NAME

File::Atomism - atomised directory file formats

SYNOPSIS

A directory containing a number of files that are used collectively as a random access data store.

DESCRIPTION

An atomised directory can be identified by a DIRTYPE file located in the root, this file contains the type and version on the first line (separated by the first whitespace) and an explanatory URL on the second line.

Alternatively, atomised directories could be identified using heuristics - The existence of cur/ new/ and tmp/ folders would identify a Maildir.

Typically access to the individual files is provided via SGI::FAM which monitors file addition, changes or deletions.

USAGE

Create an atomised directory object like so:

    use File::Atomism;
    my $drawing = File::Atomism->new ('/path/to/drawing/');

An attempt is made to reclass the object according to the "type". For instance if the type is "protozoa", the object will be given the class "File::Atomism::Protozoa".

A canonicalised and sanitised "type" can be retrieved like so:

    my $type = $dir->Type;

The unsanitised version string (if it exists) can be retrieved similarly:

    my $version = $dir->Version;

The explanatory URL can be accessed:

    my $description = $dir->Description;

SEE ALSO

Draft, File::Atomism::Protozoa, SGI::FAM

AUTHORS

• Bruno Postle <bruno@postle.net>

COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 2004 Bruno Postle. This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.