Test2::Util::ExternalMeta(3perl)              Perl Programmers Reference Guide


NAME
       Test2::Util::ExternalMeta - Allow third party tools to safely attach
       meta-data to your instances.

DESCRIPTION
       This package lets you define a clear, and consistent way to allow third
       party tools to attach meta-data to your instances. If your object
       consumes this package, and imports its methods, then third party meta-
       data has a safe place to live.

SYNOPSIS
           package My::Object;
           use strict;
           use warnings;

           use Test2::Util::ExternalMeta qw/meta get_meta set_meta delete_meta/;

           ...

       Now to use it:

           my $inst = My::Object->new;

           $inst->set_meta(foo => 'bar');
           my $val = $inst->get_meta('foo');

WHERE IS THE DATA STORED?
       This package assumes your instances are blessed hashrefs, it will not
       work if that is not true. It will store all meta-data in the "_meta"
       key on your objects hash. If your object makes use of the "_meta" key
       in its underlying hash, then there is a conflict and you cannot use
       this package.

EXPORTS
       $val = $obj->meta($key)
       $val = $obj->meta($key, $default)
           This will get the value for a specified meta $key. Normally this
           will return "undef" when there is no value for the $key, however
           you can specify a $default value to set when no value is already
           set.

       $val = $obj->get_meta($key)
           This will get the value for a specified meta $key. This does not
           have the $default overhead that meta() does.

       $val = $obj->delete_meta($key)
           This will remove the value of a specified meta $key. The old $val
           will be returned.

       $obj->set_meta($key, $val)
           Set the value of a specified meta $key.

META-KEY RESTRICTIONS
       Meta keys must be defined, and must be true when used as a boolean.
       Keys may not be references. You are free to stringify a reference
       "$ref" for use as a key, but this package will not stringify it for
       you.

SOURCE
       The source code repository for Test2 can be found at
       http://github.com/Test-More/test-more/.

MAINTAINERS
       Chad Granum <exodist@cpan.org>

AUTHORS
       Chad Granum <exodist@cpan.org>

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright 2020 Chad Granum <exodist@cpan.org>.

       This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
       under the same terms as Perl itself.

       See http://dev.perl.org/licenses/

perl v5.38.2                      2024-02-11  Test2::Util::ExternalMeta(3perl)