django-postgresql-netfields/README.rst

Django PostgreSQL Netfields
===========================

.. image:: https://secure.travis-ci.org/adamcik/django-postgresql-netfields.png

This project is an attempt at making proper PostgreSQL net related fields for
Django. In Django pre 1.4 the built in ``IPAddressField`` does not support IPv6
and uses an inefficient ``HOST()`` cast in all lookups. As of 1.4 you can use
``GenericIPAddressField`` for IPv6, but the casting problem remains.

In addition to the basic ``IPAddressField`` replacement a ``CIDR`` and
``MACADDR`` field have been added. This library also provides a manager that
allows for advanced IP based lookup directly in the ORM.

Dependencies
------------

Current version of code is targeting Django 1.3-1.4 support, as this relies heavily
on ORM internals supporting multiple versions is especially tricky. ``IPy`` is
used for the same reasons. ``ipaddr`` is being considered, but the conversion
hinges on the related projects conversion to ``ipaddr``.

Getting started
---------------

Make sure ``netfields`` is in your ``PYTHONPATH``, then simply use the
following::

 from netfields import InetAddressField, NetManager

 class Example(models.Model):
     inet = InetAddressField()
     # ...

     objects = NetManager()

The package also provides ``CidrAddressField`` and a ``MACAddressField``.
``NetManager`` is required for the extra lookups to be available. Lookups for
``INET`` and ``CIDR`` database types will be handled differently than when
running vanilla Django.  All lookups are case-insensitive and text based
lookups are avoided whenever possible. In addition to Django's default lookup
types the following have been added.

* ``__net_contained``
* ``__net_contained_or_equal``
* ``__net_contains``
* ``__net_contains_or_equals``

These correspond with the operators from
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/interactive/functions-net.html

``netfields`` does not have to be in ``INSTALLED_APPS``.

Related Django bugs
-------------------

* 11442_ - Postgresql backend casts inet types to text, breaks IP operations and IPv6 lookups.
* 811_ - IPv6 address field support.

https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/dev/releases/1.4/#extended-ipv6-support is also relevant

.. _11442: http://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/11442
.. _811: http://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/811


Similar projects
----------------

https://bitbucket.org/onelson/django-ipyfield tries to solve some of the same
issues as this library. However, instead of supporting just postgres via the proper
fields types the ipyfield currently uses a ``VARCHAR(39)`` as a fake unsigned 64 bit
number in its implementation.