NAME ToolSet - Load your commonly-used modules in a single import VERSION This document describes ToolSet version 0.11 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 `' LICENCE AND COPYRIGHT Copyright (c) 2005, David A Golden `'. All rights reserved. This module is free software; you can redistribute it andEor 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. 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