NAME

Hash::CoerceToArray - Find the depth of any multi-hierarchical HASH REFERENCE structure - Go to any level of the HASH REFERENCE randomly and convert the value against a key to an ARRAY REFERENCE if it is HASH REFERENCE

SYNOPSIS

  use Hash::CoerceToArray qw /coerceArray getMinMaxDepth/;
  
  my $maxDepth = getMinMaxDepth (\%hash);
  my $minDepth = getMinMaxDepth (\%hash, 'min');

  my $hashRef = coerceArray(\%hash);
  my $hashRef = coerceArray(\%hash, $maxDepth);

  my $hashRef = coerceArray(\%hash, $maxDepth, 'keys')   --> sorts at $maxDepth based on keys
  my $hashRef = coerceArray(\%hash, $maxDepth, 'values') --> sorts at $maxDepth based on values
  
  map {$hashRef = coerceArray($hashRef,$_);} (1..$maxDepth)
  

ABSTRACT

  This module allows the user to get maximum or minimum depth of a HASH REFERENCE
  variable in a multilevel structure where values are HASH REFERENCES themselves.

  Also, user is allowed to change the HASH REFERENCE value at any level randomly
  to an ARRAY REFERENCE. By selecting the deepest level of the HASH REFERENCE
  structure first and calling coerceArray() subroutine from thereon to depth level
  of 1 sequentially, user can change the whole HASH REFERENCE structure
  to an ARRAY REFERENCE hierarchy. 

DESCRIPTION

  Example HashRef.

  my $hashRef = { 'L1_1' => {'L2_1' => {'L3_1' => 'V1',
                                     'L3_2' => 'V2',
                                     'L3_3' => 'V3'
                                    },
                          'L2_2' => {'L3_1' => {'L4_1' => 'V1',
                                                'L4_2' => 'V2',
                                               },
                                    },
                         },
                   'L1_2' => 'V1',
              };
  print getMinMaxDepth($hashRef)
  >>>> 4

  print getMinMaxDepth($hashRef, 'min')
  >>>> 1

  $hashRef = coerceArray($hashRef);
  print Dumper $hashRef; 
  >>>>>
       { 
          'L1_1' => {
                      'L2_1' => {
                                  'L3_2' => 'V2',
                                  'L3_3' => 'V3',
                                  'L3_1' => 'V1'
                                },
                      'L2_2' => {
                                  'L3_1' => [
                                              'L4_1',
                                              'V1',
                                              'L4_2',
                                              'V2'
                                            ]
                                }
                    }
        }; 

  $hashRef = coerceArray($hashRef,2);
  print Dumper $hashRef;
  >>>>>
       {
          'L1_1' => [
                      'L2_1',
                      {
                        'L3_2' => 'V2',
                        'L3_3' => 'V3',
                        'L3_1' => 'V1'
                      },
                      'L2_2',
                      {
                        'L3_1' => [
                                    'L4_1',
                                    'V1',
                                    'L4_2',
                                    'V2'
                                  ]
                      }
                    ]
        };

CAVEATS

  The coerceArray() routine as of now works only if the Hash References are found continuously,
  if any other reference like Array References occur in between, it won't work as desired.

  Eg. take the following Hash Reference which has Array Reference at Level 1

      {
          'L1_1' => [
                      'L2_1',
                      {
                        'L3_2' => 'V2',
                        'L3_3' => 'V3',
                        'L3_1' => 'V1'
                      },
                      'L2_2',
                      {
                        'L3_1' => [
                                    'L4_1',
                                    'V1',
                                    'L4_2',
                                    'V2'
                                  ]
                      }
                    ]
        }; 
  Now here $hashRef = coerceArray($hashRef,2);
           print Dumper $hashRef; - won't work as desired.
  I will look to improve it in a future release.

SUPPORT

  debashish@cpan.org

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

COPYRIGHT & LICENSE

Copyright 2013 Debashish Parasar, all rights reserved.

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