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########## # Subroutine interface # use File::Package qw(is_package_loaded load_package);
$yes = is_package_loaded($package, $program_module);
$error = load_package($program_module); $error = load_package($program_module, @import); $error = load_package($program_module, [@package_list]); $error = load_package($program_module, @import, [@package_list]);
########## # Class Interface # use File::Package;
$yes = is_package_loaded($package, $program_module);
$error = File::Package->load_package($program_module); $error = File::Package->load_package($program_module, @import); $error = File::Package->load_package($program_module, [@package_list]); $error = File::Package->load_package($program_module, @import, [@package_list]);
In a perfect Perl, everything would behave exactly the same
running under eval
.
Many times the reason to use an eval
is the anticipation
that the expression may die.
When that happens, a perfect Perl would have deposited all the output
fromm the warn
and die
in $@
.
Maybe you have a perfect Perl.
However, it is shocking that there are some Perls on some platforms out in the wild
that are mutants and are not perfect.
A require
under eval works just fine just to see if a program
will load or not. If working locally, you can simply devise
a quick debug setup and track down the problem.
However, when running tests remotely, on different remote
platforms, running continuously unattended where uptime is important,
or any number of situations it is very helpful to have
meaningful error messages when a problem arise.
Thus, the reason to run under eval
is not only to avoid
the die
but also to pick up the error message
returned by eval
in $@
.
In certain situations it is extremely critical to obtain reliable error
messages when a failure occurs.
Well, a eval "require $program_module"
failure returns a reasonble
looking $@
except for one small thing.
Not all the warnings make it to $@
at least on one Perl,
probably more.
And there can be quite a few warnings when loading a broken program module.
It would be nice if everyone could update to a Perl where the
eval
deposits all the warnings in $@
.
But as the acient proverb says, ``If wishes were horses, beggers would ride.''.
One workaround is to catch the warnings with $SIG{__WARN__}
when running the require
under a eval
.
This collects all the warnings which is good. Now when a load fails, the
program does not die, it gracefully collects all the warnings and
logs them or ships back.
Now try the import
under eval
and pick up the error messages.
The import
and eval
is big time ``failure to communicate'' aka
the movie ``Cool Hand Luke''.
The import
uses the caller stack to determine where to stuff the symbols
and there is a lot of Carp
croak
gyrations such as making import
look like use
, trapping warnings
and dies
.
The eval
takes off on its own caller stack which
to quote President Bush: ``is not helpful''.
The import
uses the croak
instead of die
directly or
else any efforts to get meaningfull error messages
would be dead on arrival.
Perl is designed so that it is nearly impossible to avoid a
die unless running under a eval
.
A workaround is hooking in a croak
that does not die and collecting
the error messages.
$package = is_package_loaded($program_module, $package)
The is_package_loaded
subroutine determines if the $package
is present and the $progarm_module
loaded.
If $package
is absent, 0 or '', $package
is set to the
program_module
.
$error = load_package($program_module, @import, [@package_list]);
The load_package
subroutine attempts to capture any load problems by
loading the package with a ``require '' under an eval and capturing
all the ``warn'' and $@ messages.
If the $program_module
load is successful,
the checks that the packages in the @package list are present.
If @package list is absent, the $program_module
uses
the program_module
name as a list of one package.
Although a program module and package have the same name
syntax, they are entirely different.
A program module is a file.
A package is a hash of symbols, a symbol table.
The Perl convention is that the names for each are the same
which enhances the appearance that they are the same
when in fact they are different.
Thus, a program module may have a single package
with a different name or many different packages.
Finally the $program_module
subroutine will import the symbols
in the @import
list.
If @import
is absent $program_module
subroutine does not
import any symbols; if @import
is '', all symbols are imported.
A @import
of 0 usually results in an $error
.
The $program_module
traps all load errors and all import
Carp::Crock
errors and returns them in the $error
string.
One very useful application of the load_package
subroutine is in test scripts.
If a package does load, it is very helpful that the program does
not die and reports the reason the package did not load.
This information is readily available when loaded at a local site.
However, it the load occurs at a remote site and the load crashes
Perl, the remote tester usually will not have this information
readily available.
Other applications include using backup alternative software if a package does not load. For example if the package 'Compress::Zlib' did not load, an attempt may be made to use the gzip system command.
The load_package
cannot load program modules whose
name contain the '-' characters.
The 'eval' function used to trap the die errors
believes it means subtraction.
Coming.
######### # perl Package.d ###
~~~~~~ Demonstration overview ~~~~~
Perl code begins with the prompt
=>
The selected results from executing the Perl Code follow on the next lines. For example,
=> 2 + 2 4
~~~~~~ The demonstration follows ~~~~~
=> use File::Package; => my $uut = 'File::Package';
=> ################## => # Good Load => # => ###
=> my $error = $uut->load_package( 'File::Basename' ) ''
=> $error = $uut->load_package( '_File_::BadLoad' ) 'Cannot load _File_::BadLoad syntax error at E:/User/SoftwareDiamonds/installation/t/File/_File_/BadLoad.pm line 13, near "$FILE " Global symbol "$FILE" requires explicit package name at E:/User/SoftwareDiamonds/installation/t/File/_File_/BadLoad.pm line 13. Compilation failed in require at (eval 12) line 1. Scalar found where operator expected at E:/User/SoftwareDiamonds/installation/t/File/_File_/BadLoad.pm line 13, near "$FILE" (Missing semicolon on previous line?) '
=> $uut->load_package( '_File_::BadPackage' ) '# _File_::BadPackage file but package(s) _File_::BadPackage absent. '
=> $uut->load_package( '_File_::Multi' ) '# _File_::Multi file but package(s) _File_::Multi absent. '
=> $error = $uut->load_package( '_File_::Hyphen-Test' ) 'Cannot load _File_::Hyphen-Test syntax error at (eval 15) line 1, near "require _File_::Hyphen-" Warning: Use of "require" without parens is ambiguous at (eval 15) line 1. '
=> ################## => # No &File::Find::find import baseline => # => ###
=> !defined($main::{'find'}) '1'
=> ################## => # Load File::Find, Import &File::Find::find => # => ###
=> $error = $uut->load_package( 'File::Find', 'find', ['File::Find'] ) ''
=> ################## => # &File::Find::find imported => # => ###
=> defined($main::{'find'}) '1'
=> ################## => # &File::Find::finddepth not imported => # => ###
=> !defined($main::{'finddepth'}) '1'
=> ################## => # Import error => # => ###
=> $uut->load_package( 'File::Find', 'Jolly_Green_Giant') '"Jolly_Green_Giant" is not exported by the File::Find module Can't continue after import errors at D:/Perl/lib/Exporter/Heavy.pm line 127 Exporter::heavy_export('File::Find', 'main', 'Jolly_Green_Giant') called at D:/Perl/lib/Exporter.pm line 45 Exporter::import('File::Find', 'Jolly_Green_Giant') called at (eval 9) line 81 File::Package::load_package('File::Package', 'File::Find', 'Jolly_Green_Giant') called at E:\User\SoftwareDiamonds\installation\t\File\Package.d line 195 '
=> ################## => # &File::Find::finddepth still no imported => # => ###
=> !defined($main::{'finddepth'}) '1'
=> ################## => # Import all File::Find functions => # => ###
=> $error = $uut->load_package( 'File::Find', '') ''
=> ################## => # &File::Find::finddepth imported => # => ###
=> defined($main::{'finddepth'}) '1'
=head1 QUALITY ASSURANCE
Running the test script package.t
verifies
the requirements for this module.
The <tmake.pl> cover script for Test::STDmaker
automatically generated the
package.t
test script, package.d
demo script,
and t::File::Package
STD program module POD,
from the t::File::Package
program module contents.
The t::File::Package
program module
is in the distribution file
File-Package-$VERSION.tar.gz.
The holder of the copyright and maintainer is
<support@SoftwareDiamonds.com>
Copyrighted (c) 2002 Software Diamonds
All Rights Reserved
Binding requirements are indexed with the pharse 'shall[dd]' where dd is an unique number for each header section. This conforms to standard federal government practices, 490A (STD490A/3.2.3.6). In accordance with the License, Software Diamonds is not liable for any requirement, binding or otherwise.
Software Diamonds permits the redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, provided that the following conditions are met:
Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
SOFTWARE DIAMONDS, http::www.softwarediamonds.com, PROVIDES THIS SOFTWARE 'AS IS' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL SOFTWARE DIAMONDS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL,EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.