Class::MakeMethods::Docs::RelatedModules

NAME

Class::MakeMethods::Docs::RelatedModules - Survey of Class Builders

SYNOPSIS

  http://search.cpan.org/search?mode=module&query=Class

There are a variety of modules on CPAN dedicated to the purpose of generating common constructor and accessor methods. Below, I survey several of these, summarizing some basic features and technical approaches, and comparing them to Class::MakeMethods and other modules.

Caution

Please note that these comments are for basic comparison purposes only and may be incorrect or out of date. Please consult the documentation from a current version of each module for more specific details. Corrections and clarifications would by welcomed by the author at the email address below.

Points of Comparison

In general, I compared the following characteristics:

Distribution: Is it included with Perl, or on CPAN? Is it being actively maintained?

Usage: How do you go about declaring your class's methods?

Mechanism: How are they generated and delivered?

Instance type: Are the objects of your class blessed hashes, or something else?

Core Methods: Does the module provide a constructor and basic accessors? Are there specialized methods for hash-ref, array-ref, and object-ref accessors?

Extensible: Can you subclass the package to create new types of methods, or is there some other way to extend it?

Other Methods: Other types of methods provided.

Emulator: Does Class::MakeMethods provide a drop-in replacement for this module?

Comments: Other characteristics or features of note.

RELATED MODULES

accessors

Distribution: CPAN. Uploaded Sep 2003.

Comments: I have not yet reviewed this module in detail.

Example

  package MyObject;
  use accessors qw( foo bar baz );

Attribute::Property

Distribution: CPAN.

Comments: I have not yet reviewed this module in detail.

Class::Accessor

Distribution: CPAN. Last update 4/01.

Usage: Inherit and call function with declaration arguments

Mechanism: Generates and installs closures

Instance Type: Hash.

Subclasses Cleanly: Cleanly.

Standard Methods: Scalar accessors.

Extensible: Yes.

Comments: Accessor methods call overwritable "self-<get(key)" and "self-<set( key, value)" methods. Also includes Class::Accessor::Fast, which creates direct hash keys accessors without calling get and set methods.

Emulator: Yes, but only for the Fast variation; see Class::MakeMethods::Emulator::AccessorFast.

Example

  package MyObject;
  @ISA = qw(Class::Accessor);
  MyObject->mk_accessors(qw( simple ordered mapping obj_ref ));

Class::Class

Distribution: CPAN. Last update 1/00.

Usage: Inherit and fill %MEMBERS hash; methods created when first object is created

Mechanism: Generates and installs closures

Instance Type: Hash.

Subclasses Cleanly: Yes.

Standard Methods: Constructor and various accessors.

Extensible: No.

Example

Usage is similar to Class::Struct:

  package MyObject;
  use Class::Class; 
  @ISA = qw(Class::Class);
  %MEMBERS = ( 
    simple  => '$',
    ordered => '@',
    mapping => '%',
    obj_ref => 'FooObject' 
  );

Other Method Types: Provides a polymorph() method that is similar to Class::Method's "ClassName:class_name -require".

Class::Constructor

Distribution: CPAN. Last update 11/01.

Usage: Inherit and call function with declaration arguments

Mechanism: Generates and installs closures

Instance Type: Hash.

Subclasses Cleanly: Cleanly.

Standard Methods: Hash constructor, with bells.

Extensible: No.

Emulator: No, but possible.

Example

  package MyObject;
  @ISA = qw(Class::Constructor);
  MyObject->mk_constructor( Name => 'new' );

Class::Classgen

Distribution: CPAN. Last update 12/00.

Usage: Pre-processor run against declaration files.

Mechanism: Assembles and saves code file

Instance Type: Hash.

Subclasses Cleanly: Yes. (I think.)

Standard Methods: Constructor and various accessors.

Extensible: No. (I think.)

Example

  header:
      package MyObject;
  variables:
      $simple
      @ordered
      %mapping
      $obj_ref

Class::Contract

Distribution: CPAN. Last update 5/01.

Usage: Call function with declaration arguments

Mechanism: Generates and installs closures

Instance Type: Scalar reference with external data storage.

Subclasses Cleanly: Yes.

Standard Methods: Constructor and various accessors.

Extensible: Yes. (I think.)

Comments: Supports pre- and post-conditions, class invariants, and other software engineering goodies.

Example

  package MyObject;
  use Class::Contract;
  contract {
    ctor 'new';
    attr 'simple'  => SCALAR;
    attr 'ordered' => ARRAY;  
    attr 'mapping' => HASH;   
    attr 'obj_ref' => 'FooObject';   
  }

Class::Data::Inheritable

Distribution: CPAN. Last update 4/00.

Usage: Inherit and call function with declaration arguments

Mechanism: Generates and installs closures

Instance Type: Class data, with inheritance.

Subclasses Cleanly: Yes, specifically.

Standard Methods: Scalar accessors.

Extensible: No.

Example

Usage is similar to Class::Accessor:

  package MyObject;
  @ISA = qw(Class::Data::Inheritable);
  MyObject->mk_classdata(qw( simple ordered mapping obj_ref ));

Emulator: Yes, Class::MakeMethods::Emulator::Inheritable, passes original test suite.

Class::Delegate

Distribution: CPAN. Uploaded 12/0.

Comments: I have not yet reviewed this module in detail.

Class::Delegation

Distribution: CPAN. Uploaded 12/01.

Comments: I have not yet reviewed this module in detail.

Class::Generate

Distribution: CPAN. Last update 11/00.

Usage: Call function with declaration arguments

Mechanism: Assembles and evals code string, or saves code file.

Instance Type: Hash.

Subclasses Cleanly: Yes.

Standard Methods: Constructor and accessors (scalar, array, hash, object, object array, etc).

Extensible: Unknown.

Comments: Handles private/protected limitations, pre and post conditions, assertions, and more.

Example

Usage is similar to Class::Struct:

  package MyObject;
  use Class::Generate;
  class MyObject => [ 
    simple  => '$',
    ordered => '@',
    mapping => '%',
    obj_ref => 'FooObject' 
  ];

Class::Hook

Distribution: CPAN. Uploaded 12/01.

Comments: I have not yet reviewed this module in detail.

Class::Holon

Distribution: CPAN. Experimental/Alpha release 07/2001.

Instance Type: Hash, array, or flyweight-index.

Subclasses Cleanly: No. (I think.)

Standard Methods: Constructor and scalar accessors; flywieght objects also get scalar mutator methods.

Extensible: No. (I think.)

Comments: I'm not sure I understand the intent of this module; perhaps future versions will make this clearer....

Class::MethodMaker

Distribution: CPAN. Last update 1/01.

Usage: Import, or call function, with declaration arguments

Mechanism: Generates and installs closures

Instance Type: Hash, Static.

Subclasses Cleanly: Yes.

Standard Methods: Constructor and various accessors.

Extensible: Yes.

Example

Usage is similar to Class::MakeMethods:

  package MyObject;
  use Class::MethodMaker (
    new     =>   'new',
    get_set =>   'simple',
    list    =>   'ordered',
    hash    =>   'mapping',
    object  => [ 'FooObject' => 'obj_ref' ],
  );

Emulator: Yes, Class::MakeMethods::Emulator::MethodMaker, passes original test suite.