NAME

LWP::UserAgent::Snapshot - modifies the behaviour of LWP::UserAgent to record and playback data.

SYNOPSIS

  use WWW::Mechanize;
  use LWP::UserAgent::Snapshot;

  @WWW::Mechanize::ISA = ('LWP::UserAgent::Snapshot');

  my $mech = WWW::Mechanize->new;

  $mech->record_to("data_dir"); # turn on recording to data_dir/

  # naviate some web pages

  WWW::Mechanize->record_to(undef); # turn off recording
  WWW::Mechanize->mock_from("data_dir"); # turn on playback

  # Navigating the same urls should now work as before, but without
  # any network access. This is useful for testing.

DESCRIPTION

If this subclass of LWP::UserAgent is inserted into the @ISA inheritance list of WWW::Mechanize, it allows it to record request and response data to a set of files, then play back responses from that data.

For suggestions on the use of this class in testing, see LWP::UserAgent::Snapshot::UsageGuide.

CLASS METHODS

$class->record_to($dir)

If $dir is supplied, turns on recording to that directory. Otherwise, turns off recording.

$class->mock_from($dir)

If $dir is supplied, turns on playback from that directory. Otherwise, turns off playback.

PUBLIC INSTANCE METHODS

$response = $obj->simple_request($request)

Overrides LWP::UserAgent->simple_request and implements the recording/playback mechanism, when enabled.

CAVEATS

Because we associate each URL visited with its content as downloaded on the first visit, this means we assume the website does not change - in particular, that a given URL's content does not depend on when it's visited, by what route, or other stateful information.

SEE ALSO

WWW::Mechanize and LWP::UserAgent for general information.

Similar tools include the unix wget command.

AUTHOR

Nick Woolley <cpan.wu-lee@noodlefactory.co.uk>

LICENCE AND COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 2008, Nick Woolley <cpan.wu-lee@noodlefactory.co.uk>. All rights reserved.

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

DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY

BECAUSE THIS SOFTWARE IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR THE SOFTWARE, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE THE SOFTWARE "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE SOFTWARE PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR CORRECTION.

IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE THE SOFTWARE AS PERMITTED BY THE ABOVE LICENCE, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE SOFTWARE TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER SOFTWARE), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.