The document discusses Koha's use of SQL and database structure. It notes that Koha uses a SQL baseline file and update file to define its version and structure. While Koha's database contains over 125 tables and 1,773 lines of XML code when dumped, tools like phpMyAdmin, MySQL Administrator and MySQL Query Browser can be used to view and manage the database. The document also outlines some of Koha's adherence to and deviations from best practices for database design, and lists some of its core tables like systempreferences, branches, borrowers and biblio.

1. Under the Hood
with MySQL
Joe Atzberger, LibLime
KohaCon 2009: Plano, TX

2. SQL Control

3. SQL Control
•Baseline: installer/data/
mysql/kohastructure.sql

4. SQL Control
•Baseline: installer/data/
mysql/kohastructure.sql
•Updates: installer/data/
mysql/updatedatabase.pl

5. SQL Control
•Baseline: installer/data/
mysql/kohastructure.sql
•Updates: installer/data/
mysql/updatedatabase.pl
•This defines Koha’s Version!

6. SQL Control
•mysqldump --no-data --xml
-uyouruser -pyourpass koha_db
>dump.sql
•~125 tables
•~1773 lines of XML
So what do you use to
look at it all?
•That is a lot of stuff.

7. SQL Tools
• phpMyAdmin: web based table control, a
great way to break everything and not be
able to fix it. I once performed a tech
inventory for the State
• MySQL Administrator, MySQL Query
of Ohio in one of its
smaller departments.
The single largest line
item was $427,000 for 7
Browser: Free and “official”. boxes of Oracle soft ware.
• Tons of OSS applications. Varying quality.
• Tons of proprietary software. Varying cost.

8. DB Design Principles
• Limit duplication of values
• Put related data together
• Proper data typing
• Keys, indexes, etc., etc., etc.

9. DB Design Principles

10. DB Design Principles
Does Koha do this?

11. DB Design Principles
Does Koha do this?
• Yes

12. DB Design Principles
Does Koha do this?
• Yes
• and No.

13. DB Design Problems
• MARC: not a relational design.
• MARC: limits on record dimensions.
• MARC: performance implications.
• Battle of MARCs. Legacy code and data.
• FRBR, holdings, bindings, serials, etc.
• Excuses, excuses, excuses...

14. Core tables

15. Core tables
• systempreferences: system preferences

16. Core tables
• systempreferences: system preferences
• branches: the most frequently keyed table

17. Core tables
• systempreferences: system preferences
• branches: the most frequently keyed table
• borrowers: users, patrons, staff, people, whomever

18. Core tables
• systempreferences: system preferences
• branches: the most frequently keyed table
• borrowers: users, patrons, staff, people, whomever
• biblio: title level

19. Core tables
• systempreferences: system preferences
• branches: the most frequently keyed table
• borrowers: users, patrons, staff, people, whomever
• biblio: title level
• biblioitems: marc & marcxml, going away soon

20. Core tables
• systempreferences: system preferences
• branches: the most frequently keyed table
• borrowers: users, patrons, staff, people, whomever
• biblio: title level
• biblioitems: marc & marcxml, going away soon
• items: where the barcodes live

21. Parallel tables
• deletedxxx: biblios, items, biblioitems,
borrowers
• old_xxx: old_issues, old_reserves. Need
more.

22. Black Magicks
You won’t be importing to
any of these tables.
Very application specific.
• marc_subfield_structure
• marc_tag_structure

23. So what’s left?
• Paul covered structure
• Nicole handled queries

24. Pretty pictures?

25. Pretty pictures?
• http://wiki.koha.org/doku.php?
id=en:development:dbschema:3.01

26. Pretty pictures?
• http://wiki.koha.org/doku.php?
id=en:development:dbschema:3.01
• Not that pretty!

27. The End?