2 Variable::Magic - Associate user-defined magic to variables from Perl.
8 use Variable::Magic qw/wizard cast dispell/;
10 my $wiz = wizard set => sub { print STDERR "now set to ${$_[0]}!\n" };
13 $a = 2; # "now set to 2!"
18 Magic is Perl way of enhancing objects. This mechanism let the user add
19 extra data to any variable and hook syntaxical operations (such as
20 access, assignation or destruction) that can be applied to it. With this
21 module, you can add your own magic to any variable without the pain of
24 Magic differs from tieing and overloading in several ways :
26 * Magic isn't copied on assignation (as for blessed references) : you
27 attach it to variables, not values.
29 * It doesn't replace the original semantics : magic callbacks trigger
30 before the original action take place, and can't prevent it to
33 * It's mostly invisible at the Perl level : magical and non-magical
34 variables cannot be distinguished with "ref", "reftype" or another
37 * It's notably faster, since perl's way of handling magic is lighter
38 by nature, and there's no need for any method resolution.
40 The operations that can be overloaded are :
44 This magic is invoked when the variable is evaluated (does not
45 include array/hash subscripts and slices).
49 This one is triggered each time the value of the variable changes
50 (includes array/hash subscripts and slices).
54 This magic is a little special : it is called when the 'size' or the
55 'length' of the variable has to be known by Perl. Typically, it's
56 the magic involved when an array is evaluated in scalar context, but
57 also on array assignation and loops ("for", "map" or "grep"). The
58 callback has then to return the length as an integer.
62 This magic is invoked when the variable is reset, such as when an
63 array is emptied. Please note that this is different from undefining
64 the variable, even though the magic is called when the clearing is a
65 result of the undefine (e.g. for an array, but actually a bug
66 prevent it to work before perl 5.9.5 - see the history).
70 This one can be considered as an object destructor. It happens when
71 the variable goes out of scope (with the exception of global scope),
72 but not when it is undefined.
76 This magic only applies to tied arrays and hashes. It fires when you
77 try to access or change their elements. It is available on your perl
78 iff "MGf_COPY" is true.
82 Invoked when the variable is cloned across threads. Currently not
87 When this magic is set on a variable, all subsequent localizations
88 of the variable will trigger the callback. It is available on your
89 perl iff "MGf_LOCAL" is true.
91 The following actions only apply to hashes and are available iff
92 "VMG_UVAR" is true. They are referred to as "uvar" magics.
96 This magic happens each time an element is fetched from the hash.
100 This one is called when an element is stored into the hash.
104 This magic fires when a key is tested for existence in the hash.
108 This last one triggers when a key is deleted in the hash, regardless
109 of whether the key actually exists in it.
111 You can refer to the tests to have more insight of where the different
114 To prevent any clash between different magics defined with this module,
115 an unique numerical signature is attached to each kind of magic (i.e.
116 each set of callbacks for magic operations).
119 The places where magic is invoked have changed a bit through perl
120 history. Here's a little list of the most recent ones.
124 *p14416* : 'copy' and 'dup' magic.
128 *p28160* : Integration of *p25854* (see below).
130 *p32542* : Integration of *p31473* (see below).
134 *p25854* : 'len' magic is no longer called when pushing an element
137 *p26569* : 'local' magic.
141 *p31064* : Meaningful 'uvar' magic.
143 *p31473* : 'clear' magic wasn't invoked when undefining an array.
144 The bug is fixed as of this version.
148 Since "PERL_MAGIC_uvar" is uppercased, "hv_magic_check()" triggers
149 'copy' magic on hash stores for (non-tied) hashes that also have
154 *p32969* : 'len' magic is no longer invoked when calling "length"
155 with a magical scalar.
157 *p34908* : 'len' magic is no longer called when pushing / unshifting
158 an element into a magical array in void context. The "push" part was
159 already covered by *p25854*.
163 The minimum integer used as a signature for user-defined magic.
166 The maximum integer used as a signature for user-defined magic.
169 SIG_NBR = SIG_MAX - SIG_MIN + 1
172 Evaluates to true iff the 'copy' magic is available.
175 Evaluates to true iff the 'dup' magic is available.
178 Evaluates to true iff the 'local' magic is available.
181 When this constant is true, you can use the "fetch,store,exists,delete"
184 "VMG_COMPAT_ARRAY_PUSH_NOLEN"
185 True for perls that don't call 'len' magic when you push an element in a
188 "VMG_COMPAT_ARRAY_UNSHIFT_NOLEN_VOID"
189 True for perls that don't call 'len' magic when you unshift in void
190 context an element in a magical array.
192 "VMG_COMPAT_ARRAY_UNDEF_CLEAR"
193 True for perls that call 'clear' magic when undefining magical arrays.
195 "VMG_COMPAT_SCALAR_LENGTH_NOLEN"
196 True for perls that don't call 'len' magic when taking the "length" of a
199 "VMG_PERL_PATCHLEVEL"
200 The perl patchlevel this module was built with, or 0 for non-debugging
204 True iff this module could have been built with thread-safety features
211 get => sub { my ($ref, $data) = @_; ... },
212 set => sub { my ($ref, $data) = @_; ... },
213 len => sub { my ($ref, $data, $len) = @_; ... ; return $newlen; },
214 clear => sub { my ($ref, $data) = @_; ... },
215 free => sub { my ($ref, $data) = @_, ... },
216 copy => sub { my ($ref, $data, $key, $elt) = @_; ... },
217 local => sub { my ($ref, $data) = @_; ... },
218 fetch => sub { my ($ref, $data, $key) = @_; ... },
219 store => sub { my ($ref, $data, $key) = @_; ... },
220 exists => sub { my ($ref, $data, $key) = @_; ... },
221 delete => sub { my ($ref, $data, $key) = @_; ... },
224 This function creates a 'wizard', an opaque type that holds the magic
225 information. It takes a list of keys / values as argument, whose keys
230 The numerical signature. If not specified or undefined, a random
231 signature is generated. If the signature matches an already defined
232 magic, then the existant magic object is returned.
236 A code reference to a private data constructor. It is called each
237 time this magic is cast on a variable, and the scalar returned is
238 used as private data storage for it. $_[0] is a reference to the
239 magic object and @_[1 .. @_-1] are all extra arguments that were
242 * "get", "set", "len", "clear", "free", "copy", "local", "fetch",
243 "store", "exists" and "delete"
245 Code references to the corresponding magic callbacks. You don't have
246 to specify all of them : the magic associated with undefined entries
247 simply won't be hooked. In those callbacks, $_[0] is always a
248 reference to the magic object and $_[1] is always the private data
249 (or "undef" when no private data constructor was supplied). Other
250 arguments are specific to the magic hooked :
254 When the variable is an array or a scalar, $_[2] contains
255 the non-magical length. The callback can return the new
256 scalar or array length to use, or "undef" to default to the
261 $_[2] is a either a copy or an alias of the current key,
262 which means that it is useless to try to change or cast
263 magic on it. $_[3] is an alias to the current element (i.e.
266 * "fetch", "store", "exists" and "delete"
268 $_[2] is an alias to the current key. Nothing prevents you
269 from changing it, but be aware that there lurk dangerous
270 side effects. For example, it may righteously be readonly if
271 the key was a bareword. You can get a copy instead by
272 passing "copy_key => 1" to "wizard", which allows you to
273 safely assign to $_[2] in order to e.g. redirect the action
274 to another key. This however has a little performance
275 drawback because of the copy.
277 All the callbacks are expected to return an integer, which is passed
278 straight to the perl magic API. However, only the return value of
279 the "len" callback currently holds a meaning.
281 # A simple scalar tracer
282 my $wiz = wizard get => sub { print STDERR "got ${$_[0]}\n" },
283 set => sub { print STDERR "set to ${$_[0]}\n" },
284 free => sub { print STDERR "${$_[0]} was deleted\n" }
287 With this tool, you can manually generate random magic signature between
288 SIG_MIN and SIG_MAX inclusive. That's the way "wizard" creates them when
289 no signature is supplied.
291 # Generate a signature
297 This accessor returns the magic signature of this wizard.
300 my $sig = getsig $wiz;
303 cast [$@%&*]var, [$wiz|$sig], ...
305 This function associates $wiz magic to the variable supplied, without
306 overwriting any other kind of magic. You can also supply the numeric
307 signature $sig instead of $wiz. It returns true on success or when $wiz
308 magic is already present, 0 on error, and "undef" when no magic
309 corresponds to the given signature (in case $sig was supplied). All
310 extra arguments specified after $wiz are passed to the private data
311 constructor. If the variable isn't a hash, any "uvar" callback of the
312 wizard is safely ignored.
314 # Casts $wiz onto $x. If $wiz isn't a signature, undef can't be returned.
316 die 'error' unless cast $x, $wiz;
319 getdata [$@%&*]var, [$wiz|$sig]
321 This accessor fetches the private data associated with the magic $wiz
322 (or the signature $sig) in the variable. "undef" is returned when no
323 such magic or data is found, or when $sig does not represent a current
326 # Get the attached data.
327 my $data = getdata $x, $wiz or die 'no such magic or magic has no data';
330 dispell [$@%&*]variable, [$wiz|$sig]
332 The exact opposite of "cast" : it dissociates $wiz magic from the
333 variable. You can also pass the magic signature $sig as the second
334 argument. True is returned on success, 0 on error or when no magic
335 represented by $wiz could be found in the variable, and "undef" when no
336 magic corresponds to the given signature (in case $sig was supplied).
338 # Dispell now. If $wiz isn't a signature, undef can't be returned.
339 die 'no such magic or error' unless dispell $x, $wiz;
342 The functions "wizard", "gensig", "getsig", "cast", "getdata" and
343 "dispell" are only exported on request. All of them are exported by the
344 tags ':funcs' and ':all'.
346 The constants "SIG_MIN", "SIG_MAX", "SIG_NBR", "MGf_COPY", "MGf_DUP",
347 "MGf_LOCAL" and "VMG_UVAR" are also only exported on request. They are
348 all exported by the tags ':consts' and ':all'.
351 If you store a magic object in the private data slot, the magic won't be
352 accessible by "getdata" since it's not copied by assignation. The only
353 way to address this would be to return a reference.
355 If you define a wizard with a "free" callback and cast it on itself,
356 this destructor won't be called because the wizard will be destroyed
362 Carp (standard since perl 5), XSLoader (standard since perl 5.006).
364 Copy tests need Tie::Array (standard since perl 5.005) and Tie::Hash
367 Some uvar tests need Hash::Util::FieldHash (standard since perl
370 Glob tests need Symbol (standard since perl 5.002).
372 Threads tests need threads and threads::shared.
375 perlguts and perlapi for internal information about magic.
377 perltie and overload for other ways of enhancing objects.
380 Vincent Pit, "<perl at profvince.com>", <http://www.profvince.com>.
382 You can contact me by mail or on "irc.perl.org" (vincent).
385 Please report any bugs or feature requests to "bug-variable-magic at
386 rt.cpan.org", or through the web interface at
387 <http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Variable-Magic>. I will
388 be notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on
389 your bug as I make changes.
392 You can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command.
394 perldoc Variable::Magic
396 Tests code coverage report is available at
397 <http://www.profvince.com/perl/cover/Variable-Magic>.
400 Copyright 2007-2009 Vincent Pit, all rights reserved.
402 This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
403 under the same terms as Perl itself.