NAME

UNIVERSAL::exports - Lightweight, universal exporting of variables

SYNOPSIS

package Foo;
use UNIVERSAL::exports;

# Just like Exporter.
@EXPORT       = qw($This &That);
@EXPORT_OK    = qw(@Left %Right);


# Meanwhile, in another piece of code!
package Bar;
use Foo;  # exports $This and &That.

DESCRIPTION

This is an alternative to Exporter intended to provide a universal, lightweight subset of its functionality. It supports import, @EXPORT and @EXPORT_OK and not a whole lot else.

Additionally, exports() is provided to find out what symbols a module exports.

UNIVERSAL::exports places its methods in the UNIVERSAL namespace, so there is no need to subclass from it.

Methods

UNIVERSAL::exports has two public methods...

import

Some::Module->import;
Some::Module->import(@symbols);

Works just like Exporter::import() excepting it only honors @Some::Module::EXPORT and @Some::Module::EXPORT_OK.

The given @symbols are exported to the current package provided they are in @Some::Module::EXPORT or @Some::Module::EXPORT_OK. Otherwise an exception is thrown (ie. the program dies).

If @symbols is not given, everything in @Some::Module::EXPORT is exported.

exports

@exported_symbols = Some::Module->exports;
Some::Module->exports($symbol);

Reports what symbols are exported by Some::Module. With no arguments, it simply returns a list of all exportable symbols. Otherwise, it reports if it will export a given $symbol.

DIAGNOSTICS

'"%s" is not exported by the %s module'

Attempted to import a symbol which is not in @EXPORT or @EXPORT_OK.

'Can\'t export symbol: %s'

Attempted to import a symbol of an unknown type (ie. the leading $@% salad wasn't recognized).

AUTHORS

Michael G Schwern <schwern@pobox.com>

SEE ALSO

Exporter, UNIVERSAL::require, http://dev.perl.org/rfc/257.pod