming, managing, and structuring data

Imports and Flask Objects

Defines and key object creations

  • Comment on where you have observed these working? Provide a defintion of purpose.
    1. Flask app object
    2. SQLAlchemy db object
"""
These imports define the key objects
"""

from flask import Flask
from flask_sqlalchemy import SQLAlchemy

"""
These object and definitions are used throughout the Jupyter Notebook.
"""

# Setup of key Flask object (app)
app = Flask(__name__)
# Setup SQLAlchemy object and properties for the database (db)
database = 'sqlite:///sqlite.db'  # path and filename of database
app.config['SQLALCHEMY_TRACK_MODIFICATIONS'] = False
app.config['SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI'] = database
app.config['SECRET_KEY'] = 'SECRET_KEY'
db = SQLAlchemy()


# This belongs in place where it runs once per project
db.init_app(app)

Model Definition

Define columns, initialization, and CRUD methods for users table in sqlite.db

  • Comment on these items in the class, purpose and defintion.
    • class User
    • db.Model inheritance
    • init method
    • @property, @<column>.setter
    • create, read, update, delete methods
""" database dependencies to support sqlite examples """
import datetime
from datetime import datetime
import json

from sqlalchemy.exc import IntegrityError
from werkzeug.security import generate_password_hash, check_password_hash


''' Tutorial: https://www.sqlalchemy.org/library.html#tutorials, try to get into a Python shell and follow along '''

# Define the User class to manage actions in the 'users' table
# -- Object Relational Mapping (ORM) is the key concept of SQLAlchemy
# -- a.) db.Model is like an inner layer of the onion in ORM
# -- b.) User represents data we want to store, something that is built on db.Model
# -- c.) SQLAlchemy ORM is layer on top of SQLAlchemy Core, then SQLAlchemy engine, SQL
class User(db.Model):
    __tablename__ = 'review'  # table name is plural, class name is singular

    # Define the User schema with "vars" from object
    id = db.Column(db.Integer, primary_key=True)
    _rname = db.Column(db.String(255), unique=False, nullable=False)
    _comment = db.Column(db.Text, unique=False, nullable=False)
    _rating = db.Column(db.Integer, unique=False, nullable=False)
    _uid = db.Column(db.String(255), unique=True, nullable=False) 

    # constructor of a User object, initializes the instance variables within object (self)
    def __init__(self, rname, comment, rating, uid):
        self._rname = rname    # variables with self prefix become part of the object, 
        self._comment = comment
        self._rating = rating
        self._uid = uid

    # a name getter method, extracts name from object
    @property
    def rname(self):
        return self._rname
    
    # a setter function, allows name to be updated after initial object creation
    @rname.setter
    def rname(self, rname):
        self._rname = rname

    # a comment getter method, extracts comment from object
    @property
    def comment(self):
        return self._comment
    
    # a setter function, allows name to be updated after initial object creation
    @comment.setter
    def comment(self, comment):
        self._comment = comment  

    # a getter method, extracts rating from object
    @property
    def rating(self):
        return self._rating
    
    # a setter function, allows name to be updated after initial object creation
    @rating.setter
    def rating(self, rating):
        self._rating = rating              
    
    # a getter method, extracts uid from object
    @property
    def uid(self):
        return self._uid
    
    # a setter function, allows name to be updated after initial object creation
    @uid.setter
    def uid(self, uid):
        self._uid = uid
        
    # check if uid parameter matches user id in object, return boolean
    def is_uid(self, uid):
        return self._uid == uid
    
  
    # output content using str(object) in human readable form, uses getter
    # output content using json dumps, this is ready for API response
    def __str__(self):
        return json.dumps(self.read())

    # CRUD create/add a new record to the table
    # returns self or None on error
    def create(self):
        try:
            # creates a person object from User(db.Model) class, passes initializers
            print("Inside create")
            db.session.add(self)  # add prepares to persist person object to Users table
            db.session.commit()  # SqlAlchemy "unit of work pattern" requires a manual commit
            return self
        except IntegrityError:
            db.session.remove()
            return None

    # CRUD read converts self to dictionary
    # returns dictionary
    def read(self):
        # entry = db.session.query(Users).get(args["id"])
        # print(id,self.rname,self.uid,self.comment,self.rating)
        return {
            "id": self.id,
            "rname": self.rname,
            "comment":self.comment,
            "rating":self.rating,
            "uid": self.uid            
        }

    # CRUD update: updates comment, rating, uid
    # returns self
    def put(self,id,comment,rating,uid):
        """only updates values with length"""
        print("inside users.py update") 
        entry = db.session.query(User).get(id)
        print("sent request to update record", entry)  
        print(id,comment,rating,uid)
        try:
            if entry: 
                # db.session.update(self)
                entry.comment = comment
                entry.rating = rating
                entry.uid = uid

                # user.verified = True
                print("updated record", entry)                            
                db.session.commit()
                return entry
            else:
                return {"error": "entry not found"}, 404                
        except Exception as e:
            db.session.rollback()
            return {"error": f"server error: {e}"}, 500            

    # CRUD delete: remove self
    # None
    def delete(id):
        # print("inside users.py delete", id) 
        try:
            entry = db.session.query(User).get(id)
            if entry: 
                db.session.delete(entry)
                db.session.commit()
                print("deleted record", entry)                
                return None
            else:
                return {"error": "entry not found"}, 404                
        except Exception as e:
            db.session.rollback()
            return {"error": f"server error: {e}"}, 500
    

Initial Data

Uses SQLALchemy db.create_all() to initialize rows into sqlite.db

  • Comment on how these work?
    1. Create All Tables from db Object - creates the tables using the information in the object
    2. User Object Constructors - Sets the restrictions for what the info within the object should be / how it should be formatted
    3. Try / Except - sets a procedure for what to do in case of an error
def initReviews():
    with app.app_context():
        """Create database and tables"""
        db.create_all()
        """Tester data for table"""
        u1 = User(rname='Recipe1', comment='Recipe1 comment', rating=5, uid='toby' )
        u2 = User(rname='Recipe2', comment='Recipe2 comment', rating=6, uid='niko')
        u3 = User(rname='Recipe3', comment='Recipe3 comment', rating=3, uid='lex')
        u4 = User(rname='Recipe4', comment='Recipe4 comment', rating=8, uid='whit')
        u5 = User(rname='Recipe5', comment='Recipe5 comment', rating=10, uid='jm1021')

        users = [u1, u2, u3, u4, u5]

        """Builds sample user/comment(s) data"""
        for user in users:
            try:
                user.create()
            except IntegrityError:
                '''fails with bad or duplicate data'''
                db.session.remove()
                print(f"Records exist, duplicate email, or error: {user.uid}")

initReviews()
Inside create
Inside create
Inside create
Inside create
Inside create

Check for given Credentials in users table in sqlite.db

Use of ORM Query object and custom methods to identify user to credentials uid and password

  • Comment on purpose of following
    1. User.query.filter_by - filters by whatever the set filter is
    2. user.password - cross-references with the currently set password
def find_by_uid(uid):
    with app.app_context():
        user = User.query.filter_by(_uid=uid).first()
    return user # returns user object

# Check credentials by finding user and verify password
def check_credentials(uid):
    # query email and return user record
    user = find_by_uid(uid)
    if user == None:
        return False
    return True
        
check_credentials("toby")
True

Create a new User in table in Sqlite.db

Uses SQLALchemy and custom user.create() method to add row.

  • Comment on purpose of following
    1. user.find_by_uid() and try/except - searches for a user by the uid is also set to handle error cases.
    2. user = User(...) - makes a new user object with the following properties
    3. user.dob and try/except - gets the user's birthday, handles error cases in terms of misinputs
    4. user.create() and try/except - makes a new user and adds to the user object, handles error cases using try and except.
def create():
    # optimize user time to see if uid exists
    uid = input("Enter your user id:")
    user = find_by_uid(uid)
    try:
        print("Found\n", user.read())
        return
    except:
        pass # keep going
    
    # request value that ensure creating valid object
    rname = input("Enter the recipe you are reviewing:")
    comment = input("Enter your review:")
    rating = input("Enter your rating out of 10:")
    uid = input("Enter your Username:")
    
    # Initialize User object before date
    uo = User(rname=rname,
              comment=comment,
              rating=rating,
              uid=uid
              )
    
    # create user.dob, fail with today as dob
           
    # write object to database
    with app.app_context():
        try:
            user = uo.create()
            print("Created\n", object.read())
        except:  # error raised if object not created
            print("Unknown error uid {uid}")
        
create()
Found
 {'id': 7, 'rname': '', 'comment': '', 'rating': '', 'uid': ''}

Reading users table in sqlite.db

Uses SQLALchemy query.all method to read data

  • Comment on purpose of following
    1. User.query.all - gets all certain instances of what is searched by the user
    2. json_ready assignment, google List Comprehension - makes a data structure that is ready to be set as a json
def read():
    with app.app_context():
        table = User.query.all()
    json_ready = [user.read() for user in table] # "List Comprehensions", for each user add user.read() to list
    return json_ready

read()
[{'id': 1,
  'rname': 'Recipe1',
  'comment': 'Recipe1 comment',
  'rating': 5,
  'uid': 'toby'},
 {'id': 2,
  'rname': 'Recipe2',
  'comment': 'Recipe2 comment',
  'rating': 6,
  'uid': 'niko'},
 {'id': 3,
  'rname': 'Recipe3',
  'comment': 'Recipe3 comment',
  'rating': 3,
  'uid': 'lex'},
 {'id': 4,
  'rname': 'Recipe4',
  'comment': 'Recipe4 comment',
  'rating': 8,
  'uid': 'whit'},
 {'id': 5,
  'rname': 'Recipe5',
  'comment': 'Recipe5 comment',
  'rating': 10,
  'uid': 'jm1021'},
 {'id': 6,
  'rname': 'soham',
  'comment': 'soham',
  'rating': 'soham',
  'uid': 'soham'},
 {'id': 7, 'rname': '', 'comment': '', 'rating': '', 'uid': ''},
 {'id': 8,
  'rname': 'apple pie',
  'comment': 'i love this recipe',
  'rating': 9,
  'uid': 'test'}]

Hacks

  • Add this Blog to you own Blogging site. In the Blog add notes and observations on each code cell.
  • Change blog to your own database.
  • Add additional CRUD
    • Add Update functionality to this blog.
    • Add Delete functionality to this blog.

Update Function

def update():
    # optimize user time to see if uid exists
    uid = input("Enter your user id:")
    user = find_by_uid(uid)
    if user != None:
        pass
    else:
        print(f"No user id {uid} found")
        return
    rname = input("Enter the recipe you are reviewing:")
    comment = input("Enter your review:")
    rating = input("Enter your rating out of 10:")
    uid = input("Enter your Username:")
    
    # Initialize User object before date
    uo = User(rname=rname,
              comment=comment,
              rating=rating,
              uid=uid
              )
    # write object to database
    with app.app_context():
        try:
            user = uo.create()
            print("Created\n", object.read())
        except:  # error raised if object not created
            print("Unknown error uid {uid}")
        
update()
Inside create
Unknown error uid {uid}

Delete Function

import sqlite3

database = 'instance/sqlite.db' # this is location of database

def delete():
    id = input("Enter id to delete")

    # Connect to the database file
    conn = sqlite3.connect(database)

    # Create a cursor object to execute SQL commands
    cursor = conn.cursor()
    
    try:
        cursor.execute("DELETE FROM review WHERE id = ?", (id))
        if cursor.rowcount == 0:
            # The id was not found in the table
            print(f"No id {id} was not found in the table")
        else:
            # The id was found in the table and the row was deleted
            print(f"The row with id {id} was successfully deleted")
        conn.commit()
    except sqlite3.Error as error:
        print("Error while executing the DELETE:", error)
    finally:
        conn.commit()
        conn.close()
        
delete()
The row with id 1 was successfully deleted