Re^4: Pre/post subroutine assertions and documentation module?

in reply to Re^3: Pre/post subroutine assertions and documentation module?
in thread Pre/post subroutine assertions and documentation module?

something like Method::Signatures, or MooseX::Declare might be an idea.

You mean "a terrible idea," right? Whether they're "functions" or "methods" (i.e. "functions where the type of the first argument determines the function to be called"), verifying input and output is the same.

Comment on Re^4: Pre/post subroutine assertions and documentation module?

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Re^5: Pre/post subroutine assertions and documentation module? by tobyink (Canon) on Jan 12, 2012 at 21:52 UTC
MooseX::Declare and its ilk allow the arguments to a method and (somewhat experimentally) the return value, to be declared in terms of Moose type constraints. A type constraint can use arbitrary code to verify that a value meets it. `subtype 'SmallInt' => as 'Int' => where { $_ < 10 };` [download] It allows the declaration of named parameters, and required and optional parameters. This seems to meet the "I want something that verifies incoming parameters" part of the quest. The reason I suggest that it's mostly useful for subs that are intended to be called as methods, rather than as functions, is that the declaration syntax offers certain shortcuts that make the assumption that the first parameter to will be a blessed object, and that the function body will want to refer to it as "`$self`". `class Person { # ... method thank (Person $person) { # ... } method accept_gift (Gift $gift) { $self->push_posession($gift); $self->thank($gift->giver); } } my $me = Person->new; my $bob = Person->new; my $dog = Gift->new(giver => $me, item => Puppy->new); $bob->accept_gift($dog); # ok Person::accept_gift($bob, $dog); # ok Person::accept_gift($dog); # dies` [download]	[reply] [d/l] [select]

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Re^5: Pre/post subroutine assertions and documentation module?
by tobyink (Canon) on Jan 12, 2012 at 21:52 UTC

MooseX::Declare and its ilk allow the arguments to a method and (somewhat experimentally) the return value, to be declared in terms of Moose type constraints. A type constraint can use arbitrary code to verify that a value meets it.

  subtype 'SmallInt'
    => as 'Int'
    => where { $_ < 10 };
[download]

It allows the declaration of named parameters, and required and optional parameters.

This seems to meet the "I want something that verifies incoming parameters" part of the quest.

The reason I suggest that it's mostly useful for subs that are intended to be called as methods, rather than as functions, is that the declaration syntax offers certain shortcuts that make the assumption that the first parameter to will be a blessed object, and that the function body will want to refer to it as "$self".

class Person
{
  # ...

  method thank (Person $person)
  {
    # ...
  }

  method accept_gift (Gift $gift)
  {
    $self->push_posession($gift);
    $self->thank($gift->giver);
  }
}

my $me  = Person->new;
my $bob = Person->new;
my $dog = Gift->new(giver => $me, item => Puppy->new);

$bob->accept_gift($dog);         # ok
Person::accept_gift($bob, $dog); # ok
Person::accept_gift($dog);       # dies
[download]

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