NAME

Rose::Class::MakeMethods::Generic - Create simple class methods.

SYNOPSIS

package MyClass;

use Rose::Class::MakeMethods::Generic
(
  scalar => 
  [
    'error',
    'type' => { interface => 'get_set_init' },
  ],

  inheritable_scalar => 'name',
);

sub init_type { 'special' }
...

package MySubClass;
our @ISA = qw(MyClass);
...

MyClass->error(123);

print MyClass->type; # 'special'

MyClass->name('Fred');
print MySubClass->name; # 'Fred'

MyClass->name('Wilma');
print MySubClass->name; # 'Wilma'

MySubClass->name('Bam');
print MyClass->name;    # 'Wilma'
print MySubClass->name; # 'Bam'

DESCRIPTION

Rose::Class::MakeMethods::Generic is a method maker that inherits from Rose::Object::MakeMethods. See the Rose::Object::MakeMethods documentation to learn about the interface. The method types provided by this module are described below. All methods work only with classes, not objects.

METHODS TYPES

scalar

Create get/set methods for scalar class attributes.

Options

init_method

The name of the class method to call when initializing the value of an undefined attribute. This option is only applicable when using the get_set_init interface. Defaults to the method name with the prefix init_ added.

interface

Choose one of the two possible interfaces. Defaults to get_set.

Interfaces

get_set

Creates a simple get/set accessor method for a class attribute. When called with an argument, the value of the attribute is set. The current value of the attribute is returned.

get_set_init

Behaves like the get_set interface unless the value of the attribute is undefined. In that case, the class method specified by the init_method option is called and the attribute is set to the return value of that method.

Example:

package MyClass;

use Rose::Class::MakeMethods::Generic
(
  scalar => 'power',
  'scalar --get_set_init' => 'name',
);

sub init_name { 'Fred' }
...

MyClass->power(99);    # returns 99
MyClass->name;         # returns "Fred"
MyClass->name('Bill'); # returns "Bill"

inheritable_scalar

Create get/set methods for scalar class attributes that are inherited by subclasses until/unless their values are changed.

Options

interface

Choose the interface. This is kind of pointless since there is only one interface right now. Defaults to get_set, obviously.

Interfaces

get_set

Creates a get/set accessor method for a class attribute. When called with an argument, the value of the attribute is set and then returned.

If called with no arguments, and if the attribute was never set for this class, then a left-most, breadth-first search of the parent classes is initiated. The value returned is taken from first parent class encountered that has ever had this attribute set.

Example:

package MyClass;

use Rose::Class::MakeMethods::Generic
(
  inheritable_scalar => 'name',
);
...

package MySubClass;
our @ISA = qw(MyClass);
...

package MySubSubClass;
our @ISA = qw(MySubClass);
...

$x = MyClass->name;       # undef
$y = MySubClass->name;    # undef
$z = MySubSubClass->name; # undef

MyClass->name('Fred');
$x = MyClass->name;       # 'Fred'
$y = MySubClass->name;    # 'Fred'
$z = MySubSubClass->name; # 'Fred'

MyClass->name('Wilma');
$x = MyClass->name;       # 'Wilma'
$y = MySubClass->name;    # 'Wilma'
$z = MySubSubClass->name; # 'Wilma'

MySubClass->name('Bam');
$x = MyClass->name;       # 'Wilma'
$y = MySubClass->name;    # 'Bam'
$z = MySubSubClass->name; # 'Bam'

MyClass->name('Koop');
MySubClass->name(undef);
$x = MyClass->name;       # 'Koop'
$y = MySubClass->name;    # undef
$z = MySubSubClass->name; # undef

MySubSubClass->name('Sam');
$x = MyClass->name;       # 'Koop'
$y = MySubClass->name;    # undef
$z = MySubSubClass->name; # 'Sam'

AUTHOR

John C. Siracusa (siracusa@mindspring.com)