NAME¶
Module::Inspector - An integrated API for inspecting Perl distributions
DESCRIPTION¶
An entire ecosystem of CPAN modules exist around the files and formats relating
to the CPAN itself. Parsers and object models for various different types of
files have been created over the years by various people for various projects.
These modules have a variety of different styles, and work in various different
ways.
So when it comes to analysing the structure of a Perl module (either inside a
repository, in a tarball, or in unpacked form) it is certainly quite possible
to do.
It's just that often it takes a high level of experience with the various
modules in question, and the knowledge of how to combine the dozen of so
modules in one cohesive program.
Personally, I have always found this laborious.
What I would prefer is a single API that is easy to use, implements the magic
invisibly behind the scenes, and co-ordinates the use of the various modules
for me as needed.
Module::Inspector provides such an API, and provides a companion to the
Class::Inspector API for accessing information on class after installation.
It provides a wrapper around the various modules used to read and examine the
different parts of a Perl module distribution tarball, and can inspect a
module unrolled on disk, in a repository checkout, or just look directly
inside a tarball.
METHODS¶
new¶
# Inspect a plain dist directory or cvs/svn checkout
my $dir = Module::Inspector->new(
dist_dir => $dirpath,
);
# Inspect a tarball
my $file = Module::Inspector->new(
dist_file => 'Foo-Bar-0.01.tar.gz',
);
The "new" constructor creates a new module inspector. It takes a named
param of either "dist_file", which should be the file path of the
dist tarball, or "dist_dir", which is the root of the distribution
directory (if it is already unrolled).
The distribution will be quickly pre-scanned to locate the various significant
documents in the distribution (although only a few are initially supported).
Returns a new "Module::Inspector" object, or dies on exception.
version_control¶
my $vcs_type = $self->version_control;
For reasons that will hopefully be more apparant later,
Module::Inspector
detects any version control system in use within the "dist_dir" for
the module.
Currently, support is limited to detection of CVS and Subversion.
Returns a the name of the version control system detected in use as a string
(currently 'cvs' or 'svn'). If no version control is able to be detected
returns the null string ''.
documents¶
The "documents" method returns a list of the names of all the
documents detected by the "Module::Inspector".
In scalar context, returns the number of identifyable documens found in the
distribution.
document_type¶
# Returns 'PPI::Document::File'
my $ppi_class = $inspector->document_type('lib/Foo.pm');
In
Module::Inspector, all documents are represented as objects.
Thus, for each different type of document, there is going to be a different
class that implements the document objects for that type.
The "document_type" method returns the type for a provided document as
a class name.
Please note that at this time these document types are not necesarily stable,
and over the first several releases I may need to change the class I'm using
to represent a particular document type.
document¶
my $perl = $inspector->document('lib/Foo.pm');
The "document" method returns the document object for a named file,
loading and caching it on the fly if needed.
The type of object will vary depending on the document.
For example, a Perl file will be returned as a PPI::Document, a
MANIFEST
file as a Module::Manifest, and so on.
Returns an object, or dies on error.
dist_name¶
# Returns Config-Tiny
my $name = $inspector->dist_name;
The "dist_name" method returns the name of the distribution, as
determined from the META.yml file.
Returns the name as a string, or dies on error.
dist_version¶
The "dist_version" method returns the version of the distribution, as
determined from the
META.yml file in the distribution.
Returns a version object, or dies on error.
dist_requires¶
my $depends = $inspector->dist_requires;
The "dist_requires" method checks for any run-time dependencies of the
distribution and returns them as a Module::Math::Depends object.
See the docs for Module::Math::Depends for more information on its structure and
API.
If the distribution has no run-time dependencies, the object will still be
returned, but will be empty.
Returns a single Module::Math::Depends object, or dies on error.
dist_build_requires¶
The "dist_build_requires" method returns the build-time-only
dependencies of the distribution.
If there are no build-time dependencies, the object will still be returned, but
will be empty.
Returns a Module::Math::Depends object, or dies on exception.
dist_depends¶
The "dist_depends" method returns as for the two methods above
("dist_requires" and "dist_build_requires") except that
this method returns a merged dependency object, representing BOTH the
install-time and run-time dependencies for the distribution.
If there are no build-time or run-time dependencies, the object will be
returned, but will be empty.
Returns a Module::Math::Depends object, or dies on error.
TO DO¶
- Implement most of the functionality
SUPPORT¶
This module is stored in an Open Repository at the following address.
http://svn.ali.as/cpan/trunk/Module-Inspector
<
http://svn.ali.as/cpan/trunk/Module-Inspector>
Write access to the repository is made available automatically to any published
CPAN author, and to most other volunteers on request.
If you are able to submit your bug report in the form of new (failing) unit
tests, or can apply your fix directly instead of submitting a patch, you are
strongly encouraged to do so as the author currently maintains over 100
modules and it can take some time to deal with non-Critcal bug reports or
patches.
This will guarentee that your issue will be addressed in the next release of the
module.
If you cannot provide a direct test or fix, or don't have time to do so, then
regular bug reports are still accepted and appreciated via the CPAN bug
tracker.
http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Module-Inspector
<
http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Module-Inspector>
For other issues, for commercial enhancement or support, or to have your write
access enabled for the repository, contact the author at the email address
above.
AUTHOR¶
Adam Kennedy <adamk@cpan.org>
SEE ALSO¶
Class::Inspector
COPYRIGHT¶
Copyright 2006 - 2008 Adam Kennedy.
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.