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Revision 1.2 by root, Thu Jan 11 23:08:03 2007 UTC vs.
Revision 1.6 by root, Sat Apr 26 03:15:28 2008 UTC

4SYNOPSIS 4SYNOPSIS
5 use Devel::FindRef; 5 use Devel::FindRef;
6 6
7DESCRIPTION 7DESCRIPTION
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
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
19 our $var = "hi\n"; 20 our $var = "hi\n";
20 my $x = \$var; 21 my $x = \$var;
21 our %hash = (ukukey => \$var); 22 our %hash = (ukukey => \$var);
22 our $hash2 = {ukukey2 => \$var}; 23 our $hash2 = {ukukey2 => \$var};
23 24
24 sub testsub { 25 sub testsub {
25 my $local = $hash2; 26 my $local = $hash2;
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(0x7bd2d0) is
36 in the global $Test::var.
35 referenced by REF(0x676fb0), which is 37 referenced by REF(0x7bd240), which is
38 in the member 'ukukey2' of HASH(0x7bd228), which is
39 referenced by REF(0x81dae8), which is
40 in the lexical '$local' in CODE(0x81da88), which is
41 in the global &Test::testsub.
42 referenced by REF(0x81da40), which is
43 in the global $Test::hash2.
44 referenced by REF(0x79f3f8), which is
36 in the lexical '$x' in CODE(0x676370), which is 45 in the lexical '$x' in CODE(0x79f518), which is
46 the containing scope for CODE(0x81da88), which is
47 in the global &Test::testsub.
48 referenced by REF(0x79f2f0), which is
37 not found anywhere I looked :( 49 not found anywhere I looked :(
38 referenced by REF(0x676360), which is 50 referenced by REF(0x79f140), which is
39 in the member 'ukukey' of HASH(0x756660), which is 51 in the member 'ukukey' of HASH(0x81d698), which is
40 in the global %Test::hash. 52 in the global %Test::hash.
41 in the global $Test::var.
42 referenced by REF(0x6760e0), which is
43 in the member 'ukukey2' of HASH(0x676f30), which is
44 referenced by REF(0x77bcf0), which is
45 in the lexical '$local' in CODE(0x77bcb0), which is
46 in the global &Test::testsub.
47 referenced by REF(0x77bc80), which is
48 in the global $Test::hash2.
49 53
50 It is a bit convoluted to read, but basically it says that the value 54 It is a bit convoluted to read, but basically it says that the value
51 stored in $var can be found: 55 stored in $var can be found:
52 56
53 - in some variable $x whose origin is not known (I frankly have no idea 57 - in some variable $x whose origin is not known (I frankly have no idea
58 - in the hash element "ukukey2", in the hash in the my variable $local 62 - 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 63 in the sub "Test::testsub" and also in the hash referenced by
60 $Test::hash2. 64 $Test::hash2.
61 65
62EXPORTS 66EXPORTS
63 None. 67 None.
64 68
65FUNCTIONS 69FUNCTIONS
66 $string = Devel::FindRef::track $ref[, $depth] 70 $string = Devel::FindRef::track $ref[, $depth]
67 Track the perl value pointed to by $ref up to a depth of $depth 71 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 72 return a descriptive string. $ref can point at any perl value, be it
69 value, be it anonymous sub, hash, array, scalar etc. 73 anonymous sub, hash, array, scalar etc.
70 74
71 This is the function you most often use. 75 This is the function you most often use.
72 76
73 @references = Devel::FindRef::find $ref 77 @references = Devel::FindRef::find $ref
74 Return arrayrefs that contain [$message, $ref] pairs. The 78 Return arrayrefs that contain [$message, $ref] pairs. The message
75 message describes what kind of reference was found and the $ref 79 describes what kind of reference was found and the $ref is the
76 is the reference itself, which cna be omitted if "find" decided 80 reference itself, which can be omitted if "find" decided to end the
77 to end the search. 81 search. The returned references are all weak references.
78 82
79 The "track" function uses this to find references to the value 83 The "track" function uses this to find references to the value you
80 you are interested in and recurses on the returned references. 84 are interested in and recurses on the returned references.
81 85
82 $ref = Devel::FindRef::ref2ptr $ptr 86 $ref = Devel::FindRef::ptr2ref $integer
83 Sometimes you know (from debugging output) the address of a perl 87 Sometimes you know (from debugging output) the address of a perl
84 scalar you are interested in. This function can be used to turn 88 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 89 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 90 is quite safe to call on valid addresses, but extremely dangerous to
87 invalid ones. 91 call on invalid ones.
92
93 # we know that HASH(0x176ff70) exists, so turn it into a hashref:
94 my $ref_to_hash = Devel::FindRef::ptr2ref 0x176ff70;
88 95
89AUTHOR 96AUTHOR
90 Marc Lehmann <pcg@goof.com>. 97 Marc Lehmann <pcg@goof.com>.
91 98
92BUGS 99BUGS
93 Only code values, arrays, hashes, scalars and magic are being looked 100 Only code values, arrays, hashes, scalars and magic are being looked at.
94 at. 101
102 This is a quick hack only.
95 103
96COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE 104COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
97 Copyright (C) 2007 by Marc Lehmann. 105 Copyright (C) 2007 by Marc Lehmann.
98 106
99 This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify 107 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 5.8.8 108 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 109 your option, any later version of Perl 5 you may have available.
102 available.
103 110

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