Data::Section(3) User Contributed Perl Documentation Data::Section(3)
NAME
Data::Section - read multiple hunks of data out of your DATA section
VERSION
version 0.200008
SYNOPSIS
package Letter::Resignation;
use Data::Section -setup;
sub quit {
my ($class, $angry, %arg) = @_;
my $template = $class->section_data(
($angry ? "angry_" : "professional_") . "letter"
);
return fill_in($$template, \%arg);
}
__DATA__
__[ angry_letter ]__
Dear jerks,
I quit!
--
{{ $name }}
__[ professional_letter ]__
Dear {{ $boss }},
I quit, jerks!
--
{{ $name }}
DESCRIPTION
Data::Section provides an easy way to access multiple named chunks of
line-oriented data in your module's DATA section. It was written to
allow modules to store their own templates, but probably has other
uses.
PERL VERSION
This library should run on perls released even a long time ago. It
should work on any version of perl released in the last five years.
Although it may work on older versions of perl, no guarantee is made
that the minimum required version will not be increased. The version
may be increased for any reason, and there is no promise that patches
will be accepted to lower the minimum required perl.
WARNING
You will need to use "__DATA__" sections and not "__END__" sections.
Yes, it matters. Who knew!
EXPORTS
To get the methods exported by Data::Section, you must import like
this:
use Data::Section -setup;
Optional arguments may be given to Data::Section like this:
use Data::Section -setup => { ... };
Valid arguments are:
encoding - if given, gives the encoding needed to decode bytes in
data sections; default; UTF-8
the special value "bytes" will leave the bytes in the string
verbatim
inherit - if true, allow packages to inherit the data of the packages
from which they inherit; default: true
header_re - if given, changes the regex used to find section headers
in the data section; it should leave the section name in $1
default_name - if given, allows the first section to has no header and set
its name
Three methods are exported by Data::Section:
section_data
my $string_ref = $pkg->section_data($name);
This method returns a reference to a string containing the data from
the name section, either in the invocant's "DATA" section or in that of
one of its ancestors. (The ancestor must also derive from the class
that imported Data::Section.)
By default, named sections are delimited by lines that look like this:
__[ name ]__
You can use as many underscores as you want, and the space around the
name is optional. This pattern can be configured with the "header_re"
option (see above). If present, a single leading "\" is removed, so
that sections can encode lines that look like section delimiters.
When a line containing only "__END__" is reached, all processing of
sections ends.
section_data_names
my @names = $pkg->section_data_names;
This returns a list of all the names that will be recognized by the
"section_data" method.
merged_section_data
my $data = $pkg->merged_section_data;
This method returns a hashref containing all the data extracted from
the package data for all the classes from which the invocant inherits
-- as long as those classes also inherit from the package into which
Data::Section was imported.
In other words, given this inheritance tree:
A
\
B C
\ /
D
...if Data::Section was imported by A, then when D's
"merged_section_data" is invoked, C's data section will not be
considered. (This prevents the read position of C's data handle from
being altered unexpectedly.)
The keys in the returned hashref are the section names, and the values
are references to the strings extracted from the data sections.
merged_section_data_names
my @names = $pkg->merged_section_data_names;
This returns a list of all the names that will be recognized by the
"merged_section_data" method.
local_section_data
my $data = $pkg->local_section_data;
This method returns a hashref containing all the data extracted from
the package on which the method was invoked. If called on an object,
it will operate on the package into which the object was blessed.
This method needs to be used carefully, because it's weird. It returns
only the data for the package on which it was invoked. If the package
on which it was invoked has no data sections, it returns an empty
hashref.
local_section_data_names
my @names = $pkg->local_section_data_names;
This returns a list of all the names that will be recognized by the
"local_section_data" method.
TIPS AND TRICKS
MooseX::Declare and namespace::autoclean
The namespace::autoclean library automatically cleans foreign routines
from a class, including those imported by Data::Section.
MooseX::Declare does the same thing, and can also cause your "__DATA__"
section to appear outside your class's package.
These are easy to address. The Sub::Exporter::ForMethods library
provides an installer that will cause installed methods to appear to
come from the class and avoid autocleaning. Using an explicit
"package" statement will keep the data section in the correct package.
package Foo;
use MooseX::Declare;
class Foo {
# Utility to tell Sub::Exporter modules to export methods.
use Sub::Exporter::ForMethods qw( method_installer );
# method_installer returns a sub.
use Data::Section { installer => method_installer }, -setup;
method my_method {
my $content_ref = $self->section_data('SectionA');
print $$content_ref;
}
}
__DATA__
__[ SectionA ]__
Hello, world.
SEE ALSO
o article for RJBS Advent 2009
<http://advent.rjbs.manxome.org/2009/2009-12-09.html>
o Inline::Files(3) does something that is at first look similar,
but it works with source filters, and contains the warning:
It is possible that this module may overwrite the source code in files that
use it. To protect yourself against this possibility, you are strongly
advised to use the -backup option described in "Safety first".
Enough said.
AUTHOR
Ricardo SIGNES <cpan@semiotic.systems>
CONTRIBUTORS
o Christian Walde <walde.christian@googlemail.com>
o Dan Kogai <dankogai+github@gmail.com>
o David Golden <dagolden@cpan.org>
o David Steinbrunner <dsteinbrunner@pobox.com>
o Graham Ollis <plicease@cpan.org>
o Karen Etheridge <ether@cpan.org>
o Kenichi Ishigaki <ishigaki@cpan.org>
o kentfredric <kentfredric+gravitar@gmail.com>
o Ricardo Signes <rjbs@semiotic.systems>
o Tatsuhiko Miyagawa <miyagawa@bulknews.net>
COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
This software is copyright (c) 2008 by Ricardo SIGNES.
This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.
perl v5.34.1 2022-12-31 Data::Section(3)
data-section 0.200.8 - Generated Fri May 22 15:09:51 CDT 2026