ViewVC Help
View File | Revision Log | Show Annotations | Download File
/cvs/Devel-FindRef/README
(Generate patch)

Comparing Devel-FindRef/README (file contents):
Revision 1.3 by root, Wed Feb 7 21:34:02 2007 UTC vs.
Revision 1.7 by root, Fri Jul 11 22:18:10 2008 UTC

1NAME 1NAME
2 Devel::FindRef - where is that reference to my scalar hiding? 2 Devel::FindRef - where is that reference to my variable hiding?
3 3
4SYNOPSIS 4SYNOPSIS
5 use Devel::FindRef; 5 use Devel::FindRef;
6 6
7DESCRIPTION 7DESCRIPTION
14 to the variables containing them. 14 to the variables containing them.
15 15
16 For example, for this fragment: 16 For example, for this fragment:
17 17
18 package Test; 18 package Test;
19 19
20 our $var = "hi\n"; 20 our $var = "hi\n";
21 my $x = \$var; 21 my $x = \$var;
22 our %hash = (ukukey => \$var); 22 our %hash = (ukukey => \$var);
23 our $hash2 = {ukukey2 => \$var}; 23 our $hash2 = {ukukey2 => \$var};
24 24
25 sub testsub { 25 sub testsub {
26 my $local = $hash2; 26 my $local = $hash2;
27 print Devel::FindRef::track \$var; 27 print Devel::FindRef::track \$var;
28 } 28 }
29 29
30 testsub; 30 testsub;
31 31
32 The output is as follows (or similar to this, in case I forget to update 32 The output is as follows (or similar to this, in case I forget to update
33 the manpage after some changes): 33 the manpage after some changes):
34 34
35 SCALAR(0x676fa0) is 35 SCALAR(0x814ece8) is
36 +- in the global $Test::var.
36 referenced by REF(0x676fb0), which is 37 +- referenced by REF(0x814f9e4), which is
37 in the lexical '$x' in CODE(0x676370), which is 38 | in the lexical '$x' in CODE(0x814ed78), which is
38 not found anywhere I looked :( 39 | the containing scope for CODE(0x820c4b0), which is
40 | in the global &Test::testsub.
39 referenced by REF(0x676360), which is 41 +- referenced by REF(0x814ed6c), which is
40 in the member 'ukukey' of HASH(0x756660), which is 42 | in the member 'ukukey' of HASH(0x81da20c), which is
41 in the global %Test::hash. 43 | in the global %Test::hash.
42 in the global $Test::var.
43 referenced by REF(0x6760e0), which is 44 +- referenced by REF(0x814ec28), which is
45 | not found anywhere I looked :(
46 +- referenced by REF(0x814eb44), which is
44 in the member 'ukukey2' of HASH(0x676f30), which is 47 in the member 'ukukey2' of HASH(0x814f99c), which is
45 referenced by REF(0x77bcf0), which is 48 +- referenced by REF(0x820c450), which is
46 in the lexical '$local' in CODE(0x77bcb0), which is 49 | in the lexical '$local' in CODE(0x820c4b0), which was seen before.
47 in the global &Test::testsub.
48 referenced by REF(0x77bc80), which is 50 +- referenced by REF(0x820c204), which is
49 in the global $Test::hash2. 51 in the global $Test::hash2.
50 52
51 It is a bit convoluted to read, but basically it says that the value 53 It is a bit convoluted to read, but basically it says that the value
52 stored in $var can be found: 54 stored in $var can be found:
53 55
59 - in the hash element "ukukey2", in the hash in the my variable $local 61 - in the hash element "ukukey2", in the hash in the my variable $local
60 in the sub "Test::testsub" and also in the hash referenced by 62 in the sub "Test::testsub" and also in the hash referenced by
61 $Test::hash2. 63 $Test::hash2.
62 64
63EXPORTS 65EXPORTS
64 None. 66 None.
65 67
66FUNCTIONS 68FUNCTIONS
67 $string = Devel::FindRef::track $ref[, $depth] 69 $string = Devel::FindRef::track $ref[, $depth]
68 Track the perl value pointed to by $ref up to a depth of $depth 70 Track the perl value pointed to by $ref up to a depth of $depth and
69 and return a descriptive string. $ref can point at any perl 71 return a descriptive string. $ref can point at any perl value, be it
70 value, be it anonymous sub, hash, array, scalar etc. 72 anonymous sub, hash, array, scalar etc.
71 73
72 This is the function you most often use. 74 This is the function you most often use.
73 75
74 @references = Devel::FindRef::find $ref 76 @references = Devel::FindRef::find $ref
75 Return arrayrefs that contain [$message, $ref] pairs. The 77 Return arrayrefs that contain [$message, $ref] pairs. The message
76 message describes what kind of reference was found and the $ref 78 describes what kind of reference was found and the $ref is the
77 is the reference itself, which cna be omitted if "find" decided 79 reference itself, which can be omitted if "find" decided to end the
78 to end the search. 80 search. The returned references are all weak references.
79 81
80 The "track" function uses this to find references to the value 82 The "track" function uses this to find references to the value you
81 you are interested in and recurses on the returned references. 83 are interested in and recurses on the returned references.
82 84
83 $ref = Devel::FindRef::ref2ptr $ptr 85 $ref = Devel::FindRef::ptr2ref $integer
84 Sometimes you know (from debugging output) the address of a perl 86 Sometimes you know (from debugging output) the address of a perl
85 scalar you are interested in. This function can be used to turn 87 scalar you are interested in (e.g. "HASH(0x176ff70)"). This function
86 the address into a reference to that scalar. It is quite safe to 88 can be used to turn the address into a reference to that scalar. It
87 call on valid addresses, but extremely dangerous to call on 89 is quite safe to call on valid addresses, but extremely dangerous to
88 invalid ones. 90 call on invalid ones.
91
92 # we know that HASH(0x176ff70) exists, so turn it into a hashref:
93 my $ref_to_hash = Devel::FindRef::ptr2ref 0x176ff70;
94
95ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
96 You can set the environment variable "PERL_DEVEL_FINDREF_DEPTH" to an
97 integer to override the default depth in "track". If a call explicitly
98 specified a depth it is not overridden.
89 99
90AUTHOR 100AUTHOR
91 Marc Lehmann <pcg@goof.com>. 101 Marc Lehmann <pcg@goof.com>.
92 102
93BUGS 103BUGS
94 Only code values, arrays, hashes, scalars and magic are being looked 104 Only code values, arrays, hashes, scalars and magic are being looked at.
95 at.
96 105
97 This is a quick hack only. 106 This is a quick hack only.
98 107
99COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE 108COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
100 Copyright (C) 2007 by Marc Lehmann. 109 Copyright (C) 2007 by Marc Lehmann.
101 110
102 This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify 111 This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
103 it under the same terms as Perl itself, either Perl version 5.8.8 112 under the same terms as Perl itself, either Perl version 5.8.8 or, at
104 or, at your option, any later version of Perl 5 you may have 113 your option, any later version of Perl 5 you may have available.
105 available.
106 114

Diff Legend

Removed lines
+ Added lines
< Changed lines
> Changed lines