Class::Meta::Attribute - Class::Meta class attribute introspection

  # Assuming MyApp::Thingy was generated by Class::Meta.
  my $class = MyApp::Thingy->my_class;
  my $thingy = MyApp::Thingy->new;

  print "\nAttributes:\n";
  for my $attr ($class->attributes) {
      print "  o ", $attr->name, " => ", $attr->get($thingy), $/;
      if ($attr->authz >= Class::Meta::SET && $attr->type eq 'string') {
          $attr->get($thingy, 'hey there!');
          print "    Changed to: ", $attr->get($thingy) $/;
      }
  }

An object of this class describes an attribute of a class created by Class::Meta. It includes metadata such as the name of the attribute, its data type, its accessibility, and whether or not a value is required. It also provides methods to easily get and set the value of the attribute for a given instance of the class.

Class::Meta::Attribute objects are created by Class::Meta; they are never instantiated directly in client code. To access the attribute objects for a Class::Meta-generated class, simply call its CWmy_class() method to retrieve its Class::Meta::Class object, and then call the CWattributes() method on the Class::Meta::Class object.

new

A protected method for constructing a Class::Meta::Attribute object. Do not call this method directly; Call the CWadd_attribute() method on a Class::Meta object, instead.

name

  my $name = $attr->name;

Returns the name of the attribute.

type

  my $type = $attr->type;

Returns the name of the attribute's data type. Typical values are scalar, string, and boolean. See Class::Meta for a complete list.

desc

  my $desc = $attr->desc;

Returns a description of the attribute.

label

  my $label = $attr->label;

Returns a label for the attribute, suitable for use in a user interface. It is distinguished from the attribute name, which functions to name the accessor methods for the attribute.

required

  my $req = $attr->required;

Indicates if the attribute is required to have a value.

once

  my $once = $attr->once;

Indicates whether an attribute value can be set to a defined value only once.

package

  my $package = $attr->package;

Returns the package name of the class that attribute is associated with.

view

  my $view = $attr->view;

Returns the view of the attribute, reflecting its visibility. The possible values are defined by the following constants:

Class::Meta::PUBLIC

Class::Meta::PRIVATE

Class::Meta::TRUSTED

Class::Meta::PROTECTED

context

  my $context = $attr->context;

Returns the context of the attribute, essentially whether it is a class or object attribute. The possible values are defined by the following constants:

Class::Meta::CLASS

Class::Meta::OBJECT

authz

  my $authz = $attr->authz;

Returns the authorization for the attribute, which determines whether it can be read or changed. The possible values are defined by the following constants:

Class::Meta::READ

Class::Meta::WRITE

Class::Meta::RDWR

Class::Meta::NONE

class

  my $class = $attr->class;

Returns the Class::Meta::Class object that this attribute is associated with. Note that this object will always represent the class in which the attribute is defined, and not any of its subclasses.

default

  my $default = $attr->default;

Returns the default value for a new instance of this attribute. Since the default value can be determined dynamically, the value returned by CWdefault() may change on subsequent calls. It all depends on what was passed for the CWdefault parameter in the call to CWadd_attribute() on the Class::Meta object that generated the class.

get

  my $value = $attr->get($thingy);

This method calls the get accessor method on the object passed as the sole argument and returns the value of the attribute for that object. Note that it uses a CWgoto to execute the accessor, so the call to CWset() itself will not appear in a call stack trace.

set

  $attr->set($thingy, $new_value);

This method calls the set accessor method on the object passed as the first argument and passes any remaining arguments to assign a new value to the attribute for that object. Note that it uses a CWgoto to execute the accessor, so the call to CWset() itself will not appear in a call stack trace.

build

  $attr->build($class);

This is a protected method, designed to be called only by the Class::Meta class or a subclass of Class::Meta. It takes a single argument, the Class::Meta::Class object for the class in which the attribute was defined, and generates attribute accessors by calling out to the CWmake_attr_get() and CWmake_attr_set() methods of Class::Meta::Type as appropriate for the Class::Meta::Attribute object.

Although you should never call this method directly, subclasses of Class::Meta::Constructor may need to override its behavior.

Please send bug reports to <bug-class-meta@rt.cpan.org> or report them via the CPAN Request Tracker at <http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/Bugs.html?Dist=Class-Meta>.

David Wheeler <david@kineticode.com>

Other classes of interest within the Class::Meta distribution include:

Class::Meta

Class::Meta::Class

Class::Meta::Method

Class::Meta::Constructor

Class::Meta::Type

Copyright (c) 2002-2005, David Wheeler. All Rights Reserved.

This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.