allow export/import of db models, issue 1316 (experimental), thanks Alan

VERSION

@@ -1 +1 @@
-Version 2.4.1-alpha.2+timestamp.2013.02.03.09.08.28
+Version 2.4.1-alpha.2+timestamp.2013.02.03.09.10.34

gluon/dal.py

@@ -7124,8 +7124,12 @@ class DAL(object):
         :attempts (defaults to 5). Number of times to attempt connecting
         """
 
+        dbdict = None
         if uri == '<zombie>' and db_uid is not None: return
-
+        elif isinstance(uri, dict):
+            dbdict = uri
+            uri = dbdict["uri"]
+            codec = dbdict["codec"] or codec
         if not decode_credentials:
             credential_decoder = lambda cred: cred
         else:
@@ -7207,15 +7211,26 @@ class DAL(object):
         self._fake_migrate = fake_migrate
         self._migrate_enabled = migrate_enabled
         self._fake_migrate_all = fake_migrate_all
-        if auto_import:
+        if auto_import or dbdict:
-            self.import_table_definitions(adapter.folder)
+            self.import_table_definitions(adapter.folder,
+                                          items=dbdict["items"])
 
     @property
     def tables(self):
         return self._tables
 
-    def import_table_definitions(self,path,migrate=False,fake_migrate=False):
+    def import_table_definitions(self, path, migrate=False,
+                                 fake_migrate=False, items=None):
         pattern = pjoin(path,self._uri_hash+'_*.table')
+        if items:
+            for tablename, table in items.iteritems():
+                # TODO: read all field/table options
+                fields = []
+                for fieldname, field in table["items"].iteritems():
+                    type = field["type"]
+                    fields.append(Field(fieldname, type))
+                self.define_table(tablename, *fields)
+        else:
             for filename in glob.glob(pattern):
                 tfile = self._adapter.file_open(filename, 'r')
                 try:
@@ -7230,7 +7245,8 @@ class DAL(object):
                               for key, value in sql_fields.iteritems()]
                     mf.sort(lambda a,b: cmp(a[0],b[0]))
                     self.define_table(name,*[item[1] for item in mf],
-                                  **dict(migrate=migrate,fake_migrate=fake_migrate))
+                                      **dict(migrate=migrate,
+                                             fake_migrate=fake_migrate))
                 finally:
                     self._adapter.file_close(tfile)
 
@@ -7571,7 +7587,7 @@ def index():
     def as_dict(self, flat=False, sanitize=True):
         dbname = codec = uid = uri = None
         if not sanitize:
-            uri, dbname, codec, uid = (str(self), self._dbname,
+            uri, dbname, codec, uid = (self._uri, self._dbname,
                                        self._db_codec, self._db_uid)
         db_as_dict = dict(items={}, tables=[], uri=uri, dbname=dbname,
                           codec=codec, uid=uid)