NAME
Params::Util - Simple, compact and correct param-checking functions
SYNOPSIS
# Import some functions
use Params::Util qw{_SCALAR _HASH _INSTANCE};
# If you are lazy, or need a lot of them...
use Params::Util ':ALL';
sub foo {
my $object = _INSTANCE(shift, 'Foo') or return undef;
my $image = _SCALAR(shift) or return undef;
my $options = _HASH(shift) or return undef;
# etc...
}DESCRIPTION
Params::Util provides a basic set of importable functions that makes checking parameters a hell of a lot easier
While they can be (and are) used in other contexts, the main point behind this module is that the functions both Do What You Mean, and Do The Right Thing, so they are most useful when you are getting params passed into your code from someone and/or somewhere else and you can't really trust the quality.
Thus, Params::Util is of most use at the edges of your API, where params and data are coming in from outside your code.
The functions provided by Params::Util check in the most strictly correct manner known, are documented as thoroughly as possible so their exact behaviour is clear, and heavily tested so make sure they are not fooled by weird data and Really Bad Things.
To use, simply load the module providing the functions you want to use as arguments (as shown in the SYNOPSIS).
To aid in maintainability, Params::Util will never export by default.
You must explicitly name the functions you want to export, or use the :ALL param to just have it export everything (although this is not recommended if you have any _FOO functions yourself with which future additions to Params::Util may clash)
FUNCTIONS
_STRING $string
The _STRING function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test to see if a value is a normal non-false string of non-zero length.
Note that this will NOT do anything magic to deal with the special '0' false negative case, but will return it.
# '0' not considered valid data
my $name = _STRING(shift) or die "Bad name";
# '0' is considered valid data
my $string = _STRING($_[0]) ? shift : die "Bad string";Please also note that this function expects a normal string. It does not support overloading or other magic techniques to get a string.
Returns the string as a conveince if it is a valid string, or undef if not.
_IDENTIFIER $string
The _IDENTIFIER function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test to see if a value is a string that is a valid Perl identifier.
Returns the string as a convenience if it is a valid identifier, or undef if not.
_CLASS $string
The _CLASS function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test to see if a value is a string that is a valid Perl class.
This function only checks that the format is valid, not that the class is actually loaded. It also assumes "normalised" form, and does not accept class names such as ::Foo or D'Oh.
Returns the string as a convenience if it is a valid class name, or undef if not.
_POSINT $integer
The _POSINT function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test to see if a value is a positive integer (of any length).
Returns the value as a convience, or undef if the value is not a positive integer.
_SCALAR \$scalar
The _SCALAR function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test for a raw and unblessed SCALAR reference, with content of non-zero length.
For a version that allows zero length SCALAR references, see the _SCALAR0 function.
Returns the SCALAR reference itself as a convenience, or undef if the value provided is not a SCALAR reference.
_SCALAR0 \$scalar
The _SCALAR0 function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test for a raw and unblessed SCALAR0 reference, allowing content of zero-length.
For a simpler "give me some content" version that requires non-zero length, _SCALAR function.
Returns the SCALAR reference itself as a convenience, or undef if the value provided is not a SCALAR reference.
_ARRAY $value
The _ARRAY function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test for a raw and unblessed ARRAY reference containing at least one element of any kind.
For a more basic form that allows zero length ARRAY references, see the _ARRAY0 function.
Returns the ARRAY reference itself as a convenience, or undef if the value provided is not an ARRAY reference.
_ARRAY0 $value
The _ARRAY0 function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test for a raw and unblessed ARRAY reference, allowing ARRAY references that contain no elements.
For a more basic "An array of something" form that also requires at least one element, see the _ARRAY function.
Returns the ARRAY reference itself as a convenience, or undef if the value provided is not an ARRAY reference.
_ARRAYLIKE $value
The _ARRAYLIKE function tests whether a given scalar value can respond to array dereferencing. If it can, the value is returned. If it cannot, _ARRAYLIKE returns undef.
_HASH $value
The _HASH function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test for a raw and unblessed HASH reference with at least one entry.
For a version of this function that allows the HASH to be empty, see the _HASH0 function.
Returns the HASH reference itself as a convenience, or undef if the value provided is not an HASH reference.
_HASH0 $value
The _HASH0 function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test for a raw and unblessed HASH reference, regardless of the HASH content.
For a simpler "A hash of something" version that requires at least one element, see the _HASH function.
Returns the HASH reference itself as a convenience, or undef if the value provided is not an HASH reference.
_HASHLIKE $value
The _HASHLIKE function tests whether a given scalar value can respond to hash dereferencing. If it can, the value is returned. If it cannot, _HASHLIKE returns undef.
_CODE $value
The _CODE function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test for a raw and unblessed CODE reference.
Returns the CODE reference itself as a convenience, or undef if the value provided is not an CODE reference.
_CODELIKE $value
The _CODELIKE is the more generic version of _CODE. Unlike _CODE, which checks for an explicit CODE reference, the _CODELIKE function also includes things that act like them, such as blessed objects that overload '&{}'.
Note that in the case of objects overloaded with '&{}', you will almost always end up also testing it in 'bool' context. As such, you will most often want to make sure your class has the following to allow it to evaluate to true in boolean context.
# Always evaluate to true in boolean context
use overload 'bool' => sub () { 1 };Returns the callable value as a convenience, or undef if the value provided is not callable.
Note: This function was formerly known as _CODELIKE but has been renamed for greater symmetry with the other _XXXXLIKE functions.
It will continue to work silently until end-May 2006, then with a warning until end-August 2006, then will be deprecated.
I apologise for any inconvenience caused.
_INSTANCE $object, $class
The _INSTANCE function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test for an object of a particular class in a strictly correct manner.
Returns the object itself as a convenience, or undef if the value provided is not an object of that type.
_INVOCANT $value
This routine tests whether the given value is a valid method invocant. If so, the value itself is returned. Otherwise, _INVOCANT returns undef.
_SET \@array, $class
The _SET function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test for set of at least one object of a particular class in a strictly correct manner.
The set is provided as a reference to an ARRAY of objects of the class provided.
For an alternative function that allows zero-length sets, see the _SET0 function.
Returns the ARRAY reference itself as a convenience, or undef if the value provided is not a set of that class.
_SET0 \@array, $class
The _SET0 function is intended to be imported into your package, and provides a convenient way to test for set of objects of a particular class in a strictly correct manner, allowing for zero objects.
The set is provided as a reference to an ARRAY of objects of the class provided.
For an alternative function that requires at least one object, see the _SET function.
Returns the ARRAY reference itself as a convenience, or undef if the value provided is not a set of that class.
TO DO
- Add _CAN to help resolve the UNIVERSAL::can debacle
- More comprehensive tests for _SET and _SET0
- Would be nice if someone would re-implement in XS for me? (donish)
- Would be even nicer if someone would demonstrate how the hell to build a Module::Install dist of the ::Util dual Perl/XS type. :/
- Implement an assertion-like version of this module, that dies on error.
SUPPORT
Bugs should be reported via the CPAN bug tracker at
http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Params-Util
For other issues, contact the author.
AUTHOR
Adam Kennedy <cpan@ali.as>, http://ali.as/
COPYRIGHT
Copyright 2005, 2006 Adam Kennedy. All rights reserved.
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.
The full text of the license can be found in the LICENSE file included with this module.