NAME YAML::Active - Combine data and logic in YAML VERSION version 1.100810 SYNOPSIS use YAML::Active; my $data = Load(<<'EOYAML'); pid: /YAML::Active::PID doit: foo: bar include_test: /YAML::Active::Include filename: t/testperson.yaml ticket_no: /YAML::Active::Concat - '20010101.1234' - /YAML::Active::PID doit: - /YAML::Active::Eval code: sub { sprintf "%04d", ++(our $cnt) } setup: 1: /Registry::YAML::Active::WritePerson person: personname: Foobar handle: AB123456-NICAT 2: /Registry::YAML::Active::WritePerson person: /YAML::Active::Include filename: t/testperson.yaml EOYAML DESCRIPTION YAML is an intuitive way to describe nested data structures. This module extends YAML's capabilities so that it ceases to be a static data structure and become something more active, with data and logic combined. This makes the logic reusable since it is bound to the data structure. Without "YAML::Active", you have to load the YAML data, then process it in some way. The logic describing which parts of the data have to be processed and how was separated from the data. Using "YAML::Active", the description of how to process the data can be encapsulated in the data structure itself. The way this works is to assign a transfer type to the YAML nodes you want to process. The transfer type refers to a Perl package which is expected to have a "yaml_active()" method which contains the logic; you can think of the array or hash structure below that node as the subroutine's arguments. "YAML::Active" provides its own "Load()" and "LoadFile()" subroutines which work like the subroutines of the same name in "YAML", except that they also traverse the whole data structure, recognizing packages named as transfer types that have a "yaml_active()" method and calling that method on the given node. An example: some_string: /YAML::Active::Concat - foo - bar - baz defines a hash key whose value is an active YAML element. When you call "YAML::Active"'s "Load()" on that data, at some point the hash value is being encountered. The "YAML::Active::Concat" plugin (as a convenience also defined in the same file as "YAML::Active") has a "yaml_active()" method which expects to be called on an array reference (that is, the thing blessed into "YAML::Active::Concat" is expected to be an array reference). The method in turn activates all of the array's elements and joins the results. So after loading the data structure, the result is equivalent to some_string: foobarbaz Because "YAML::Active::Concat" also activates all of its arguments, you can nest activation logic: some_string /YAML::Active::Concat - foo - /YAML::Active::PID doit: - /YAML::Active::Eval code: sub { sprintf "%04d", ++(our $cnt) } This active YAML uses two more plugins, "YAML::Active::PID" and "YAML::Active::Eval". "YAML::Active::PID" replaces its node with the current process's id. Note that even though this plugin doesn't need any arguments, we have to provide something - anything, in fact, whether it be an array reference or a hash reference, because YAML can bless only references. "YAML::Active::Eval" expects a hash reference with a "code" key whose value is the source code for an anonymous sub which the plugin calls and whose return value it uses to replace the activated node. An activation plugin (that is, a package referred to by a node's transfer type) can have any name, but if that name contains the string "YAML::Active", it is being "required()" if it doesn't already provide a "yaml_active()" method. This is merely a convenience so you don't have to "use()" or "require()" the packages beforehand and things work a bit more transparently. If you merely want to bless a node (that is, provide a transfer type) into a package that's not an activation plugin, be sure that the package name doesn't contain the string "YAML::Active". FUNCTIONS Load Like "YAML"'s "Load()", but activates the data structure after loading it and returns the activated data structure. Load_inactive Like "YAML"'s "Load()", it doesn't activate the data structure. Dump Like "YAML"'s "Dump()". Reload Dumps, then loads the data structure and returns the result. LoadFile Like "YAML"'s "LoadFile()", but activates the data structure after loading it and returns the activated data structure. node_activate Expects a reference and recursively activates it, returning the resulting reference. If it encounters an array, it calls "array_activate()" on the node and returns the result. If it encounters a hash, it calls "hash_activate()" on the node and returns the result. If it encounters a node that can be activated (i.e., that is blessed into a package that has a "yaml_activate()" method, it activates the node and returns the result. If the package name contains the string "YAML::Active" and it doesn't have a "yaml_activate()" method, "node_activate()" tries to "require()" the package (as a convenience). That is, if you want to write a plugin, you can either include the string "YAML::Active" somewhere in its package name, or use any other name but then you'd have to "use()" or "require()" it before activating some YAML. Otherwise it just returns the node as it could be an unblessed scalar or a reference blessed into a package that's got nothing to do with activation. array_activate Takes an array reference and activates every array element in turn, then returns a new array references containing the results. Null elements (that is, elements blessed into "YAML::Active::NULL") are ignored. hash_activate Takes a hash reference and activates every value, then returns a new hash references containing the results (the hash keys are left alone). Keys with null values (that is, values blessed into "YAML::Active::NULL") are ignored. assert_arrayref Checks that its argument is an array reference. If not, "die()"s reporting the caller. assert_hashref Checks that its argument is a hash reference. If not, "die()"s reporting the caller. yaml_NULL Returns an empty hash reference blessed into the "YAML::Active::NULL" package. This function is used by side-effect-only plugins that don't want to have a trace of their existence left in the activated data structure. For an example see the "YAML::Active::Print". NULL This is a constant with the value "YAML::Active::NULL". node_dump Dumps a data structure node. It is used by "Dump()". It calls "array_dump()" and "hash_dump()" as necessary. For scalar nodes, if the node is a blessed reference and the package it is blessed into has a "prepare_dump()" function, that function is called. Then, if the package has a "yaml_dump()" function, that function is called as well. After the recursive dump is finished, each package that had a "prepare_dump()" function is checked for a "finish_dump()" function, which is called if it exists. array_dump Dumps an array reference node. It is called by "node_dump()" and calls "node_dump()" itself on the array elements. hash_dump Dumps a hash reference node. It is called by "node_dump()" and calls "node_dump()" itself on the hash values. should_process_node_in_phase Takes as arguments a node and optionally a phase. If the phase argument is given, return true for those nodes that have this phase requirements. If the phase argument is not given, return true for those nodes that don't have a phase requirements. EXPORT Nothing is exported by default, but you can request each of the subroutines individually or grouped by tags. The tags and their symbols are, in YAML notation: load: - Load - LoadFile active: - node_activate - array_activate - hash_activate assert: - assert_arrayref - assert_hashref null: - yaml_NULL - NULL There is also the "all" tag, which contains all of the above symbols. DEFAULT PLUGINS "YAML::Active::Concat" Expects an array reference and joins the activated array elements, returning the joined string. For an example, see the DESCRIPTION above. "YAML::Active::Eval" Expects a hash reference with a "code" key. "eval"s the activated hash value returns the result from executing the coderef (passing no arguments). Example: - /YAML::Active::Eval code: sub { sprintf "%04d", ++(our $cnt) } Result: - 1 At least, that's the answer the first time around. "YAML::Active::Include" Expects a hash reference with a "filename" key. Calls "YAML::Active"'s "LoadFile()" on the activated filename. That is, the filename can itself use an activation plugin, and the file contents are activated as well. Example: description: /YAML::Active::Include filename: description.yaml Result: description: > The content of the included file goes here. "YAML::Active::PID" Returns the current process id. Example: the_pid: /YAML::Active::PID whatever: Result (for example): the_pid: 12345 Note that, although this plugin doesn't require any arguments, we have to give it either an array reference or a hash reference, because "YAML" can't bless something that's not a reference. The contents of the reference don't matter. "YAML::Active::Shuffle" Expects an array reference and returns another array reference with the activated original elements in random order. Example: data: /YAML::Active::Shuffle - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 Result (for example): data: - 3 - 5 - 1 - 2 - 4 "YAML::Active::Print" Expects an array reference and joins the activated array elements, printing the result and returning a null (i.e., a "YAML::Active::NULL") node. That is, the node won't appear in the resulting activated data structure. Example: data: - foo - /YAML::Active::Print - '# Hello, world!' - 'Goodbye, world!' - baz Result: data: - foo - baz and the string "# Hello, world!Goodbye, world!" is printed. "YAML::Active::uc" Replaces node values (scalars, array elements and hash values) with their lowercased value. Does not descend into deeper array references or hash references, but passes them through unaltered. Example: data: /YAML::Active::uc - Hello - world and - one: GOoD two: byE - wOrLd! Result: data: - HELLO - WORLD AND - one: GOoD two: byE - WORLD! "YAML::Active::lc" Like "YAML::Active::uc", but lowercases the values. WRITING YOUR OWN PLUGIN Suppose you want to write an activation plugin that takes a reference to an array of numbers and adds them. By including the string "YAML::Active" in the package name we can let "YAML::Active" load the package when necessary. All we need to do is to provide a "yaml_activate()" method that does the work. package My::YAML::Active::Add; use YAML::Active qw/array_activate assert_arrayref/; sub yaml_activate { my $self = shift; assert_arrayref($self); my $result; $result += $_ for @{ array_activate($self) }; return $result; } Now you can do: result: /My::YAML::Active::Add - 1 - 2 - 3 - 7 - 15 And the result would be: result: 28 This could be the beginning of a YAML-based stack machine or at least an RPN calculator... INSTALLATION See perlmodinstall for information and options on installing Perl modules. BUGS AND LIMITATIONS No bugs have been reported. Please report any bugs or feature requests through the web interface at . AVAILABILITY The latest version of this module is available from the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network (CPAN). Visit to find a CPAN site near you, or see . The development version lives at . Instead of sending patches, please fork this project using the standard git and github infrastructure. AUTHOR Marcel Gruenauer COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE This software is copyright (c) 2003 by Marcel Gruenauer. This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.