xref: /openbsd-src/gnu/usr.bin/perl/dist/Attribute-Handlers/lib/Attribute/Handlers.pm (revision f2da64fbbbf1b03f09f390ab01267c93dfd77c4c)
1package Attribute::Handlers;
2use 5.006;
3use Carp;
4use warnings;
5use strict;
6use vars qw($VERSION $AUTOLOAD);
7$VERSION = '0.96'; # remember to update version in POD!
8# $DB::single=1;
9
10my %symcache;
11sub findsym {
12	my ($pkg, $ref, $type) = @_;
13	return $symcache{$pkg,$ref} if $symcache{$pkg,$ref};
14	$type ||= ref($ref);
15	no strict 'refs';
16        foreach my $sym ( values %{$pkg."::"} ) {
17	    use strict;
18	    next unless ref ( \$sym ) eq 'GLOB';
19            return $symcache{$pkg,$ref} = \$sym
20		if *{$sym}{$type} && *{$sym}{$type} == $ref;
21	}
22}
23
24my %validtype = (
25	VAR	=> [qw[SCALAR ARRAY HASH]],
26        ANY	=> [qw[SCALAR ARRAY HASH CODE]],
27        ""	=> [qw[SCALAR ARRAY HASH CODE]],
28        SCALAR	=> [qw[SCALAR]],
29        ARRAY	=> [qw[ARRAY]],
30        HASH	=> [qw[HASH]],
31        CODE	=> [qw[CODE]],
32);
33my %lastattr;
34my @declarations;
35my %raw;
36my %phase;
37my %sigil = (SCALAR=>'$', ARRAY=>'@', HASH=>'%');
38my $global_phase = 0;
39my %global_phases = (
40	BEGIN	=> 0,
41	CHECK	=> 1,
42	INIT	=> 2,
43	END	=> 3,
44);
45my @global_phases = qw(BEGIN CHECK INIT END);
46
47sub _usage_AH_ {
48	croak "Usage: use $_[0] autotie => {AttrName => TieClassName,...}";
49}
50
51my $qual_id = qr/^[_a-z]\w*(::[_a-z]\w*)*$/i;
52
53sub import {
54    my $class = shift @_;
55    return unless $class eq "Attribute::Handlers";
56    while (@_) {
57	my $cmd = shift;
58        if ($cmd =~ /^autotie((?:ref)?)$/) {
59	    my $tiedata = ($1 ? '$ref, ' : '') . '@$data';
60            my $mapping = shift;
61	    _usage_AH_ $class unless ref($mapping) eq 'HASH';
62	    while (my($attr, $tieclass) = each %$mapping) {
63                $tieclass =~ s/^([_a-z]\w*(::[_a-z]\w*)*)(.*)/$1/is;
64		my $args = $3||'()';
65		_usage_AH_ $class unless $attr =~ $qual_id
66		                 && $tieclass =~ $qual_id
67		                 && eval "use base q\0$tieclass\0; 1";
68	        if ($tieclass->isa('Exporter')) {
69		    local $Exporter::ExportLevel = 2;
70		    $tieclass->import(eval $args);
71	        }
72		$attr =~ s/__CALLER__/caller(1)/e;
73		$attr = caller()."::".$attr unless $attr =~ /::/;
74	        eval qq{
75	            sub $attr : ATTR(VAR) {
76			my (\$ref, \$data) = \@_[2,4];
77			my \$was_arrayref = ref \$data eq 'ARRAY';
78			\$data = [ \$data ] unless \$was_arrayref;
79			my \$type = ref(\$ref)||"value (".(\$ref||"<undef>").")";
80			 (\$type eq 'SCALAR')? tie \$\$ref,'$tieclass',$tiedata
81			:(\$type eq 'ARRAY') ? tie \@\$ref,'$tieclass',$tiedata
82			:(\$type eq 'HASH')  ? tie \%\$ref,'$tieclass',$tiedata
83			: die "Can't autotie a \$type\n"
84	            } 1
85	        } or die "Internal error: $@";
86	    }
87        }
88        else {
89            croak "Can't understand $_";
90        }
91    }
92}
93
94# On older perls, code attribute handlers run before the sub gets placed
95# in its package.  Since the :ATTR handlers need to know the name of the
96# sub they're applied to, the name lookup (via findsym) needs to be
97# delayed: we do it immediately before we might need to find attribute
98# handlers from their name.  However, on newer perls (which fix some
99# problems relating to attribute application), a sub gets placed in its
100# package before its attributes are processed.  In this case, the
101# delayed name lookup might be too late, because the sub we're looking
102# for might have already been replaced.  So we need to detect which way
103# round this perl does things, and time the name lookup accordingly.
104BEGIN {
105	my $delayed;
106	sub Attribute::Handlers::_TEST_::MODIFY_CODE_ATTRIBUTES {
107		$delayed = \&Attribute::Handlers::_TEST_::t != $_[1];
108		return ();
109	}
110	sub Attribute::Handlers::_TEST_::t :T { }
111	*_delayed_name_resolution = sub() { $delayed };
112	undef &Attribute::Handlers::_TEST_::MODIFY_CODE_ATTRIBUTES;
113	undef &Attribute::Handlers::_TEST_::t;
114}
115
116sub _resolve_lastattr {
117	return unless $lastattr{ref};
118	my $sym = findsym @lastattr{'pkg','ref'}
119		or die "Internal error: $lastattr{pkg} symbol went missing";
120	my $name = *{$sym}{NAME};
121	warn "Declaration of $name attribute in package $lastattr{pkg} may clash with future reserved word\n"
122		if $^W and $name !~ /[A-Z]/;
123	foreach ( @{$validtype{$lastattr{type}}} ) {
124		no strict 'refs';
125		*{"$lastattr{pkg}::_ATTR_${_}_${name}"} = $lastattr{ref};
126	}
127	%lastattr = ();
128}
129
130sub AUTOLOAD {
131	return if $AUTOLOAD =~ /::DESTROY$/;
132	my ($class) = $AUTOLOAD =~ m/(.*)::/g;
133	$AUTOLOAD =~ m/_ATTR_(.*?)_(.*)/ or
134	    croak "Can't locate class method '$AUTOLOAD' via package '$class'";
135	croak "Attribute handler '$2' doesn't handle $1 attributes";
136}
137
138my $builtin = qr/lvalue|method|locked|unique|shared/;
139
140sub _gen_handler_AH_() {
141	return sub {
142	    _resolve_lastattr if _delayed_name_resolution;
143	    my ($pkg, $ref, @attrs) = @_;
144	    my (undef, $filename, $linenum) = caller 2;
145	    foreach (@attrs) {
146		my ($attr, $data) = /^([a-z_]\w*)(?:[(](.*)[)])?$/is or next;
147		if ($attr eq 'ATTR') {
148			no strict 'refs';
149			$data ||= "ANY";
150			$raw{$ref} = $data =~ s/\s*,?\s*RAWDATA\s*,?\s*//;
151			$phase{$ref}{BEGIN} = 1
152				if $data =~ s/\s*,?\s*(BEGIN)\s*,?\s*//;
153			$phase{$ref}{INIT} = 1
154				if $data =~ s/\s*,?\s*(INIT)\s*,?\s*//;
155			$phase{$ref}{END} = 1
156				if $data =~ s/\s*,?\s*(END)\s*,?\s*//;
157			$phase{$ref}{CHECK} = 1
158				if $data =~ s/\s*,?\s*(CHECK)\s*,?\s*//
159				|| ! keys %{$phase{$ref}};
160			# Added for cleanup to not pollute next call.
161			(%lastattr = ()),
162			croak "Can't have two ATTR specifiers on one subroutine"
163				if keys %lastattr;
164			croak "Bad attribute type: ATTR($data)"
165				unless $validtype{$data};
166			%lastattr=(pkg=>$pkg,ref=>$ref,type=>$data);
167			_resolve_lastattr unless _delayed_name_resolution;
168		}
169		else {
170			my $type = ref $ref;
171			my $handler = $pkg->can("_ATTR_${type}_${attr}");
172			next unless $handler;
173		        my $decl = [$pkg, $ref, $attr, $data,
174				    $raw{$handler}, $phase{$handler}, $filename, $linenum];
175			foreach my $gphase (@global_phases) {
176			    _apply_handler_AH_($decl,$gphase)
177				if $global_phases{$gphase} <= $global_phase;
178			}
179			if ($global_phase != 0) {
180				# if _gen_handler_AH_ is being called after
181				# CHECK it's for a lexical, so make sure
182				# it didn't want to run anything later
183
184				local $Carp::CarpLevel = 2;
185				carp "Won't be able to apply END handler"
186					if $phase{$handler}{END};
187			}
188			else {
189				push @declarations, $decl
190			}
191		}
192		$_ = undef;
193	    }
194	    return grep {defined && !/$builtin/} @attrs;
195	}
196}
197
198{
199    no strict 'refs';
200    *{"Attribute::Handlers::UNIVERSAL::MODIFY_${_}_ATTRIBUTES"} =
201	_gen_handler_AH_ foreach @{$validtype{ANY}};
202}
203push @UNIVERSAL::ISA, 'Attribute::Handlers::UNIVERSAL'
204       unless grep /^Attribute::Handlers::UNIVERSAL$/, @UNIVERSAL::ISA;
205
206sub _apply_handler_AH_ {
207	my ($declaration, $phase) = @_;
208	my ($pkg, $ref, $attr, $data, $raw, $handlerphase, $filename, $linenum) = @$declaration;
209	return unless $handlerphase->{$phase};
210	# print STDERR "Handling $attr on $ref in $phase with [$data]\n";
211	my $type = ref $ref;
212	my $handler = "_ATTR_${type}_${attr}";
213	my $sym = findsym($pkg, $ref);
214	$sym ||= $type eq 'CODE' ? 'ANON' : 'LEXICAL';
215	no warnings;
216	if (!$raw && defined($data)) {
217	    if ($data ne '') {
218		my $evaled = eval("package $pkg; no warnings; no strict;
219				   local \$SIG{__WARN__}=sub{die}; [$data]");
220		$data = $evaled unless $@;
221	    }
222	    else { $data = undef }
223	}
224	$pkg->$handler($sym,
225		       (ref $sym eq 'GLOB' ? *{$sym}{ref $ref}||$ref : $ref),
226		       $attr,
227		       $data,
228		       $phase,
229		       $filename,
230		       $linenum,
231		      );
232	return 1;
233}
234
235{
236        no warnings 'void';
237        CHECK {
238                $global_phase++;
239                _resolve_lastattr if _delayed_name_resolution;
240                foreach my $decl (@declarations) {
241                        _apply_handler_AH_($decl, 'CHECK');
242                }
243        }
244
245        INIT {
246                $global_phase++;
247                foreach my $decl (@declarations) {
248                        _apply_handler_AH_($decl, 'INIT');
249                }
250        }
251}
252
253END {
254        $global_phase++;
255        foreach my $decl (@declarations) {
256                _apply_handler_AH_($decl, 'END');
257        }
258}
259
2601;
261__END__
262
263=head1 NAME
264
265Attribute::Handlers - Simpler definition of attribute handlers
266
267=head1 VERSION
268
269This document describes version 0.96 of Attribute::Handlers.
270
271=head1 SYNOPSIS
272
273    package MyClass;
274    require 5.006;
275    use Attribute::Handlers;
276    no warnings 'redefine';
277
278
279    sub Good : ATTR(SCALAR) {
280	my ($package, $symbol, $referent, $attr, $data) = @_;
281
282	# Invoked for any scalar variable with a :Good attribute,
283	# provided the variable was declared in MyClass (or
284	# a derived class) or typed to MyClass.
285
286	# Do whatever to $referent here (executed in CHECK phase).
287	...
288    }
289
290    sub Bad : ATTR(SCALAR) {
291	# Invoked for any scalar variable with a :Bad attribute,
292	# provided the variable was declared in MyClass (or
293	# a derived class) or typed to MyClass.
294	...
295    }
296
297    sub Good : ATTR(ARRAY) {
298	# Invoked for any array variable with a :Good attribute,
299	# provided the variable was declared in MyClass (or
300	# a derived class) or typed to MyClass.
301	...
302    }
303
304    sub Good : ATTR(HASH) {
305	# Invoked for any hash variable with a :Good attribute,
306	# provided the variable was declared in MyClass (or
307	# a derived class) or typed to MyClass.
308	...
309    }
310
311    sub Ugly : ATTR(CODE) {
312	# Invoked for any subroutine declared in MyClass (or a
313	# derived class) with an :Ugly attribute.
314	...
315    }
316
317    sub Omni : ATTR {
318	# Invoked for any scalar, array, hash, or subroutine
319	# with an :Omni attribute, provided the variable or
320	# subroutine was declared in MyClass (or a derived class)
321	# or the variable was typed to MyClass.
322	# Use ref($_[2]) to determine what kind of referent it was.
323	...
324    }
325
326
327    use Attribute::Handlers autotie => { Cycle => Tie::Cycle };
328
329    my $next : Cycle(['A'..'Z']);
330
331
332=head1 DESCRIPTION
333
334This module, when inherited by a package, allows that package's class to
335define attribute handler subroutines for specific attributes. Variables
336and subroutines subsequently defined in that package, or in packages
337derived from that package may be given attributes with the same names as
338the attribute handler subroutines, which will then be called in one of
339the compilation phases (i.e. in a C<BEGIN>, C<CHECK>, C<INIT>, or C<END>
340block). (C<UNITCHECK> blocks don't correspond to a global compilation
341phase, so they can't be specified here.)
342
343To create a handler, define it as a subroutine with the same name as
344the desired attribute, and declare the subroutine itself with the
345attribute C<:ATTR>. For example:
346
347    package LoudDecl;
348    use Attribute::Handlers;
349
350    sub Loud :ATTR {
351	my ($package, $symbol, $referent, $attr, $data, $phase,
352	    $filename, $linenum) = @_;
353	print STDERR
354	    ref($referent), " ",
355	    *{$symbol}{NAME}, " ",
356	    "($referent) ", "was just declared ",
357	    "and ascribed the ${attr} attribute ",
358	    "with data ($data)\n",
359	    "in phase $phase\n",
360	    "in file $filename at line $linenum\n";
361    }
362
363This creates a handler for the attribute C<:Loud> in the class LoudDecl.
364Thereafter, any subroutine declared with a C<:Loud> attribute in the class
365LoudDecl:
366
367    package LoudDecl;
368
369    sub foo: Loud {...}
370
371causes the above handler to be invoked, and passed:
372
373=over
374
375=item [0]
376
377the name of the package into which it was declared;
378
379=item [1]
380
381a reference to the symbol table entry (typeglob) containing the subroutine;
382
383=item [2]
384
385a reference to the subroutine;
386
387=item [3]
388
389the name of the attribute;
390
391=item [4]
392
393any data associated with that attribute;
394
395=item [5]
396
397the name of the phase in which the handler is being invoked;
398
399=item [6]
400
401the filename in which the handler is being invoked;
402
403=item [7]
404
405the line number in this file.
406
407=back
408
409Likewise, declaring any variables with the C<:Loud> attribute within the
410package:
411
412    package LoudDecl;
413
414    my $foo :Loud;
415    my @foo :Loud;
416    my %foo :Loud;
417
418will cause the handler to be called with a similar argument list (except,
419of course, that C<$_[2]> will be a reference to the variable).
420
421The package name argument will typically be the name of the class into
422which the subroutine was declared, but it may also be the name of a derived
423class (since handlers are inherited).
424
425If a lexical variable is given an attribute, there is no symbol table to
426which it belongs, so the symbol table argument (C<$_[1]>) is set to the
427string C<'LEXICAL'> in that case. Likewise, ascribing an attribute to
428an anonymous subroutine results in a symbol table argument of C<'ANON'>.
429
430The data argument passes in the value (if any) associated with the
431attribute. For example, if C<&foo> had been declared:
432
433        sub foo :Loud("turn it up to 11, man!") {...}
434
435then a reference to an array containing the string
436C<"turn it up to 11, man!"> would be passed as the last argument.
437
438Attribute::Handlers makes strenuous efforts to convert
439the data argument (C<$_[4]>) to a usable form before passing it to
440the handler (but see L<"Non-interpretive attribute handlers">).
441If those efforts succeed, the interpreted data is passed in an array
442reference; if they fail, the raw data is passed as a string.
443For example, all of these:
444
445    sub foo :Loud(till=>ears=>are=>bleeding) {...}
446    sub foo :Loud(qw/till ears are bleeding/) {...}
447    sub foo :Loud(qw/till, ears, are, bleeding/) {...}
448    sub foo :Loud(till,ears,are,bleeding) {...}
449
450causes it to pass C<['till','ears','are','bleeding']> as the handler's
451data argument. While:
452
453    sub foo :Loud(['till','ears','are','bleeding']) {...}
454
455causes it to pass C<[ ['till','ears','are','bleeding'] ]>; the array
456reference specified in the data being passed inside the standard
457array reference indicating successful interpretation.
458
459However, if the data can't be parsed as valid Perl, then
460it is passed as an uninterpreted string. For example:
461
462    sub foo :Loud(my,ears,are,bleeding) {...}
463    sub foo :Loud(qw/my ears are bleeding) {...}
464
465cause the strings C<'my,ears,are,bleeding'> and
466C<'qw/my ears are bleeding'> respectively to be passed as the
467data argument.
468
469If no value is associated with the attribute, C<undef> is passed.
470
471=head2 Typed lexicals
472
473Regardless of the package in which it is declared, if a lexical variable is
474ascribed an attribute, the handler that is invoked is the one belonging to
475the package to which it is typed. For example, the following declarations:
476
477    package OtherClass;
478
479    my LoudDecl $loudobj : Loud;
480    my LoudDecl @loudobjs : Loud;
481    my LoudDecl %loudobjex : Loud;
482
483causes the LoudDecl::Loud handler to be invoked (even if OtherClass also
484defines a handler for C<:Loud> attributes).
485
486
487=head2 Type-specific attribute handlers
488
489If an attribute handler is declared and the C<:ATTR> specifier is
490given the name of a built-in type (C<SCALAR>, C<ARRAY>, C<HASH>, or C<CODE>),
491the handler is only applied to declarations of that type. For example,
492the following definition:
493
494    package LoudDecl;
495
496    sub RealLoud :ATTR(SCALAR) { print "Yeeeeow!" }
497
498creates an attribute handler that applies only to scalars:
499
500
501    package Painful;
502    use base LoudDecl;
503
504    my $metal : RealLoud;           # invokes &LoudDecl::RealLoud
505    my @metal : RealLoud;           # error: unknown attribute
506    my %metal : RealLoud;           # error: unknown attribute
507    sub metal : RealLoud {...}      # error: unknown attribute
508
509You can, of course, declare separate handlers for these types as well
510(but you'll need to specify C<no warnings 'redefine'> to do it quietly):
511
512    package LoudDecl;
513    use Attribute::Handlers;
514    no warnings 'redefine';
515
516    sub RealLoud :ATTR(SCALAR) { print "Yeeeeow!" }
517    sub RealLoud :ATTR(ARRAY) { print "Urrrrrrrrrr!" }
518    sub RealLoud :ATTR(HASH) { print "Arrrrrgggghhhhhh!" }
519    sub RealLoud :ATTR(CODE) { croak "Real loud sub torpedoed" }
520
521You can also explicitly indicate that a single handler is meant to be
522used for all types of referents like so:
523
524    package LoudDecl;
525    use Attribute::Handlers;
526
527    sub SeriousLoud :ATTR(ANY) { warn "Hearing loss imminent" }
528
529(I.e. C<ATTR(ANY)> is a synonym for C<:ATTR>).
530
531
532=head2 Non-interpretive attribute handlers
533
534Occasionally the strenuous efforts Attribute::Handlers makes to convert
535the data argument (C<$_[4]>) to a usable form before passing it to
536the handler get in the way.
537
538You can turn off that eagerness-to-help by declaring
539an attribute handler with the keyword C<RAWDATA>. For example:
540
541    sub Raw          : ATTR(RAWDATA) {...}
542    sub Nekkid       : ATTR(SCALAR,RAWDATA) {...}
543    sub Au::Naturale : ATTR(RAWDATA,ANY) {...}
544
545Then the handler makes absolutely no attempt to interpret the data it
546receives and simply passes it as a string:
547
548    my $power : Raw(1..100);        # handlers receives "1..100"
549
550=head2 Phase-specific attribute handlers
551
552By default, attribute handlers are called at the end of the compilation
553phase (in a C<CHECK> block). This seems to be optimal in most cases because
554most things that can be defined are defined by that point but nothing has
555been executed.
556
557However, it is possible to set up attribute handlers that are called at
558other points in the program's compilation or execution, by explicitly
559stating the phase (or phases) in which you wish the attribute handler to
560be called. For example:
561
562    sub Early    :ATTR(SCALAR,BEGIN) {...}
563    sub Normal   :ATTR(SCALAR,CHECK) {...}
564    sub Late     :ATTR(SCALAR,INIT) {...}
565    sub Final    :ATTR(SCALAR,END) {...}
566    sub Bookends :ATTR(SCALAR,BEGIN,END) {...}
567
568As the last example indicates, a handler may be set up to be (re)called in
569two or more phases. The phase name is passed as the handler's final argument.
570
571Note that attribute handlers that are scheduled for the C<BEGIN> phase
572are handled as soon as the attribute is detected (i.e. before any
573subsequently defined C<BEGIN> blocks are executed).
574
575
576=head2 Attributes as C<tie> interfaces
577
578Attributes make an excellent and intuitive interface through which to tie
579variables. For example:
580
581    use Attribute::Handlers;
582    use Tie::Cycle;
583
584    sub UNIVERSAL::Cycle : ATTR(SCALAR) {
585	my ($package, $symbol, $referent, $attr, $data, $phase) = @_;
586	$data = [ $data ] unless ref $data eq 'ARRAY';
587	tie $$referent, 'Tie::Cycle', $data;
588    }
589
590    # and thereafter...
591
592    package main;
593
594    my $next : Cycle('A'..'Z');     # $next is now a tied variable
595
596    while (<>) {
597	print $next;
598    }
599
600Note that, because the C<Cycle> attribute receives its arguments in the
601C<$data> variable, if the attribute is given a list of arguments, C<$data>
602will consist of a single array reference; otherwise, it will consist of the
603single argument directly. Since Tie::Cycle requires its cycling values to
604be passed as an array reference, this means that we need to wrap
605non-array-reference arguments in an array constructor:
606
607    $data = [ $data ] unless ref $data eq 'ARRAY';
608
609Typically, however, things are the other way around: the tieable class expects
610its arguments as a flattened list, so the attribute looks like:
611
612    sub UNIVERSAL::Cycle : ATTR(SCALAR) {
613	my ($package, $symbol, $referent, $attr, $data, $phase) = @_;
614	my @data = ref $data eq 'ARRAY' ? @$data : $data;
615	tie $$referent, 'Tie::Whatever', @data;
616    }
617
618
619This software pattern is so widely applicable that Attribute::Handlers
620provides a way to automate it: specifying C<'autotie'> in the
621C<use Attribute::Handlers> statement. So, the cycling example,
622could also be written:
623
624    use Attribute::Handlers autotie => { Cycle => 'Tie::Cycle' };
625
626    # and thereafter...
627
628    package main;
629
630    my $next : Cycle(['A'..'Z']);     # $next is now a tied variable
631
632    while (<>) {
633	print $next;
634    }
635
636Note that we now have to pass the cycling values as an array reference,
637since the C<autotie> mechanism passes C<tie> a list of arguments as a list
638(as in the Tie::Whatever example), I<not> as an array reference (as in
639the original Tie::Cycle example at the start of this section).
640
641The argument after C<'autotie'> is a reference to a hash in which each key is
642the name of an attribute to be created, and each value is the class to which
643variables ascribed that attribute should be tied.
644
645Note that there is no longer any need to import the Tie::Cycle module --
646Attribute::Handlers takes care of that automagically. You can even pass
647arguments to the module's C<import> subroutine, by appending them to the
648class name. For example:
649
650    use Attribute::Handlers
651	 autotie => { Dir => 'Tie::Dir qw(DIR_UNLINK)' };
652
653If the attribute name is unqualified, the attribute is installed in the
654current package. Otherwise it is installed in the qualifier's package:
655
656    package Here;
657
658    use Attribute::Handlers autotie => {
659         Other::Good => Tie::SecureHash, # tie attr installed in Other::
660                 Bad => Tie::Taxes,      # tie attr installed in Here::
661     UNIVERSAL::Ugly => Software::Patent # tie attr installed everywhere
662    };
663
664Autoties are most commonly used in the module to which they actually tie,
665and need to export their attributes to any module that calls them. To
666facilitate this, Attribute::Handlers recognizes a special "pseudo-class" --
667C<__CALLER__>, which may be specified as the qualifier of an attribute:
668
669    package Tie::Me::Kangaroo:Down::Sport;
670
671    use Attribute::Handlers autotie =>
672	 { '__CALLER__::Roo' => __PACKAGE__ };
673
674This causes Attribute::Handlers to define the C<Roo> attribute in the package
675that imports the Tie::Me::Kangaroo:Down::Sport module.
676
677Note that it is important to quote the __CALLER__::Roo identifier because
678a bug in perl 5.8 will refuse to parse it and cause an unknown error.
679
680=head3 Passing the tied object to C<tie>
681
682Occasionally it is important to pass a reference to the object being tied
683to the TIESCALAR, TIEHASH, etc. that ties it.
684
685The C<autotie> mechanism supports this too. The following code:
686
687    use Attribute::Handlers autotieref => { Selfish => Tie::Selfish };
688    my $var : Selfish(@args);
689
690has the same effect as:
691
692    tie my $var, 'Tie::Selfish', @args;
693
694But when C<"autotieref"> is used instead of C<"autotie">:
695
696    use Attribute::Handlers autotieref => { Selfish => Tie::Selfish };
697    my $var : Selfish(@args);
698
699the effect is to pass the C<tie> call an extra reference to the variable
700being tied:
701
702    tie my $var, 'Tie::Selfish', \$var, @args;
703
704
705
706=head1 EXAMPLES
707
708If the class shown in L</SYNOPSIS> were placed in the MyClass.pm
709module, then the following code:
710
711    package main;
712    use MyClass;
713
714    my MyClass $slr :Good :Bad(1**1-1) :Omni(-vorous);
715
716    package SomeOtherClass;
717    use base MyClass;
718
719    sub tent { 'acle' }
720
721    sub fn :Ugly(sister) :Omni('po',tent()) {...}
722    my @arr :Good :Omni(s/cie/nt/);
723    my %hsh :Good(q/bye/) :Omni(q/bus/);
724
725
726would cause the following handlers to be invoked:
727
728    # my MyClass $slr :Good :Bad(1**1-1) :Omni(-vorous);
729
730    MyClass::Good:ATTR(SCALAR)( 'MyClass',          # class
731                                'LEXICAL',          # no typeglob
732                                \$slr,              # referent
733                                'Good',             # attr name
734                                undef               # no attr data
735                                'CHECK',            # compiler phase
736                              );
737
738    MyClass::Bad:ATTR(SCALAR)( 'MyClass',           # class
739                               'LEXICAL',           # no typeglob
740                               \$slr,               # referent
741                               'Bad',               # attr name
742                               0                    # eval'd attr data
743                               'CHECK',             # compiler phase
744                             );
745
746    MyClass::Omni:ATTR(SCALAR)( 'MyClass',          # class
747                                'LEXICAL',          # no typeglob
748                                \$slr,              # referent
749                                'Omni',             # attr name
750                                '-vorous'           # eval'd attr data
751                                'CHECK',            # compiler phase
752                              );
753
754
755    # sub fn :Ugly(sister) :Omni('po',tent()) {...}
756
757    MyClass::UGLY:ATTR(CODE)( 'SomeOtherClass',     # class
758                              \*SomeOtherClass::fn, # typeglob
759                              \&SomeOtherClass::fn, # referent
760                              'Ugly',               # attr name
761                              'sister'              # eval'd attr data
762                              'CHECK',              # compiler phase
763                            );
764
765    MyClass::Omni:ATTR(CODE)( 'SomeOtherClass',     # class
766                              \*SomeOtherClass::fn, # typeglob
767                              \&SomeOtherClass::fn, # referent
768                              'Omni',               # attr name
769                              ['po','acle']         # eval'd attr data
770                              'CHECK',              # compiler phase
771                            );
772
773
774    # my @arr :Good :Omni(s/cie/nt/);
775
776    MyClass::Good:ATTR(ARRAY)( 'SomeOtherClass',    # class
777                               'LEXICAL',           # no typeglob
778                               \@arr,               # referent
779                               'Good',              # attr name
780                               undef                # no attr data
781                               'CHECK',             # compiler phase
782                             );
783
784    MyClass::Omni:ATTR(ARRAY)( 'SomeOtherClass',    # class
785                               'LEXICAL',           # no typeglob
786                               \@arr,               # referent
787                               'Omni',              # attr name
788                               ""                   # eval'd attr data
789                               'CHECK',             # compiler phase
790                             );
791
792
793    # my %hsh :Good(q/bye) :Omni(q/bus/);
794
795    MyClass::Good:ATTR(HASH)( 'SomeOtherClass',     # class
796                              'LEXICAL',            # no typeglob
797                              \%hsh,                # referent
798                              'Good',               # attr name
799                              'q/bye'               # raw attr data
800                              'CHECK',              # compiler phase
801                            );
802
803    MyClass::Omni:ATTR(HASH)( 'SomeOtherClass',     # class
804                              'LEXICAL',            # no typeglob
805                              \%hsh,                # referent
806                              'Omni',               # attr name
807                              'bus'                 # eval'd attr data
808                              'CHECK',              # compiler phase
809                            );
810
811
812Installing handlers into UNIVERSAL, makes them...err..universal.
813For example:
814
815    package Descriptions;
816    use Attribute::Handlers;
817
818    my %name;
819    sub name { return $name{$_[2]}||*{$_[1]}{NAME} }
820
821    sub UNIVERSAL::Name :ATTR {
822        $name{$_[2]} = $_[4];
823    }
824
825    sub UNIVERSAL::Purpose :ATTR {
826        print STDERR "Purpose of ", &name, " is $_[4]\n";
827    }
828
829    sub UNIVERSAL::Unit :ATTR {
830        print STDERR &name, " measured in $_[4]\n";
831    }
832
833Let's you write:
834
835    use Descriptions;
836
837    my $capacity : Name(capacity)
838                 : Purpose(to store max storage capacity for files)
839                 : Unit(Gb);
840
841
842    package Other;
843
844    sub foo : Purpose(to foo all data before barring it) { }
845
846    # etc.
847
848=head1 UTILITY FUNCTIONS
849
850This module offers a single utility function, C<findsym()>.
851
852=over 4
853
854=item findsym
855
856    my $symbol = Attribute::Handlers::findsym($package, $referent);
857
858The function looks in the symbol table of C<$package> for the typeglob for
859C<$referent>, which is a reference to a variable or subroutine (SCALAR, ARRAY,
860HASH, or CODE). If it finds the typeglob, it returns it. Otherwise, it returns
861undef. Note that C<findsym> memoizes the typeglobs it has previously
862successfully found, so subsequent calls with the same arguments should be
863much faster.
864
865=back
866
867=head1 DIAGNOSTICS
868
869=over
870
871=item C<Bad attribute type: ATTR(%s)>
872
873An attribute handler was specified with an C<:ATTR(I<ref_type>)>, but the
874type of referent it was defined to handle wasn't one of the five permitted:
875C<SCALAR>, C<ARRAY>, C<HASH>, C<CODE>, or C<ANY>.
876
877=item C<Attribute handler %s doesn't handle %s attributes>
878
879A handler for attributes of the specified name I<was> defined, but not
880for the specified type of declaration. Typically encountered when trying
881to apply a C<VAR> attribute handler to a subroutine, or a C<SCALAR>
882attribute handler to some other type of variable.
883
884=item C<Declaration of %s attribute in package %s may clash with future reserved word>
885
886A handler for an attributes with an all-lowercase name was declared. An
887attribute with an all-lowercase name might have a meaning to Perl
888itself some day, even though most don't yet. Use a mixed-case attribute
889name, instead.
890
891=item C<Can't have two ATTR specifiers on one subroutine>
892
893You just can't, okay?
894Instead, put all the specifications together with commas between them
895in a single C<ATTR(I<specification>)>.
896
897=item C<Can't autotie a %s>
898
899You can only declare autoties for types C<"SCALAR">, C<"ARRAY">, and
900C<"HASH">. They're the only things (apart from typeglobs -- which are
901not declarable) that Perl can tie.
902
903=item C<Internal error: %s symbol went missing>
904
905Something is rotten in the state of the program. An attributed
906subroutine ceased to exist between the point it was declared and the point
907at which its attribute handler(s) would have been called.
908
909=item C<Won't be able to apply END handler>
910
911You have defined an END handler for an attribute that is being applied
912to a lexical variable.  Since the variable may not be available during END
913this won't happen.
914
915=back
916
917=head1 AUTHOR
918
919Damian Conway (damian@conway.org). The maintainer of this module is now Rafael
920Garcia-Suarez (rgarciasuarez@gmail.com).
921
922Maintainer of the CPAN release is Steffen Mueller (smueller@cpan.org).
923Contact him with technical difficulties with respect to the packaging of the
924CPAN module.
925
926=head1 BUGS
927
928There are undoubtedly serious bugs lurking somewhere in code this funky :-)
929Bug reports and other feedback are most welcome.
930
931=head1 COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
932
933         Copyright (c) 2001-2014, Damian Conway. All Rights Reserved.
934       This module is free software. It may be used, redistributed
935           and/or modified under the same terms as Perl itself.
936