NAME

ToolSet - Load your commonly-used modules in a single import

SYNOPSIS

Creating a ToolSet:

     # My/Tools.pm
     package My::Tools;
 
     use base 'ToolSet'; 
 
     ToolSet->set_strict(1);
     ToolSet->set_warnings(1);
 
     # define exports from other modules
     ToolSet->export(
         'Carp'          => undef,       # get the defaults
         'Scalar::Util'  => 'refaddr',   # or a specific list
     );
 
     # define exports from this module
     our @EXPORT = qw( shout );
     sub shout { print uc shift };
 
     1; # modules must be true

Using a ToolSet:

     # my_script.pl
 
     use My::Tools;
 
     # strict is on
     # warnings are on
     # Carp and refaddr are imported
 
     carp "We can carp!";
     print refaddr [];
     shout "We can shout, too!";

DESCRIPTION

ToolSet provides a mechanism for creating logical bundles of modules that can be treated as a single, reusable toolset that is imported as one. Unlike CPAN bundles, which specify modules to be installed together, a toolset specifies modules to be imported together into other code.

ToolSet is designed to be a superclass -- subclasses will specify specific modules to bundle. ToolSet supports custom import lists for each included module and even supports the strict and warnings pragmas, optionally enabling those pragmas when the ToolSet subclass is used.

A ToolSet module does not physically bundle the component modules, but rather specifies lists of modules to be used together and import specifications for each. By adding the component modules to a prerequisites list in a Makefile.PL or Build.PL for a ToolSet subclass, an entire dependency chain can be managed as a single unit across scripts or distributions that use the subclass.

INTERFACE

Setting up

     use base 'ToolSet';

ToolSet must be used as a base class.

@EXPORT

     our @EXPORT = qw( shout };
     sub shout { print uc shift }

Functions defined in the ToolSet subclass can be exported by default during use() by listing them in an @EXPORT array.

export

     ToolSet->export(
         'Carp' => undef,                    
         'Scalar::Util' => 'refaddr',
     );

Specifies packages and arguments to import via use(). An argument of undef or the empty string calls use() with default imports. Arguments should be provided either as a whitespace delimited string or in an anonymous array. An empty anonymous array will be treated like passing the empty list as an argument to use(). Here are examples of how how specifications will be provided to use():

     'Carp' => undef                 # use Carp; 
     'Carp' => q{}                   # use Carp;
     'Carp' => 'carp croak'          # use Carp qw( carp croak );
     'Carp' => [ '!carp', 'croak' ]  # use Carp qw( !carp croak );
     'Carp' => []                    # use Carp (); 

Elements in an array are passed to use() as a white-space separated list, so elements may not themselves contain spaces or unexpected results will occur.

set_strict

   ToolSet->set_strict(1);
   ToolSet->set_strict(0); # default

Determines whether strict will enabled for modules that use() this one.

set_warnings

   ToolSet->set_warnings(1);
   ToolSet->set_warnings(0); # default

Determines whether warnings will enabled for modules that use() this one.

DIAGNOSTICS

ToolSet will report an error for a module that cannot be found just like an ordinary call to use() or require().

Additional error messages include:

• "Invalid import specification for MODULE" -- an incorrect type was provided for the list to be imported (e.g. a hash reference)

• "Can't import missing subroutine NAME" -- the named subroutine is listed in @EXPORT, but is not defined in the ToolSet subclass

CONFIGURATION AND ENVIRONMENT

ToolSet requires no configuration files or environment variables.

DEPENDENCIES

ToolSet requires at least Perl 5.6. ToolSet subclasses will, of course, be dependent on any modules they load.

INCOMPATIBILITIES

The only pragmas that are explicitly supported are strict and warnings, as these have a lexical scope and will not function properly if called from within the eval statement used for importing other modules. Other pragmas may or may not work depending on if they have a compile-time or run-time effect.

SEE ALSO

Similar functionality is provided by the Toolkit module, though that module requires defining the bundle via text files found within directories in PERL5LIB and uses source filtering to insert their contents as files are compiled.

BUGS AND LIMITATIONS

No bugs have been reported.

Please report any bugs or feature requests at bug-toolset@rt.cpan.org, or through the web interface at http://rt.cpan.org.

When submitting a bug or request, please include a test-file or a patch to an existing test-file that illustrates the bug or desired feature.

AUTHOR

David A Golden <dagolden@cpan.org>

LICENCE AND COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 2005, David A Golden <dagolden@cpan.org>. All rights reserved.

This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. See the LICENSE file included with this module.

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.

cpanm ToolSet

perl -MCPAN -e shell
install ToolSet