# Framework for storing objects in a relational database

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/framework-for-storing-objects-in-a-relational-database/53631>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [February 12, 2006, 3:03pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/framework-for-storing-objects-in-a-relational-database/53631 "2006-02-12T15:03:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![hildegunst](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@hildegunst](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/hildegunst)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2006, 3:03pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/framework-for-storing-objects-in-a-relational-database/53631/1 "2006-02-12T15:03:41Z")

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Hi Rubyists!

I know, off course, that there is an implementation of the active record  
pattern available. And for using it with Rails for tasks of midrange  
complexity I consider it to be perfect.

But since this aproach suffers from some limitations, I would like to  
know if there are efforts on the way to build a fully featured  
DataGateWay/UnitOfWork/IdentityMap Framework?

I would prefer having it done this way because of the following problems  
in my daily work:

- No control over the database layout (this is supposed to happen very  
often)

- Business logic far beyond the point of CRUD operations

- I don’t want to have database like operations (i.e save) in the domain  
code, all I want there is sending the commit/abort signal to the Unit of  
Work. I want to be totaly indepent from the database. This feels more  
“correct” to me.

Who knows something about this subject, or is there a better place for a  
discussion about it?

Thomas

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**Author:** ![hildegunst](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@hildegunst](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/hildegunst)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/framework-for-storing-objects-in-a-relational-database/53631/2 "2006-02-13T18:21:04Z")

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On 2/12/06, Thomas G. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> I know, off course, that there is an implementation of the active record  
> pattern available. And for using it with Rails for tasks of midrange  
> complexity I consider it to be perfect.
> 
> But since this aproach suffers from some limitations, I would like to  
> know if there are efforts on the way to build a fully featured  
> DataGateWay/UnitOfWork/IdentityMap Framework?

I assume you’re referring to these patterns:

[http://www.martinfowler.com/eaaCatalog/tableDataGateway.html](http://www.martinfowler.com/eaaCatalog/tableDataGateway.html)  
[http://www.martinfowler.com/eaaCatalog/unitOfWork.html](http://www.martinfowler.com/eaaCatalog/unitOfWork.html)  
[http://www.martinfowler.com/eaaCatalog/identityMap.html](http://www.martinfowler.com/eaaCatalog/identityMap.html)

> Who knows something about this subject, or is there a better place for a  
> discussion about it?

I don’t know a lot, but am willing to investigate with you, I find ORM  
in general to be interesting. And this forum/list/group is definitely  
the place for a discussion about implementing these patterns in Ruby.

Jacob F.