Gtk2::Ex::FreezeChildNotify -- freeze Gtk child property notifies in scope guard style

 use Gtk2::Ex::FreezeChildNotify;

 { my $freezer = Gtk2::Ex::FreezeChildNotify->new ($widget);
   $parent->child_set_property ($widget, foo => 123);
   $parent->child_set_property ($widget, bar => 456);
   # child-notify signals emitted when $freezer goes out of scope
 }

 # or multiple widgets in one FreezeChildNotify
 {
   my $freezer = Gtk2::Ex::FreezeChildNotify->new ($widget1, $widget2);
   $parent->child_set_property ($widget, foo => 999);
   $parent->child_set_property ($widget, bar => 666);
 }

Gtk2::Ex::FreezeChildNotify applies a freeze_child_notify to given widgets, with automatic corresponding thaw_child_notify at the end of a block, no matter how it's exited, whether a goto, early return, die, etc.

This protects against an error throw leaving the widget permanently frozen. Even in a simple bit of code an error can be thrown for a bad property name in a child_set_property, or while calculating a value. (Though as of Glib-Perl 1.222 an invalid argument type to child_set_property generally only provokes warnings.)

FreezeChildNotify works by having thaw_child_notify in the destroy code of the FreezeChildNotify object.

FreezeChildNotify only holds weak references to its widgets, so the mere fact they're due for later thawing doesn't keep them alive if nothing else cares whether they live or die. The effect is that frozen widgets can be garbage collected within a freeze block at the same point they would be without any freezing, instead of extending their life to the end of the block.

It works to have multiple freeze/thaws, done either with FreezeChildNotify or with explicit freeze_child_notify calls. Gtk2::Widget simply counts outstanding freezes, which means they don't have to nest, so multiple freezes can overlap in any fashion. If you're freezing for an extended time then a FreezeChildNotify object is a good way not to lose track of the thaws, although anything except a short freeze for a handful of child_set_property calls would be unusual.

$freezer = Gtk2::Ex::FreezeChildNotify->new ($widget,...)

Do a $widget->freeze_child_notify on each given widget and return a FreezeChildNotify object which, when it's destroyed, will $widget->thaw_child_notify each. So something like

    $widget->freeze_child_notify;
    $parent->child_set_property ($widget, foo => 1);
    $parent->child_set_property ($widget, bar => 2);
    $widget->thaw_child_notify;

becomes instead

    { my $freezer = Gtk2::Ex::FreezeChildNotify->new ($widget);
      $parent->child_set_property ($widget, foo => 1);
      $parent->child_set_property ($widget, bar => 2);
    } # automatic thaw when $freezer goes out of scope

$freezer->add ($widget,...)

Add additional widgets to the freezer, calling $widget->freeze_child_notify on each, and setting up for thaw_child_notify the same as in new above.

If the widgets to be frozen are not known in advance then it's good to create an empty freezer with new then add widgets as required.

When there's multiple widgets in a freezer it's unspecified what order the thaw_child_notify calls are made. What would be good? First-in first-out, or a stack? You can create multiple FreezeChildNotify objects and arrange blocks or explicit discards to destroy them in a particular order if it matters.

Glib::Ex::FreezeNotify does corresponding freezes on plain property notifies.

There's quite a few general purpose block-scope cleanup systems if you want more than just thaws. Scope::Guard, AtExit (AtExit), End, ReleaseAction, Sub::ScopeFinalizer and Guard use the destructor style. Hook::Scope and B::Hooks::EndOfScope manipulate the code in a block. Unwind::Protect uses an eval and re-throw.

Gtk2::Widget, Glib::Ex::FreezeNotify

http://user42.tuxfamily.org/gtk2-ex-widgetbits/index.html

Copyright 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Kevin Ryde

Gtk2-Ex-WidgetBits is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later version.

Gtk2-Ex-WidgetBits is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with Gtk2-Ex-WidgetBits. If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.