distro work
[p5sagit/Config-Any.git] / README
CommitLineData
f0e3c221 1NAME
2 Config::Any - Load configuration from different file formats,
3 transparently
c80a0905 4
f0e3c221 5VERSION
6 This document describes Config::Any version 0.0.7
c80a0905 7
f0e3c221 8SYNOPSIS
9 use Config::Any;
c80a0905 10
f0e3c221 11 my $cfg = Config::Any->load_stems({stems => \@filepath_stems, ... });
12 # or
13 my $cfg = Config::Any->load_files({files => \@filepaths, ... });
c80a0905 14
f0e3c221 15 for (@$cfg) {
16 my ($filename, $config) = each %$_;
17 $class->config($config);
18 warn "loaded config from file: $filename";
19 }
20
21DESCRIPTION
22 Config::Any provides a facility for Perl applications and libraries to
23 load configuration data from multiple different file formats. It
24 supports XML, YAML, JSON, Apache-style configuration, Windows INI files,
25 and even Perl code.
26
27 The rationale for this module is as follows: Perl programs are deployed
28 on many different platforms and integrated with many different systems.
29 Systems administrators and end users may prefer different configuration
30 formats than the developers. The flexibility inherent in a multiple
31 format configuration loader allows different users to make different
32 choices, without generating extra work for the developers. As a
33 developer you only need to learn a single interface to be able to use
34 the power of different configuration formats.
35
36INTERFACE
37 load_files( )
38 Config::Any->load_files({files => \@files]});
39 Config::Any->load_files({files => \@files, filter => \&filter});
40 Config::Any->load_files({files => \@files, use_ext => 1});
41
42 "load_files()" attempts to load configuration from the list of files
43 passed in the "files" parameter, if the file exists.
44
45 If the "filter" parameter is set, it is used as a callback to modify the
46 configuration data before it is returned. It will be passed a single
47 hash-reference parameter which it should modify in-place.
48
49 If the "use_ext" parameter is defined, the loader will attempt to parse
50 the file extension from each filename and will skip the file unless it
51 matches a standard extension for the loading plugins. Only plugins whose
52 standard extensions match the file extension will be used. For
53 efficiency reasons, its use is encouraged, but be aware that you will
54 lose flexibility -- for example, a file called "myapp.cfg" containing
55 YAML data will not be offered to the YAML plugin, whereas "myapp.yml" or
56 "myapp.yaml" would be.
57
58 "load_files()" also supports a 'force_plugins' parameter, whose value
59 should be an arrayref of plugin names like "Config::Any::INI". Its
60 intended use is to allow the use of a non-standard file extension while
61 forcing it to be offered to a particular parser. It is not compatible
62 with 'use_ext'.
63
64 load_stems( )
65 Config::Any->load_stems({stems => \@stems]});
66 Config::Any->load_stems({stems => \@stems, filter => \&filter});
67 Config::Any->load_stems({stems => \@stems, use_ext => 1});
68
69 "load_stems()" attempts to load configuration from a list of files which
70 it generates by combining the filename stems list passed in the "stems"
71 parameter with the potential filename extensions from each loader, which
72 you can check with the "extensions()" classmethod described below. Once
73 this list of possible filenames is built it is treated exactly as in
74 "load_files()" above, as which it takes the same parameters. Please read
75 the "load_files()" documentation before using this method.
76
77 finder( )
78 The "finder()" classmethod returns the Module::Pluggable::Object object
79 which is used to load the plugins. See the documentation for that module
80 for more information.
81
82 plugins( )
83 The "plugins()" classmethod returns the names of configuration loading
84 plugins as found by Module::Pluggable::Object.
85
86 extensions( )
87 The "extensions()" classmethod returns the possible file extensions
88 which can be loaded by "load_stems()" and "load_files()". This may be
89 useful if you set the "use_ext" parameter to those methods.
90
91DIAGNOSTICS
92 "no files specified" or "no stems specified"
93 The "load_files()" and "load_stems()" methods will issue this
94 warning if called with an empty list of files/stems to load.
95
96 "_load requires a arrayref of file paths"
97 This fatal error will be thrown by the internal "_load" method. It
98 should not occur but is specified here for completeness. If your
99 code dies with this error, please email a failing test case to the
100 authors below.
101
102CONFIGURATION AND ENVIRONMENT
103 Config::Any requires no configuration files or environment variables.
c80a0905 104
105DEPENDENCIES
f0e3c221 106 Module::Pluggable
107
108 And at least one of the following: Config::General Config::Tiny JSON
109 YAML JSON::Syck YAML::Syck XML::Simple
110
111INCOMPATIBILITIES
112 None reported.
113
114BUGS AND LIMITATIONS
115 No bugs have been reported.
116
117 Please report any bugs or feature requests to
118 "bug-config-any@rt.cpan.org", or through the web interface at
119 <http://rt.cpan.org>.
120
121AUTHOR
122 Joel Bernstein <rataxis@cpan.org>
123
124CONTRIBUTORS
125 This module was based on the original Catalyst::Plugin::ConfigLoader
126 module by Brian Cassidy "<bricas@cpan.org>".
127
128 With ideas and support from Matt S Trout "<mst@shadowcatsystems.co.uk>".
129
130 Further enhancements suggested by Evan Kaufman "<evank@cpan.org>".
131
132LICENCE AND COPYRIGHT
133 Copyright (c) 2006, Portugal Telecom "http://www.sapo.pt/". All rights
134 reserved. Portions copyright 2007, Joel Bernstein "<rataxis@cpan.org>".
c80a0905 135
f0e3c221 136 This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
137 under the same terms as Perl itself. See perlartistic.
c80a0905 138
f0e3c221 139DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY
140 BECAUSE THIS SOFTWARE IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY
141 FOR THE SOFTWARE, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN
142 OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES
143 PROVIDE THE SOFTWARE "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER
144 EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
145 WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE
146 ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS WITH
147 YOU. SHOULD THE SOFTWARE PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL
148 NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR CORRECTION.
c80a0905 149
f0e3c221 150 IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING
151 WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR
152 REDISTRIBUTE THE SOFTWARE AS PERMITTED BY THE ABOVE LICENCE, BE LIABLE
153 TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR
154 CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE
155 SOFTWARE (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING
156 RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A
157 FAILURE OF THE SOFTWARE TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER SOFTWARE), EVEN IF
158 SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
159 DAMAGES.
c80a0905 160
f0e3c221 161SEE ALSO
162 Catalyst::Plugin::ConfigLoader -- now a wrapper around this module.
c80a0905 163