Text::Phonetic - A base class for phonetic algorithms

  use Text::Phonetic::Metaphone;

  my $phonetic = Text::Phonetic::Metaphone->new();
  $encoded_string = $phonetic->encode($string);
  @encoded_list = $phonetic->encode(@list);

  my $same = $phonetic->compare($string1,$string2);

Or

  use Text::Phonetic;
  my $phonetic = Text::Phonetic->load( algorithm => 'Phonix' );
  $encoded_string = $phonetic->encode($string);

This module provides an easy and convinient way to encode names with various phonetic algorithms. It acts as a wrapper arround other phonetic algorithm modules like Text::Metaphone, Text::DoubleMetaphone, Text::Soundex and also implements some other algorithms such as Text::Phonetic::DaitchMokotoff, Text::Phonetic::Koeln, Text::Phonetic::Phonem and Text::Phonetic::Phonix.

The module can easily be subclassed.

 $obj = Text::Phonetic::SUBCLASS->new(%PARAMETERS)

You can pass arbitrary attributes to the constructor. The only global attribute is unidecode which defaults to 1 if not set. This attribute controlls if non-latin characters should be transliterated to A-Z (see also Text::Unidecode).

Additional attributes may be defined by the various implementation classes.

 $obj = Text::Phonetic->new(algorithm => $algorithm, %PARAMETERS)

Alternative constructor which also loads the requested algorithm subclass.

 $RETURN_STRING = $obj->encode($STRING);
 OR
 @RETURN_LIST = $obj->encode(@LIST);
 OR
 $RETURN_LIST_REF = $obj->encode(@LIST);

Encodes the given string or list of strings. Returns a single value, array or array reference depending on the caller context and parameters.

Returns undef on an empty/undefined/whitespace only string.

 $RETURN_CODE = $obj->compare($STRING1,$STRING2);

The return code is an integer between 100 and 0 indicating the likelihood that the to results are the same. 100 means that the strings are completely identical. 99 means that the strings match after all non-latin characters have been transliterated. Values in between 98 and 1 usually mean that the given strings match. 0 means that the used alogorithm couldn't match the two strings at all. compare is a shortcut to the $obj->_do_compare($CODE1,$CODE2) method.

 my @available = Text::Phonetic->available_algorithms;

Returns a list of all available/installed algorithms

You can easily subclass Text::Phonetic and add your own phonetic algorithm. All subclasses must use Text::Phonetic as their base class, reside in the Text::Phonetic namespace, and implement the following methods:

 $RESULT = $obj->_do_encode($STRING);

This method does the actual encoding. It should return either a string or an array reference.

 $RETURN_STRING = $obj->_do_compare($RESULT1,$RESULT2);

If your _do_encode method doesn't return a single scalar value you also might need to implement a comparison method. It takes two results as returned by _do_encode and returns an integer value between 98 and 0 (see "compare").

Third party modules can be marked as predicates by adding the _predicates method whick should return al list of package names. All predicates will be loaded if installed. If missing an exception will be thrown.

Text::Phonetic uses Moose to declare attributes.

_is_inlist

 Text::Phonetic::_is_inlist($STRING,@LIST);
 OR
 Text::Phonetic::_is_inlist($STRING,$LIST_REF);

Returns a true value if $STRING is in the supplied list. Otherwise returns false.

_compare_list

 Text::Phonetic::_compare_list($LIST1_REF,$LIST2_REF);

Compares the two arrays and returns true if at least one element is equal (ignoring the position) in both lists.

 package Text::Phonetic::MyAlgorithm;
 use Moose;
 extends qw(Text::Phonetic);

 has someattribute => (
    is  => 'rw',
    isa => 'Str',
 );

 __PACKAGE__->meta->make_immutable;

 sub _do_encode {
     my ($self,$string) = @_;
     # Do something
     return $phonetic_representation;
 }
 1;

DBIx::Class::PhoneticSearch (Build phonetic indices via DBIx::Class), Text::Phonetic::VideoGame (Phonetic encoding for video game titles)

Please report any bugs or feature requests to text-phonetic@rt.cpan.org, or through the web interface at http://rt.cpan.org/Public/Bug/Report.html?Queue=Text::Phonetic. I will be notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on your report as I make changes.

    Maroš Kollár
    CPAN ID: MAROS
    maros [at] k-1.com
    http://www.k-1.com

Text::Phonetic is Copyright (c) 2006,2007 Maroš. Kollár.

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.