/ 
Class-Runtime-0.1
River stage zero No dependents
/ Class::Runtime

NAME

Class::Runtime - API for dynamic class loading/unloading/status

DEPENDENCIES

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Symbol

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File::Spec

INSTALLATION

To install this module type the following:

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perl Makefile.PL

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make

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make test

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make install

OVERVIEW

Class for dynamically loading/unloading/stat on modules. Currently it is designed for loading a class local to the system at runtime. Future versions may include loading in a distributed environment.

A specific search path can be associated with the object which will be 'unshifted' onto @INC before attempting to load the class and 'shifted' off after attempting to load.

Also, a class can be checked whether it is loaded or not in the process.

SYNOPSIS

  my $class = 'MyClass::MySubClass';
  my $obj = Class::Runtime->new( class=> $class );

  ## LOADING CLASS AT RUNTIME
  unless ( $cl->load ) {
  	warn "Error in loading class\n";
	warn "\n\n", $@, "\n\n" if DEBUG;
  }

  ## CHECKING FOR CLASS AVAILABILITY AT RUNTIME
  unless ( $cl->isLoaded ) {
	warn 'Class - ', $class, ' - is loaded', "\n";
  }

  my $newPath;
  ## ADDING SEACH PATH TO OBJECT
  ## Multiple
  $newPath = $cl->addPath( path=> [ qw( /tmp/lib /tmp/lib2 ) ] );
  
  ##OR Single
  $newPath = $cl->addPath( path=> '/tmp/lib' );

  ## REMOVING SEARCH PATH FROM OBJECT
  ## Multiple
  $newPath = $cl->dropPath( path=> [ qw( /tmp/lib /tmp/lib2 ) ] );
  
  ##OR Single
  $newPath = $cl->dropPath( path=> '/tmp/lib' );

  ## GETTING PATH ASSOCIATED WITH OBJECT
  my @path = $cl->getPath;

  ## UNLOADING CLASS
  if ( $cl->isLoaded ) {
  	$cl->unload or warn 'Unable to unload class - ', $class, "\n";
  }

METHODS

new CONSTRUCTOR

Creates new object and initializes member variables if passed in as arguments. Takes parameterized argument list.

Input
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class => name of class to dynamically load

Output
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Class::Runtime object

getPath

Method used to retrieve path associated with this object

Input
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None

Output
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array of paths

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integer 0 if no paths exist

addPath

Method used to add path to object path list to search from

Input
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path => As a single string or as a reference to an array

Output
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array of paths

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undef if error

dropPath

Method used to remove path from object search path

Input
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path=> As a single string or as a reference to an array

Output
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array of paths

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undef if error

isLoaded

Method used to check whether given class is loaded.

Input
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None

Output
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1 if loaded

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0 if not loaded

load

Method used to load library/class. If a path has been associated with this object it will be 'unshifted' onto the global @INC array. Immediately after the attempted load the paths 'unshifted' onto the @INC array will be 'spliced' out. This is done so as to prevent any wrongful modification of @INC since the loading library may modify @INC or perhaps some other code.

Input
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None

Output
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1 on successful load

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undef if error (setting $@)

unload

Method used to unload class/library

Input
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None

Output
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1 on successful unload

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undef if error

invoke

Method used to load class/library and call specific method with that library.

Input
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method => method name

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argument => reference to array of arguments to pass to method call

Output
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value of returned method call

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undef if error

HISTORY

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2002/02/14 Created

SUPPORT AND SUGGESTIONS

Currently you can contact the author at the email address listed below.

AUTHOR

  1. Stathy G. Touloumis <stathy-classruntime@stathy.com>

COPYRIGHT AND LICENCE

Copyright (C) 2002 Stathy G. Touloumis

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