Class::AccessorMaker - generate accessor methods with default values.

  package Users;

  use Class::AccessorMaker {
    username => "guest",
    password => "",
    role     => "guest",
    groups   => [ "guest" ] };

  package main;

  my $usr = Users->new(username => $uname, password => $pw);

  package MailThing;

  use Class::AccessorMaker {
    to     => "",
    from   => "hartog\@2organize.com",
    cc     => "",
    bcc    => "",
    bounce => "" }, "new_init";

  sub init {
    my ($self) = @_;
    ...
  }

  package main;

  my $mlr = MailThing->new();

  package HitMan;

  use Class::AccessorMaker {
    victim   => "",
    location => "",
    data     => {} }, "no_new";

  sub new {
    my $class = ref($_[0]) or $_[0]; shift;
    return bless({}, $class);
  }

Of course the first example describes some sort of user system, which assumes you are a guest by default. The second example is some sort of mailer-object. And the third is used by a lot of serial killers out there...

The AccesorMaker takes in, at use-time, a hash-reference and an extra keyword. It uses the keys of the hash-reference to create accessor-methods in the name-space of the caller. The values that are given to the keys are the default value of the accessor.

Class::AccessorMaker will create a constructor (called new()) by default. This constructor will be able to take that nice and shiny hash-like structure as you can see in the first example.

If you want your constructor to run your objects init() routine you can specify the keyword "new_init". If you want to write your own new() routine you can use "no_new". Note that Class::AccessorMaker expects your object to be a hash-reference.

test the value of my accessor or perhaps even slightly alter it...

Too bad, Class:AccessorMaker does not do this for you. You will have to write your own accessor method. It is up to you how you write it, but it would be wise to keep the objects data-structure, which is just a plain hash if you let Class::AccessorMaker make the constructor.

But if you wish to use global-data for it, be my guest, not that I advice it, cause it is generally a bad idea to use global data, and if you use it, you do not even need accessor methods, right?

  sub seperator {
    my ($self, $value) = @_;

    # set the default value.
    $self->{seperator} = '$$' if !exists $self->{seperator}

    if ( $#_ > 0 ) {
      $self->{seperator} = quotemeta($value);
      return $self;
    } 

    return $self->{seperator};
  }

I think I can skip a code explanation, right?

This module is still under some sort of development, and I am expecting to release things like ReadOnly / WriteOnce accessors methods in the near future. I already have Class::AccessorMaker::Private out there for you, which could prove to be very useful for you.

Please do not put those perl-reserved names in there like DESTROY, import, AUTOLOAD, and so on. It will hurt you badly.

Q: "But why do you not filter those?"

A: "This is perl baby, you can do whatever you like..."

And besides, there is going to be someone out there who is actualy going to put it to good use...

Hartog 'Sinister' de Mik <hartog@2organize.com>

Copyright (c) 2002 Hartog C. de Mik. All rights reserved. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

The full text of the license can be found in the LICENSE file included with this module.