Scope::Upper - Act on upper scopes.
Version 0.34
"reap", "localize", "localize_elem", "localize_delete" and "WORDS" :
package Scope; use Scope::Upper qw< reap localize localize_elem localize_delete :words >; sub new { my ($class, $name) = @_; localize '$tag' => bless({ name => $name }, $class) => UP; reap { print Scope->tag->name, ": end\n" } UP; } # Get the tag stored in the caller namespace sub tag { my $l = 0; my $pkg = __PACKAGE__; $pkg = caller $l++ while $pkg eq __PACKAGE__; no strict 'refs'; ${$pkg . '::tag'}; } sub name { shift->{name} } # Locally capture warnings and reprint them with the name prefixed sub catch { localize_elem '%SIG', '__WARN__' => sub { print Scope->tag->name, ': ', @_; } => UP; } # Locally clear @INC sub private { for (reverse 0 .. $#INC) { # First UP is the for loop, second is the sub boundary localize_delete '@INC', $_ => UP UP; } } ... package UserLand; { Scope->new("top"); # initializes $UserLand::tag { Scope->catch; my $one = 1 + undef; # prints "top: Use of uninitialized value..." { Scope->private; eval { require Cwd }; print $@; # prints "Can't locate Cwd.pm in @INC } # (@INC contains:) at..." require Cwd; # loads Cwd.pm } } # prints "top: done"
"unwind" and "want_at" :
package Try; use Scope::Upper qw<unwind want_at :words>; sub try (&) { my @result = shift->(); my $cx = SUB UP; # Point to the sub above this one unwind +(want_at($cx) ? @result : scalar @result) => $cx; } ... sub zap { try { my @things = qw<a b c>; return @things; # returns to try() and then outside zap() # not reached }; # not reached } my @stuff = zap(); # @stuff contains qw<a b c> my $stuff = zap(); # $stuff contains 3
"uplevel" :
package Uplevel; use Scope::Upper qw<uplevel CALLER>; sub target { faker(@_); } sub faker { uplevel { my $sub = (caller 0)[3]; print "$_[0] from $sub()"; } @_ => CALLER(1); } target('hello'); # "hello from Uplevel::target()"
"uid" and "validate_uid" :
use Scope::Upper qw<uid validate_uid>; my $uid; { $uid = uid(); { if ($uid eq uid(UP)) { # yes ... } if (validate_uid($uid)) { # yes ... } } } if (validate_uid($uid)) { # no ... }
This module lets you defer actions at run-time that will take place when the control flow returns into an upper scope. Currently, you can:
hook an upper scope end with "reap" ;
localize variables, array/hash values or deletions of elements in higher contexts with respectively "localize", "localize_elem" and "localize_delete" ;
return values immediately to an upper level with "unwind", "yield" and "leave" ;
gather information about an upper context with "want_at" and "context_info" ;
execute a subroutine in the setting of an upper subroutine stack frame with "uplevel" ;
uniquely identify contexts with "uid" and "validate_uid".
In all those functions, $context refers to the target scope.
$context
You have to use one or a combination of "WORDS" to build the $context passed to these functions. This is needed in order to ensure that the module still works when your program is ran in the debugger. The only thing you can assume is that it is an absolute indicator of the frame, which means that you can safely store it at some point and use it when needed, and it will still denote the original scope.
reap
reap { ... }; reap { ... } $context; &reap($callback, $context);
Adds a destructor that calls $callback (in void context) when the upper scope represented by $context ends.
$callback
localize
localize $what, $value; localize $what, $value, $context;
Introduces a local delayed to the time of first return into the upper scope denoted by $context. $what can be :
local
$what
A glob, in which case $value can either be a glob or a reference. "localize" follows then the same syntax as local *x = $value. For example, if $value is a scalar reference, then the SCALAR slot of the glob will be set to $$value - just like local *x = \1 sets $x to 1.
$value
local *x = $value
SCALAR
$$value
local *x = \1
$x
1
A string beginning with a sigil, representing the symbol to localize and to assign to. If the sigil is '$', "localize" follows the same syntax as local $x = $value, i.e. $value isn't dereferenced. For example,
'$'
local $x = $value
localize '$x', \'foo' => HERE;
will set $x to a reference to the string 'foo'. Other sigils ('@', '%', '&' and '*') require $value to be a reference of the corresponding type.
'foo'
'@'
'%'
'&'
'*'
When the symbol is given by a string, it is resolved when the actual localization takes place and not when "localize" is called. Thus, if the symbol name is not qualified, it will refer to the variable in the package where the localization actually takes place and not in the one where the "localize" call was compiled. For example,
{ package Scope; sub new { localize '$tag', $_[0] => UP } } { package Tool; { Scope->new; ... } }
will localize $Tool::tag and not $Scope::tag. If you want the other behaviour, you just have to specify $what as a glob or a qualified name.
$Tool::tag
$Scope::tag
Note that if $what is a string denoting a variable that wasn't declared beforehand, the relevant slot will be vivified as needed and won't be deleted from the glob when the localization ends. This situation never arises with local because it only compiles when the localized variable is already declared. Although I believe it shouldn't be a problem as glob slots definedness is pretty much an implementation detail, this behaviour may change in the future if proved harmful.
localize_elem
localize_elem $what, $key, $value; localize_elem $what, $key, $value, $context;
Introduces a local $what[$key] = $value or local $what{$key} = $value delayed to the time of first return into the upper scope denoted by $context. Unlike "localize", $what must be a string and the type of localization is inferred from its sigil. The two only valid types are array and hash ; for anything besides those, "localize_elem" will throw an exception. $key is either an array index or a hash key, depending of which kind of variable you localize.
local $what[$key] = $value
local $what{$key} = $value
$key
If $what is a string pointing to an undeclared variable, the variable will be vivified as soon as the localization occurs and emptied when it ends, although it will still exist in its glob.
localize_delete
localize_delete $what, $key; localize_delete $what, $key, $context;
Introduces the deletion of a variable or an array/hash element delayed to the time of first return into the upper scope denoted by $context. $what can be:
A glob, in which case $key is ignored and the call is equivalent to local *x.
local *x
A string beginning with '@' or '%', for which the call is equivalent to respectively local $a[$key]; delete $a[$key] and local $h{$key}; delete $h{$key}.
local $a[$key]; delete $a[$key]
local $h{$key}; delete $h{$key}
A string beginning with '&', which more or less does undef &func in the upper scope. It's actually more powerful, as &func won't even exists anymore. $key is ignored.
undef &func
&func
exists
unwind
unwind; unwind @values, $context;
Returns @values from the subroutine, eval or format context pointed by or just above $context, and immediately restarts the program flow at this point - thus effectively returning @values to an upper scope. If @values is empty, then the $context parameter is optional and defaults to the current context (making the call equivalent to a bare return;) ; otherwise it is mandatory.
@values
return;
The upper context isn't coerced onto @values, which is hence always evaluated in list context. This means that
my $num = sub { my @a = ('a' .. 'z'); unwind @a => HERE; # not reached }->();
will set $num to 'z'. You can use "want_at" to handle these cases.
$num
'z'
yield
yield; yield @values, $context;
Returns @values from the context pointed by or just above $context, and immediately restarts the program flow at this point. If @values is empty, then the $context parameter is optional and defaults to the current context ; otherwise it is mandatory.
"yield" differs from "unwind" in that it can target any upper scope (besides a s///e substitution context) and not necessarily a sub, an eval or a format. Hence you can use it to return values from a do or a map block :
s///e
do
map
my $now = do { local $@; eval { require Time::HiRes } or yield time() => HERE; Time::HiRes::time(); }; my @uniq = map { yield if $seen{$_}++; # returns the empty list from the block ... } @things;
Like for "unwind", the upper context isn't coerced onto @values. You can use the fifth value returned by "context_info" to handle context coercion.
leave
leave; leave @values;
Immediately returns @values from the current block, whatever it may be (besides a s///e substitution context). leave is actually a synonym for yield HERE, while leave @values is a synonym for yield @values, HERE.
yield HERE
leave @values
yield @values, HERE
Like for "yield", you can use the fifth value returned by "context_info" to handle context coercion.
want_at
my $want = want_at; my $want = want_at $context;
Like "wantarray" in perlfunc, but for the subroutine, eval or format context located at or just above $context.
It can be used to revise the example showed in "unwind" :
my $num = sub { my @a = ('a' .. 'z'); unwind +(want_at(HERE) ? @a : scalar @a) => HERE; # not reached }->();
will rightfully set $num to 26.
26
context_info
my ($package, $filename, $line, $subroutine, $hasargs, $wantarray, $evaltext, $is_require, $hints, $bitmask, $hinthash) = context_info $context;
Gives information about the context denoted by $context, akin to what "caller" in perlfunc provides but not limited only to subroutine, eval and format contexts. When $context is omitted, it defaults to the current context.
The returned values are, in order :
(index 0) : the namespace in use when the context was created ;
(index 1) : the name of the file at the point where the context was created ;
(index 2) : the line number at the point where the context was created ;
(index 3) : the name of the subroutine called for this context, or undef if this is not a subroutine context ;
undef
(index 4) : a boolean indicating whether a new instance of @_ was set up for this context, or undef if this is not a subroutine context ;
@_
(index 5) : the context (in the sense of "wantarray" in perlfunc) in which the context (in our sense) is executed ;
(index 6) : the contents of the string being compiled for this context, or undef if this is not an eval context ;
(index 7) : a boolean indicating whether this eval context was created by require, or undef if this is not an eval context ;
require
(index 8) : the value of the lexical hints in use when the context was created ;
(index 9) : a bit string representing the warnings in use when the context was created ;
(index 10) : a reference to the lexical hints hash in use when the context was created (only on perl 5.10 or greater).
uplevel
my @ret = uplevel { ...; return @ret }; my @ret = uplevel { my @args = @_; ...; return @ret } @args, $context; my @ret = &uplevel($callback, @args, $context);
Executes the code reference $callback with arguments @args as if it were located at the subroutine stack frame pointed by $context, effectively fooling caller and die into believing that the call actually happened higher in the stack. The code is executed in the context of the uplevel call, and what it returns is returned as-is by uplevel.
@args
caller
die
sub target { faker(@_); } sub faker { uplevel { map { 1 / $_ } @_; } @_ => CALLER(1); } my @inverses = target(1, 2, 4); # @inverses contains (0, 0.5, 0.25) my $count = target(1, 2, 4); # $count is 3
Note that if @args is empty, then the $context parameter is optional and defaults to the current context ; otherwise it is mandatory.
Sub::Uplevel also implements a pure-Perl version of uplevel. Both are identical, with the following caveats :
The Sub::Uplevel implementation of uplevel may execute a code reference in the context of any upper stack frame. The Scope::Upper version can only uplevel to a subroutine stack frame, and will croak if you try to target an eval or a format.
eval
Exceptions thrown from the code called by this version of uplevel will not be caught by eval blocks between the target frame and the uplevel call, while they will for Sub::Uplevel's version. This means that :
eval { sub { local $@; eval { sub { uplevel { die 'wut' } CALLER(2); # for Scope::Upper # uplevel(3, sub { die 'wut' }) # for Sub::Uplevel }->(); }; print "inner block: $@"; $@ and exit; }->(); }; print "outer block: $@";
will print "inner block: wut..." with Sub::Uplevel and "outer block: wut..." with Scope::Upper.
Sub::Uplevel globally overrides the Perl keyword caller, while Scope::Upper does not.
A simple wrapper lets you mimic the interface of "uplevel" in Sub::Uplevel :
use Scope::Upper; sub uplevel { my $frame = shift; my $code = shift; my $cxt = Scope::Upper::CALLER($frame); &Scope::Upper::uplevel($code => @_ => $cxt); }
Albeit the three exceptions listed above, it passes all the tests of Sub::Uplevel.
uid
my $uid = uid; my $uid = uid $context;
Returns an unique identifier (UID) for the context (or dynamic scope) pointed by $context, or for the current context if $context is omitted. This UID will only be valid for the life time of the context it represents, and another UID will be generated next time the same scope is executed.
my $uid; { $uid = uid; if ($uid eq uid()) { # yes, this is the same context ... } { if ($uid eq uid()) { # no, we are one scope below ... } if ($uid eq uid(UP)) { # yes, UP points to the same scope as $uid ... } } } # $uid is now invalid { if ($uid eq uid()) { # no, this is another block ... } }
For example, each loop iteration gets its own UID :
my %uids; for (1 .. 5) { my $uid = uid; $uids{$uid} = $_; } # %uids has 5 entries
The UIDs are not guaranteed to be numbers, so you must use the eq operator to compare them.
eq
To check whether a given UID is valid, you can use the "validate_uid" function.
validate_uid
my $is_valid = validate_uid $uid;
Returns true if and only if $uid is the UID of a currently valid context (that is, it designates a scope that is higher than the current one in the call stack).
$uid
my $uid; { $uid = uid(); if (validate_uid($uid)) { # yes ... } { if (validate_uid($uid)) { # yes ... } } } if (validate_uid($uid)) { # no ... }
SU_THREADSAFE
True iff the module could have been built when thread-safety features.
TOP
my $top_context = TOP;
Returns the context that currently represents the highest scope.
HERE
my $current_context = HERE;
The context of the current scope.
For any of those functions, $from is expected to be a context. When omitted, it defaults to the current context.
$from
UP
my $upper_context = UP; my $upper_context = UP $from;
The context of the scope just above $from. If $from points to the top-level scope in the current stack, then a warning is emitted and $from is returned (see "DIAGNOSTICS" for details).
SUB
my $sub_context = SUB; my $sub_context = SUB $from;
The context of the closest subroutine above $from. If $from already designates a subroutine context, then it is returned as-is ; hence SUB SUB == SUB. If no subroutine context is present in the call stack, then a warning is emitted and the current context is returned (see "DIAGNOSTICS" for details).
SUB SUB == SUB
EVAL
my $eval_context = EVAL; my $eval_context = EVAL $from;
The context of the closest eval above $from. If $from already designates an eval context, then it is returned as-is ; hence EVAL EVAL == EVAL. If no eval context is present in the call stack, then a warning is emitted and the current context is returned (see "DIAGNOSTICS" for details).
EVAL EVAL == EVAL
Here, $level should denote a number of scopes above the current one. When omitted, it defaults to 0 and those functions return the same context as "HERE".
$level
0
SCOPE
my $context = SCOPE; my $context = SCOPE $level;
The $level-th upper context, regardless of its type. If $level points above the top-level scope in the current stack, then a warning is emitted and the top-level context is returned (see "DIAGNOSTICS" for details).
CALLER
my $context = CALLER; my $context = CALLER $level;
The context of the $level-th upper subroutine/eval/format. It kind of corresponds to the context represented by caller $level, but while e.g. caller 0 refers to the caller context, CALLER 0 will refer to the top scope in the current context. If $level points above the top-level scope in the current stack, then a warning is emitted and the top-level context is returned (see "DIAGNOSTICS" for details).
caller $level
caller 0
CALLER 0
Where "reap" fires depending on the $cxt :
$cxt
sub { eval { sub { { reap \&cleanup => $cxt; ... } # $cxt = SCOPE(0) = HERE ... }->(); # $cxt = SCOPE(1) = UP = SUB = CALLER(0) ... }; # $cxt = SCOPE(2) = UP UP = UP SUB = EVAL = CALLER(1) ... }->(); # $cxt = SCOPE(3) = SUB UP SUB = SUB EVAL = CALLER(2) ...
Where "localize", "localize_elem" and "localize_delete" act depending on the $cxt :
sub { eval { sub { { localize '$x' => 1 => $cxt; # $cxt = SCOPE(0) = HERE ... } # $cxt = SCOPE(1) = UP = SUB = CALLER(0) ... }->(); # $cxt = SCOPE(2) = UP UP = UP SUB = EVAL = CALLER(1) ... }; # $cxt = SCOPE(3) = SUB UP SUB = SUB EVAL = CALLER(2) ... }->(); # $cxt = SCOPE(4), UP SUB UP SUB = UP SUB EVAL = UP CALLER(2) = TOP ...
Where "unwind", "yield", "want_at", "context_info" and "uplevel" point to depending on the $cxt:
sub { eval { sub { { unwind @things => $cxt; # or yield @things => $cxt # or uplevel { ... } $cxt ... } ... }->(); # $cxt = SCOPE(0) = SCOPE(1) = HERE = UP = SUB = CALLER(0) ... }; # $cxt = SCOPE(2) = UP UP = UP SUB = EVAL = CALLER(1) (*) ... }->(); # $cxt = SCOPE(3) = SUB UP SUB = SUB EVAL = CALLER(2) ... # (*) Note that uplevel() will croak if you pass that scope frame, # because it cannot target eval scopes.
Cannot target a scope outside of the current stack
This warning is emitted when "UP", "SCOPE" or "CALLER" end up pointing to a context that is above the top-level context of the current stack. It indicates that you tried to go higher than the main scope, or to point across a DESTROY method, a signal handler, an overloaded or tied method call, a require statement or a sort callback. In this case, the resulting context is the highest reachable one.
DESTROY
sort
No targetable %s scope in the current stack
This warning is emitted when you ask for an "EVAL" or "SUB" context and no such scope can be found in the call stack. The resulting context is the current one.
The functions "reap", "localize", "localize_elem", "localize_delete", "unwind", "yield", "leave", "want_at", "context_info" and "uplevel" are only exported on request, either individually or by the tags ':funcs' and ':all'.
':funcs'
':all'
The constant "SU_THREADSAFE" is also only exported on request, individually or by the tags ':consts' and ':all'.
':consts'
Same goes for the words "TOP", "HERE", "UP", "SUB", "EVAL", "SCOPE" and "CALLER" that are only exported on request, individually or by the tags ':words' and ':all'.
':words'
It is not possible to act upon a scope that belongs to another perl 'stack', i.e. to target a scope across a DESTROY method, a signal handler, an overloaded or tied method call, a require statement or a sort callback.
Be careful that local variables are restored in the reverse order in which they were localized. Consider those examples:
local $x = 0; { reap sub { print $x } => HERE; local $x = 1; ... } # prints '0' ... { local $x = 1; reap sub { $x = 2 } => HERE; ... } # $x is 0
The first case is "solved" by moving the local before the reap, and the second by using "localize" instead of "reap".
The effects of "reap", "localize" and "localize_elem" can't cross BEGIN blocks, hence calling those functions in import is deemed to be useless. This is an hopeless case because BEGIN blocks are executed once while localizing constructs should do their job at each run. However, it's possible to hook the end of the current scope compilation with B::Hooks::EndOfScope.
BEGIN
import
Some rare oddities may still happen when running inside the debugger. It may help to use a perl higher than 5.8.9 or 5.10.0, as they contain some context-related fixes.
Calling goto to replace an "uplevel"'d code frame does not work :
goto
for a perl older than the 5.8 series ;
perl
for a DEBUGGING perl run with debugging flags set (as in perl -D ...) ;
DEBUGGING
perl -D ...
when the runloop callback is replaced by another module.
In those three cases, "uplevel" will look for a goto &sub statement in its callback and, if there is one, throw an exception before executing the code.
goto &sub
Moreover, in order to handle goto statements properly, "uplevel" currently has to suffer a run-time overhead proportional to the size of the callback in every case (with a small ratio), and proportional to the size of all the code executed as the result of the "uplevel" call (including subroutine calls inside the callback) when a goto statement is found in the "uplevel" callback. Despite this shortcoming, this XS version of "uplevel" should still run way faster than the pure-Perl version from Sub::Uplevel.
Starting from perl 5.19.4, it is unfortunately no longer possible to reliably throw exceptions from "uplevel"'d code while the debugger is in use. This may be solved in a future version depending on how the core evolves.
perl 5.6.1.
A C compiler. This module may happen to build with a C++ compiler as well, but don't rely on it, as no guarantee is made in this regard.
XSLoader (core since perl 5.6.0).
"local" in perlfunc, "Temporary Values via local()" in perlsub.
Alias, Hook::Scope, Scope::Guard, Guard.
Sub::Uplevel.
Continuation::Escape is a thin wrapper around Scope::Upper that gives you a continuation passing style interface to "unwind". It's easier to use, but it requires you to have control over the scope where you want to return.
Scope::Escape.
Vincent Pit <vpit at cpan.org>.
<vpit at cpan.org>
You can contact me by mail or on irc.perl.org (vincent).
irc.perl.org
Please report any bugs or feature requests to bug-scope-upper at rt.cpan.org, or through the web interface at http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Scope-Upper. I will be notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on your bug as I make changes.
bug-scope-upper at rt.cpan.org
You can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command.
perldoc Scope::Upper
Inspired by Ricardo Signes.
The reimplementation of a large part of this module for perl 5.24 was provided by David Mitchell. His work was sponsored by the Perl 5 Core Maintenance Grant from The Perl Foundation.
Thanks to Shawn M. Moore for motivation.
Copyright 2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019,2021,2023 Vincent Pit, all rights reserved.
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.
To install Scope::Upper, copy and paste the appropriate command in to your terminal.
cpanm
cpanm Scope::Upper
CPAN shell
perl -MCPAN -e shell install Scope::Upper
For more information on module installation, please visit the detailed CPAN module installation guide.