VERSION

version 2.087

SYNOPSIS

# internal class

DESCRIPTION

This class must be inherited by all nodes or leaves of the configuration tree.

AnyThing provides some methods and no constructor.

Introspection methods

element_name()

Returns the element name that contain this object.

index_value()

For object stored in an array or hash element, returns the index (or key) containing this object.

parent()

Returns the node containing this object. May return undef if "parent()" is called on the root of the tree.

container_type()

Returns the type (e.g. "list" or "hash" or "leaf" or "node" or "warped_node") of the element containing this object.

root()

Returns the root node of the configuration tree.

location()

Returns the node location in the configuration tree. This location conforms with the syntax defined by ``grab()'' method.

location_short()

Returns the node location in the configuration tree. This location truncates long indexes to be readable. It cannot be used by ``grab()'' method.

composite_name

Return the element name with its index (if any). I.e. returns "foo:bar" or "foo".

composite_name_short

Return the element name with its index (if any). Too long indexes are truncated to be readable.

Annotation

Annotation is a way to store miscellaneous information associated to each node. (Yeah... comments). Reading and writing annotation makes sense only if they can be read from and written to the configuration file, hence the need for the following method:

backend_support_annotation

Returns 1 if at least one of the backends attached to a parent node support to read and write annotations (aka comments) in the configuration file.

support_annotation

Returns 1 if at least one of the backends support to read and write annotations (aka comments) in the configuration file.

annotation( [ note1, [ note2 , ... ] ] )

Without argument, return a string containing the object's annotation (or an empty string).

With several arguments, join the arguments with ``\n'', store the annotations and return the resulting string.

load_pod_annotation ( pod_string )

Load annotations in configuration tree from a pod document. The pod must be in the form:

 =over
 
 =item path
 
 Annotation text
 
 =back

clear_annotation

Clear the annotation of an element

Information management

grab(...)

Grab an object from the configuration tree.

Parameters are:

"steps" (or "step")

A string indicating the steps to follow in the tree to find the required item. (mandatory)

"mode"

When set to "strict", "grab" throws an exception if no object is found using the passed string. When set to "adaptative", the object found last is returned. For instance, for the steps "good_step wrong_step", only the object held by "good_step" is returned. When set to "loose", grab returns undef in case of problem. (default is "strict")

"type"

Either "node", "leaf", "hash" or "list" or an array ref containing these values. Returns only an object of requested type. Depending on "strict" value, "grab" either throws an exception or returns the last object found with the requested type. (optional, default to "undef", which means any type of object)

Examples:

 $root->grep(steps => 'foo:2 bar', type => 'leaf')
 $root->grep(steps => 'foo:2 bar', type => ['leaf','check_list'])

"autoadd"

When set to 1, "hash" or "list" configuration element are created when requested by the passed steps. (default is 1).

grab_non_available

When set to 1, grab returns an object even if this one is not available. I.e. even if this element was warped out. (default is 0).

The "steps" parameters is made of the following items separated by spaces:

-

Go up one node

!

Go to the root node.

!Foo

Go up the configuration tree until the "Foo" configuration class is found. Raise an exception if no "Foo" class is found when root node is reached.

xxx

Go down using "xxx" element.

xxx:yy

Go down using "xxx" element and id "yy" (valid for hash or list elements)

?xxx

Go up the tree until a node containing element "xxx" is found. Then go down the tree like item "xxx".

If "?xxx:yy", go up the tree the same way. But no check is done to see if id "yy" actually exists or not. Only the element "xxx" is considered when going up the tree.

grab_value(...)

Like ``grab(...)'', but returns the value of a leaf or check_list object, not just the leaf object.

"grab_value" raises an exception if following the steps ends on anything but a leaf or a check_list.

grab_annotation(...)

Like ``grab(...)'', but returns the annotation of an object.

grab_root()

Returns the root of the configuration tree.

grab_ancestor( Foo )

Go up the configuration tree until the "Foo" configuration class is found. Returns the found node or undef.

notify_change(...)

Notify the instance of semantic changes. Parameters are:

old

old value. (optional)

new

new value (optional)

path

Location of the changed parameter starting from root node. Default to "$self-"location>.

name

element name. Default to "$self-"element_name>

index

If the changed parameter is part of a hash or an array, "index" contains the key or the index to get the changed parameter.

note

information about the change. Mandatory of neither old or new value are defined.

really

When set to 1, force recording of change even if in initial load phase.

needs_save

internal parameter.

show_message( string )

Forwarded to ``show_message( string )'' in Config::Model::Instance.

model_searcher ()

Returns an object dedicated to search an element in the configuration model (respecting privilege level).

This method returns a Config::Model::SearchElement object. See Config::Model::Searcher for details on how to handle a search.

dump_as_data ( )

Dumps the configuration data of the node and its siblings into a perl data structure.

Returns a hash ref containing the data. See Config::Model::DumpAsData for details.

warp_error

Returns a string describing any issue with Config::Model::Warper object. Returns '' if invoked on a tree object without warp specification.

AUTHOR

Dominique Dumont, (ddumont at cpan dot org)

AUTHOR

Dominique Dumont

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

This software is Copyright (c) 2005-2016 by Dominique Dumont.

This is free software, licensed under:

  The GNU Lesser General Public License, Version 2.1, February 1999