NAME List::ToHumanString - write lists in strings like a human would SYNOPSIS use List::ToHumanString; print to_human_string "Report{|s} for |list|\n", qw/March May July/; ## Prints "Reports for March, May, and July"; print to_human_string "Report{|s} for |list|\n", qw/March July/; ## Prints "Reports for March and July"; print to_human_string "Report{|s} {is|are} needed for |list|\n", qw/March/; ## Prints "Report is needed for March"; DESCRIPTION Provides a way to make it easy to prepare a string containing a list of items, where that string is meant to be read by a human. EXPORTS BY DEFAULT "to_human_string" print to_human_string "Report{|s} for |list|\n", qw/March May July/; ## Prints "Reports for March, May, and July"; print to_human_string "Report{|s} for |list|\n", qw/March July/; ## Prints "Reports for March and July"; print to_human_string "Report{|s} {is|are} needed for |list|\n", qw/March/; ## Prints "Report is needed for March"; print to_human_string '|list|', qw/March May July/; ## Prints "March, May, and July"; $List::ToHumanString::Separator = '*SEP*'; $List::ToHumanString::Extra_Comma = 0; print to_human_string "I have {one item*SEP*many items}: *SEP*list*SEP*", qw/Foo Bar Baz/; ## Prints "I have many items: Foo, Bar and Baz" (note the missing comma before "and") Exported by default. Takes a string to "humanize" as the first argument and a list of items to use. Removes all undefs and empty and blank strings before counting the number of items in the list. If the list contains one item, chooses the "singular" variation in the first argument's format (see below). If the list contains any other number of items, chooses "plural" variation in the format. Once all the substitutions have been done, returns the resultant string. first argument format "I have {one item|many items}" "I have {one item that is|many items that are} |list|" "I have item{|s}: |list|" "I have {a|} thing{|s}" $List::ToHumanString::Separator = '::SEP::'; "I have {one item::SEP::many items}: ::SEP::list::SEP::", singular/plural "to_human_string()" will replace any occurence of "{singularSEPARATORplural}" with either the "singular" or "plural" texts, depending on the number of items in the list given to it. The "singular" and "plural" texts can be any text (even empty string) that doesn't have a "SEPARATOR" in it. The "SEPARATOR" is the value of $List::ToHumanString::Separator, which by default is a pipe character ("|"). Regex special characters in the "SEPARATOR" have no effect. humanized list "I have item{|s}: |list|" "I have {one item::SEP::many items}: ::SEP::list::SEP::", You can automatically insert a "humanized" list of items into your string by using word "list" set off be "SEPARATOR" string on each side. That string will be replaced by a "humanized" way to write the list of items you provided, which is as follows: empty list of items to_human_string('|list|',); # returns '' Humanized string will be: empty string. 1-item list of items to_human_string('|list|', 'foo'); # returns 'foo' to_human_string('|list|', URI->new("http://example.com") ); # returns 'http://example.com' Humanized string will be: the item itself (stringified). 2-item list of items to_human_string('|list|', 'foo', 'bar'); # returns 'foo and bar' Humanized string will be: the two items joined with ' and ' list with 3 or more items to_human_string('|list|', 'foo', 'bar', 'ber', 'baz'); # returns 'foo, bar, ber, and baz' $List::ToHumanString::Extra_Comma = 0; to_human_string('|list|', 'foo', 'bar', 'ber', 'baz'); # returns 'foo, bar, ber and baz' Humanized string will be: the list of items in the list you provided joined with ', ' (comma and space). The last element is also preceded by word 'and '. Note: depending on your stylistic preference, you might wish not to have a comma before the last element. You can accomplish that by setting $List::ToHumanString::Extra_Comma to zero. VARIABLES $List::ToHumanString::Separator my @items = ( 1..10 ); $List::ToHumanString::Separator = '::SEP::'; print to_human_string "I have {one item::SEP::many items} {foo|bar}\n", @items; ## Prints "I have many items {foo|bar}" Takes any non-empty string as a value. Specifies what separator to use between the "singular" and "plural" texts in the string given to "to_human_string()". Defaults to: "|" (a pipe character) $List::ToHumanString::Extra_Comma $List::ToHumanString::Extra_Comma = 0; to_human_string('|list|', 'foo', 'bar', 'ber', 'baz'); # returns 'foo, bar, ber and baz' Takes true or false values as a value. Specifies whether to use a comma after the penultimate element in the list when using "to_human_string()" to insert humanized list into the string. If set to a true value, the comma will be used. Defaults to: 1 (true value). AUTHOR Zoffix Znet, "" BUGS Please report any bugs or feature requests to "bug-list-tohumanstring at rt.cpan.org", or through the web interface at . I will be notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on your bug as I make changes. SUPPORT You can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command. perldoc List::ToHumanString You can also look for information at: * RT: CPAN's request tracker (report bugs here) * AnnoCPAN: Annotated CPAN documentation * CPAN Ratings * Search CPAN LICENSE AND COPYRIGHT Copyright 2013 Zoffix Znet. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the the Artistic License (2.0). You may obtain a copy of the full license at: Any use, modification, and distribution of the Standard or Modified Versions is governed by this Artistic License. By using, modifying or distributing the Package, you accept this license. 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