| … | |
… | |
| 4 | SYNOPSIS |
4 | SYNOPSIS |
| 5 | use Devel::FindRef; |
5 | use Devel::FindRef; |
| 6 | |
6 | |
| 7 | DESCRIPTION |
7 | DESCRIPTION |
| 8 | Tracking down reference problems (e.g. you expect some object to be |
8 | Tracking down reference problems (e.g. you expect some object to be |
| 9 | destroyed, but there are still references to it that keep it alive). can |
9 | destroyed, but there are still references to it that keep it alive) can |
| 10 | be very hard, although perl keeps track of all values. |
10 | be very hard. Fortunately, perl keeps track of all its values, so |
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11 | tracking references "backwards" is usually possible. |
| 11 | |
12 | |
| 12 | The "track" function can hlep track down some of those refernces back to |
13 | The "track" function can help track down some of those references back |
| 13 | the variables containing them. |
14 | to the variables containing them. |
| 14 | |
15 | |
| 15 | For example, for this fragment: |
16 | For example, for this fragment: |
| 16 | |
17 | |
| 17 | package Test; |
18 | package Test; |
| 18 | |
19 | |
| … | |
… | |
| 26 | print Devel::FindRef::track \$var; |
27 | print Devel::FindRef::track \$var; |
| 27 | } |
28 | } |
| 28 | |
29 | |
| 29 | testsub; |
30 | testsub; |
| 30 | |
31 | |
| 31 | The output is as follows (or similar to htis, in case I forget to update |
32 | The output is as follows (or similar to this, in case I forget to update |
| 32 | the manpage afetr some changes): |
33 | the manpage after some changes): |
| 33 | |
34 | |
| 34 | SCALAR(0x676fa0) is |
35 | SCALAR(0x676fa0) is |
| 35 | referenced by REF(0x676fb0), which is |
36 | referenced by REF(0x676fb0), which is |
| 36 | in the lexical '$x' in CODE(0x676370), which is |
37 | in the lexical '$x' in CODE(0x676370), which is |
| 37 | not found anywhere I looked :( |
38 | not found anywhere I looked :( |
| … | |
… | |
| 58 | - in the hash element "ukukey2", in the hash in the my variable $local |
59 | - in the hash element "ukukey2", in the hash in the my variable $local |
| 59 | in the sub "Test::testsub" and also in the hash referenced by |
60 | in the sub "Test::testsub" and also in the hash referenced by |
| 60 | $Test::hash2. |
61 | $Test::hash2. |
| 61 | |
62 | |
| 62 | EXPORTS |
63 | EXPORTS |
| 63 | None. |
64 | None. |
| 64 | |
65 | |
| 65 | FUNCTIONS |
66 | FUNCTIONS |
| 66 | $string = Devel::FindRef::track $ref[, $depth] |
67 | $string = Devel::FindRef::track $ref[, $depth] |
| 67 | Track the perl value pointed to by $ref up to a depth of $depth |
68 | Track the perl value pointed to by $ref up to a depth of $depth and |
| 68 | and return a descriptive string. $ref can point at any perl |
69 | return a descriptive string. $ref can point at any perl value, be it |
| 69 | value, be it anonymous sub, hash, array, scalar etc. |
70 | anonymous sub, hash, array, scalar etc. |
| 70 | |
71 | |
| 71 | This is the function you most often use. |
72 | This is the function you most often use. |
| 72 | |
73 | |
| 73 | @references = Devel::FindRef::find $ref |
74 | @references = Devel::FindRef::find $ref |
| 74 | Return arrayrefs that contain [$message, $ref] pairs. The |
75 | Return arrayrefs that contain [$message, $ref] pairs. The message |
| 75 | message describes what kind of reference was found and the $ref |
76 | describes what kind of reference was found and the $ref is the |
| 76 | is the reference itself, which cna be omitted if "find" decided |
77 | reference itself, which can be omitted if "find" decided to end the |
| 77 | to end the search. |
78 | search. The returned references are all weak references. |
| 78 | |
79 | |
| 79 | The "track" function uses this to find references to the value |
80 | The "track" function uses this to find references to the value you |
| 80 | you are interested in and recurses on the returned references. |
81 | are interested in and recurses on the returned references. |
| 81 | |
82 | |
| 82 | $ref = Devel::FindRef::ref2ptr $ptr |
83 | $ref = Devel::FindRef::ptr2ref $integer |
| 83 | Sometimes you know (from debugging output) the address of a perl |
84 | Sometimes you know (from debugging output) the address of a perl |
| 84 | scalar you are interested in. This function can be used to turn |
85 | scalar you are interested in (e.g. "HASH(0x176ff70)"). This function |
| 85 | the address into a reference to that scalar. It is quite safe to |
86 | can be used to turn the address into a reference to that scalar. It |
| 86 | call on valid addresses, but extremely dangerous to call on |
87 | is quite safe to call on valid addresses, but extremely dangerous to |
| 87 | invalid ones. |
88 | call on invalid ones. |
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89 | |
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90 | # we know that HASH(0x176ff70) exists, so turn it into a hashref: |
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91 | my $ref_to_hash = Devel::FindRef::ptr2ref 0x176ff70; |
| 88 | |
92 | |
| 89 | AUTHOR |
93 | AUTHOR |
| 90 | Marc Lehmann <pcg@goof.com>. |
94 | Marc Lehmann <pcg@goof.com>. |
| 91 | |
95 | |
| 92 | BUGS |
96 | BUGS |
| 93 | Only code values, arrays, hashes, scalars and magic are being looked |
97 | Only code values, arrays, hashes, scalars and magic are being looked at. |
| 94 | at. |
98 | |
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99 | This is a quick hack only. |
| 95 | |
100 | |
| 96 | COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE |
101 | COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE |
| 97 | Copyright (C) 2007 by Marc Lehmann. |
102 | Copyright (C) 2007 by Marc Lehmann. |
| 98 | |
103 | |
| 99 | This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify |
104 | This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it |
| 100 | it under the same terms as Perl itself, either Perl version 5.8.8 |
105 | under the same terms as Perl itself, either Perl version 5.8.8 or, at |
| 101 | or, at your option, any later version of Perl 5 you may have |
106 | your option, any later version of Perl 5 you may have available. |
| 102 | available. |
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| 103 | |
107 | |
