NAME
Class::MakeMethods::ReadMe - About This Module
SYNOPSIS
# Follow your standard download, test and install sequence
perl -MCPAN -e 'install Class::MakeMethods'
# Generates methods for your object when you "use" it.
package MyObject;
use Class::MakeMethods::Standard::Hash (
'new' => [ 'new' ],
'scalar' => [ 'foo', 'bar' ]
);
# The resulting methods can be called exactly as normal ones
package main;
my $obj = MyObject->new( foo => "Foozle", bar => "Bozzle" );
print $obj->foo();
$obj->bar("Barbados");MOTIVATION
"Make easy things easier."This module addresses a problem encountered in object-oriented development wherein numerous methods are defined which differ only slightly from each other.
A common example is accessor methods for hash-based object attributes, which allow you to get and set the value $self->{'foo'} by calling a method $self->foo().
These methods are generally quite simple, requiring only a couple of lines of Perl, but in sufficient bulk, they can cut down on the maintainability of large classes.
Class::MakeMethods allows you to simply declare those methods to be of a predefined type, and it generates and installs the necessary methods in your package at compile-time.
DESCRIPTION
The Class::MakeMethods framework allows Perl class developers to quickly define common types of methods. When a module uses a subclass of Class::MakeMethods, it can select from the supported method types, and specify a name for each method desired. The methods are dynamically generated and installed in the calling package.
Extensible Architecture
The Class::MakeMethods package defines a superclass for method-generating modules, and provides a calling convention, on-the-fly subclass loading, and subroutine installation that will be shared by all subclasses.
Construction of the individual methods is handled by subclasses. Over a dozen subclasses are included, including implementations of a variety of different method-generation techniques. Each subclass generates several types of methods, with some supporting their own open-eneded extension syntax, for hundreds of possible combinations of method types. (See Class::MakeMethods::Guide for an overview of the included subclasses.)
Other subclasses may be available separately, or you can define your own for future use. (See "EXTENDING" in Class::MakeMethods.)
RELATED MODULES
Class::MakeMethods is based on Class::MethodMaker, but has been substantially revised in order to provide a range of new features. Although earlier versions of this module were posted for review as a possible "version 2" of MethodMaker, the maintainer of that module subsequently indicated that that he had different goals for future development and suggested a fork. (Full backward compatibility is provided by an emulator, described below.)
There are a variety of related modules on CPAN; I've included a quick review of several of these in Class::MakeMethods::RelatedModules. In comparison, this module aims to be quite general purpose and extensible while retaining acceptable performance characteristics.
Emulation Adaptors
In several cases, Class::MakeMethods provides functionality closely equivalent to that of an existing module, and it is simple to map the existing module's interface to that of Class::MakeMethods.
Emulators are included for Class::MethodMaker, Class::Accessor::Fast, Class::Data::Inheritable, Class::Singleton, and Class::Struct, each of which passes the original module's test suite, usually requiring only a single-line change.
INSTALLATION
You should be able to install this module using the CPAN shell interface:
perl -MCPAN -e 'install Class::MakeMethods'If this module has not yet been posted to your local CPAN mirror, you may also retrieve the current distribution from the below address and use the standard unpack, "perl Makefile.PL", "make test", "make install" sequence:
http://www.evoscript.org/Class-MakeMethods/Getting Started
If this is your first exposure to Class::MakeMethods, you may want to start with Class::MakeMethods::Guide, and then perhaps jump to the documentation for a few of the included subclasses, before returning to the details presented in Class::MakeMethods.
PREREQUISITES
In general, this module should work with Perl 5.003 or later, without requring any modules beyond the core Perl distribution.
Certain features may be available only on some platforms, as noted below:
Class::MakeMethods::Attribute
The
:MakeMethodsubroutine attribute requires Perl version 5.6 and the Attribute::Handlers module (CPAN).
Tested Platforms
This release has been tested succesfully on the following platforms:
5.6.1 on darwinEarlier releases have also tested on the following platforms:
5.005_02 on Rhapsody
5.005_03 on sun4-solaris: PASS as of 1.0.13
v5.6.0 on sun4-solaris: PASS as of 1.0.13
v5.6.1 on WinNT: PASS as of 1.0.14.a (was TEST FAILURE as of 1.0.13)
v5.6.? on RedHat 7.1 i386: TEST FAILURE as of 1.0.13
v5.6.1 on ppc-linux-64all: FAIL as of 1.0.12
5.004 on MacOS (MacPerl 520r4): PASS as of 1.0.6
5.005 on WinNT (ActivePerl 618): PASS as of 1.0.6You may also review the current test results from CPAN-Testers:
http://testers.cpan.org/search?request=dist&dist=Class-MakeMethodsVERSION
This is version 1.0.14 of Class::MakeMethods.
Distribution Summary
This is the first release of Class::MakeMethods to be uploaded to CPAN.
This module's summary in the CPAN DSLI is intended to read:
Name DSLI Description
-------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------
Class::
::MakeMethods bdpO Generate common types of methodsBeta Release
Although earlier versions of this module were widely used and considered quite stable, numerous changes and additions have been made in recent months, and this package must be viewed as "pre-release quality" until those changes have been tested in a more thorough and widespread fashion.
While numerous additional features have been outlined for future development, the intent is support these by adding more options to the declaration interface, while maintaining backward compatibility.
Discussion and Support
There is not currently any offical discussion and support forum for this pacakage.
If you have questions or feedback about this module, please feel free to contact the author at the below address.
I would be particularly interested in any suggestions towards improving the documentation, correcting any Perl-version or platform dependencies, as well as general feedback and suggested additions.
SEE ALSO
For an overview of this package, see Class::MakeMethods.
If you're just getting started, see Class::MakeMethods::Standard for a listing of common method generators.
If you need a bit more flexibility, see Class::MakeMethods::Composite for method generators which offer more customization options.
For the largest collection of methods and options, see Class::MakeMethods::Template.
If you have used Class::MethodMaker, you will note numerous similarities. Backward compatibility and conversion documentation is provded in Class::MakeMethods::Emulator::MethodMaker.
CREDITS AND COPYRIGHT
Developed By
M. Simon Cavalletto, simonm@cavalletto.org
Evolution Softworks, www.evoscript.orgThe Shoulders of Giants
Inspiration, cool tricks, and blocks of useful code for this module were extracted from the following CPAN modules:
Class::MethodMaker, by Peter Seibel.
Class::Accessor, by Michael G Schwern
Class::Contract, by Damian Conway
Class::SelfMethods, by Toby EverettFeedback and Suggestions
Thanks to:
Martyn J. Pearce
Scott R. Godin
Ron Savage
Jay Lawrence
Adam SpiersCopyright
Copyright 2002 Matthew Simon Cavalletto.
Portions copyright 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 Evolution Online Systems, Inc.
Portions copyright 1996 Organic Online.
Portions copyright 2000 Martyn J. Pearce.
License
You may use, modify, and distribute this software under the same terms as Perl.