NAME

    Object::Variables - variables for objects

VERSION

    0.2 (Bug fix alpha release)

SYNOPSIS

    use Object::Variables qw($scalar @array %hash);

    sub new {
        my ($class) = @_;
        my $self = $class->SUPER::new;
        object vars : $self;
        $scalar = 4;
        @array = qw(foo bar);
    }

    sub method1 {
        my ($self, $foo, $bar) = @_;
        object vars : $self;
        print $array[1], "\n";
    }

DESCRIPTION

    One area where Perl's object-oriented features is less than stellar
    is its handling (or lack of handling) of instance variables. You can
    use fields to create variables that are checked at compile time, but
    you still have to refer to each one as something like
    $self->{scalar}, which is especially inconvenient with arrays and
    hashes...you might have an expression that has to be written as
    something like

        $self->{hash}{$self->{key}}[$self->{index}]

    which is cumbersome, to say the least. Object::Variables lets you
    write that as

        $hash{$key}[$index]

    which is certainly easier to write and to figure out later.

    In addition, you can specify that automatic accessor methods are to
    be created for some or all of the variables for the object.

    This module is especially useful when combined with Sub::Declaration.

INSTALLATION

    To install this module type the standard incantation:

        perl Makefile.PL
        make
        make test
        make install

DEPENDENCIES

    This module requires these other modules and libraries:

        Lexical::Util (at least version 0.3)
        Tie::IxHash
        Filter::Simple

COPYRIGHT AND LICENCE

    Copyright 2004 Kevin Michael Vail

    This program is free software. It may be copied and/or redistributed
    under the same terms as Perl itself.