| \section{Built-in Module \sectcode{gdbm}} |
| \bimodindex{gdbm} |
| |
| Gdbm provides python programs with an interface to the GNU \code{gdbm} |
| database library. Gdbm objects are of the mapping type, so they can be |
| handled just like objects of the built-in \dfn{dictionary} type, |
| except that keys and values are always strings, and printing a gdbm |
| object doesn't print the keys and values. |
| |
| The module is based on the Dbm module, modified to use GDBM instead. |
| |
| The module defines the following constant and functions: |
| |
| \renewcommand{\indexsubitem}{(in module gdbm)} |
| \begin{excdesc}{error} |
| Raised on gdbm-specific errors, such as I/O errors. \code{KeyError} is |
| raised for general mapping errors like specifying an incorrect key. |
| \end{excdesc} |
| |
| \begin{funcdesc}{open}{filename\, rwmode\, filemode} |
| Open a gdbm database and return a mapping object. \var{filename} is |
| the name of the database file, \var{rwmode} is \code{'r'}, \code{'w'}, |
| \code{'c'}, or \code{'n'} for reader, writer (this also gives read |
| access), create (writer, but create the database if it doesnt already |
| exist) and newdb (which will always create a new database). Only one |
| writer may open a gdbm file and many readers may open the file. Readers |
| and writers can not open the gdbm file at the same time. Note that the |
| \code{GDBM_FAST} mode of opening the database is not supported. \var{filemode} |
| is the unix mode of the file, used only when a database is created. |
| \end{funcdesc} |