NAME

Class::Trait::Reflection - Reflection class used to find information about classes which use Traits.

SYNOPSIS

The Class::Trait::Reflection class used to find information about classes which use Traits.

DESCRIPTION

This class is to be used by other applications as a foundation from which to build various trait compostion tools. It attempts to decouple others from the internal representation of traits (currently the Class::Trait::Config object) and provide a more abstract view of them.

METHODS

constructor

new

If given either a Class::Trait::Config object, a blessed perl object which uses traits or a valid perl package name which uses traits. This constructor will return a valid Class::Trait::Reflection object which can be used to examine the specific properties of the traits utilized.

accessors

getName

Returns the name string for the trait.

getSubTraitList

Returns an array or an array ref in scalar context) of string names of all the sub-traits the trait includes.

getRequirements

Returns an array (or an array ref in scalar context) of method labels and operators which represent the requirements for the given trait.

getMethods

Returns an hash ref of method label strings to method subroutine references.

getMethodLabels

Returns an array (or an array ref in scalar context) of method label strings.

getConflicts

Returns an array (or an array ref in scalar context) of method labels and operators which are in conflict for a given trait. This is only applicable for COMPOSITE traits.

getOverloads

Returns an hash ref of operators to method label strings.

getOperators

Returns an array (or an array ref in scalar context) of all the operators for a given trait.

Utility methods

loadSubTraitByName

Given a trait name, this method attempts to load the trait using the Class::Trait module, and then uses that trait to construct a new Class::Trait::Reflection object to examine the trait with. This can function both as a class method and an instance method.

getTraitDump

Returns a Data::Dumper string of the internals of a Class::Trait::Config object.

traverse

Given a subroutine reference, this method can be used to traverse a trait heirarchy. The subroutine reference needs to take two parameters, the first is the current trait being examined, the second is the number representing the depth within the trait heirarchy.

Here is an example of printing out the trait heirarchy as tabbed in names:

my $reflected_trait = Class::Trait::Reflection->new($object_or_package);

$reflected_trait->traverse(sub {
    my ($trait, $depth) = @_;
    print(("   " x $depth), $trait->getName(), "\n");
});

This should produce output similar to this:

COMPOSITE
    TCircle
        TMagnitude
            TEquality
        TGeometry
    TColor
        TEquality

Note: COMPOSITE is the placeholder name for an unnamed composite trait such as the one found in a class.

SEE ALSO

Class::Trait, Class::Trait::Config

AUTHOR

Stevan Little <stevan@iinteractive.com>

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

Copyright 2004, 2005 by Infinity Interactive, Inc.

http://www.iinteractive.com

This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.