Provided by: libxml-generator-perldata-perl_0.95-1.1_all 
NAME
XML::Generator::PerlData - Perl extension for generating SAX2 events from nested Perl data
structures.
SYNOPSIS
use XML::Generator::PerlData;
use SomeSAX2HandlerOrFilter;
## Simple style ##
# get a deeply nested Perl data structure...
my $hash_ref = $obj->getScaryNestedDataStructure();
# create an instance of a handler class to forward events to...
my $handler = SomeSAX2HandlerOrFilter->new();
# create an instance of the PerlData driver...
my $driver = XML::Generator::PerlData->new( Handler => $handler );
# generate XML from the data structure...
$driver->parse( $hash_ref );
## Or, Stream style ##
use XML::Generator::PerlData;
use SomeSAX2HandlerOrFilter;
# create an instance of a handler class to forward events to...
my $handler = SomeSAX2HandlerOrFilter->new();
# create an instance of the PerlData driver...
my $driver = XML::Generator::PerlData->new( Handler => $handler );
# start the event stream...
$driver->parse_start();
# pass the data through in chunks
# (from a database handle here)
while ( my $array_ref = $dbd_sth->fetchrow_arrayref ) {
$driver->parse_chunk( $array_ref );
}
# end the event stream...
$driver->parse_end();
and you're done...
DESCRIPTION
XML::Generator::PerlData provides a simple way to generate SAX2 events from nested Perl
data structures, while providing finer-grained control over the resulting document
streams.
Processing comes in two flavors: Simple Style and Stream Style:
In a nutshell, 'simple style' is best used for those cases where you have a single Perl
data structure that you want to convert to XML as quickly and painlessly as possible.
'Stream style' is more useful for cases where you are receiving chunks of data (like from
a DBI handle) and you want to process those chunks as they appear. See PROCESSING METHODS
for more info about how each style works.
CONSTRUCTOR METHOD AND CONFIGURATION OPTIONS
new
(class constructor)
Accepts: An optional hash of configuration options.
Returns: A new instance of the XML::Generator::PerlData class.
Creates a new instance of XML::Generator::PerlData.
While basic usage of this module is designed to be simple and straightforward, there is a
small host of options available to help ensure that the SAX event streams (and by
extension the XML documents) that are created from the data structures you pass are in
just the format that you want.
Options
• Handler (required)
XML::Generator::PerlData is a SAX Driver/Generator. As such, it needs a SAX Handler or
Filter class to forward its events to. The value for this option must be an instance
of a SAX2-aware Handler or Filter.
• rootname (optional)
Sets the name of the top-level (root) element. The default is 'document'.
• defaultname (optional)
Sets the default name to be used for elements when no other logical name is available
(think lists-of-lists). The default is 'default'.
• keymap (optional)
Often, the names of the keys in a given hash do not map directly to the XML elements
names that you want to appear in the resulting document. The option contains a set of
keyname->element name mappings for the current process.
• skipelements (optional)
Passed in as an array reference, this option sets the internal list of keynames that
will be skipped over during processing. Note that any descendant structures belonging
to those keys will also be skipped.
• attrmap (optional)
Used to determine which 'children' of a given hash key/element-name will be forwarded
as attributes of that element rather than as child elements.
(see CAVEATS for a discussion of the limitations of this method.)
• namespaces (optional)
Sets the internal list of namespace/prefix pairs for the current process. It takes the
form of a hash, where the keys are the URIs of the given namespace and the values are
the associated prefix.
To set a default (unprefixed) namespace, set the prefix to '#default'.
• namespacemap (optional)
Sets which elements in the result will be bound to which declared namespaces. It takes
the form of a hash of key/value pairs where the keys are one of the declared namespace
URIs that are relevant to the current process and the values are either single
key/element names or an array reference of key/element names.
• skiproot (optional)
When set to a defined value, this option blocks the generator from adding the top-
level root element when parse() or parse_start() and parse_end() are called.
Do not use this option unless you are absolutely sure you know what you are doing and
why, since the resulting event stream will most likely produce non-well-formed XML.
• bindattrs (optional)
When set to a defined value, this option tells the generator to bind attributes to the
same namespace as element that contains them. By default attributes will be unbound
and unprefixed.
• processing_instructions (optional)
This option provides a way to include XML processing instructions events into the
generated stream before the root element is emitted. The value of this key can be
either a hash reference or an array reference of hash references. For example, when
connected to XML::SAX::Writer:
$pd->new( Handler => $writer_instance,
rootname => 'document',
processing_instructions => {
'xml-stylesheet' => {
href => '/path/to/stylesheet.xsl',
type => 'text/xml',
},
});
would generate
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?xml-stylesheet href="/path/to/stylesheet.xsl" type="text/xsl" ?>
<document>
...
Where multiple processing instructions will have the same target and/or where the
document order of those PIs matter, an array reference should be used instead. For
example:
$pd->new( Handler => $writer_instance,
rootname => 'document',
processing_instructions => [
'xml-stylesheet' => {
href => '/path/to/stylesheet.xsl',
type => 'text/xml',
},
'xml-stylesheet' => {
href => '/path/to/second/stylesheet.xsl',
type => 'text/xml',
}
]);
would produce:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?xml-stylesheet href="/path/to/stylesheet.xsl" type="text/xsl" ?>
<?xml-stylesheet href="/path/to/second/stylesheet.xsl" type="text/xsl" ?>
<document>
...
PROCESSING METHODS
Simple style processing
parse
Accepts: A reference to a Perl data structure. Optionally, a hash of config options.
Returns: [none]
The core method used during 'simple style' processing, this method accepts a reference
to a Perl data structure and, based on the options passed, produces a stream of SAX
events that can be used to transform that structure into XML. The optional second
argument is a hash of config options identical to those detailed in the OPTIONS
section of the the new() constructor description.
Examples:
$pd->parse( \%my_hash );
$pd->parse( \%my_hash, rootname => 'recordset' );
$pd->parse( \@my_list, %some_options );
$pd->parse( $my_hashref );
$pd->parse( $my_arrayref, keymap => { default => ['foo', 'bar', 'baz'] } );
Stream style processing
parse_start
Accepts: An optional hash of config options.
Returns: [none]
Starts the SAX event stream and (unless configured not to) fires the event the top-
level root element. The optional argument is a hash of config options identical to
those detailed in the OPTIONS section of the the new() constructor description.
Example:
$pd->parse_start();
parse_end
Accepts: [none].
Returns: Varies. Returns what the final Handler returns.
Ends the SAX event stream and (unless configured not to) fires the event to close the
top-level root element.
Example:
$pd->parse_end();
parse_chunk
Accepts: A reference to a Perl data structure.
Returns: [none]
The core method used during 'stream style' processing, this method accepts a reference
to a Perl data structure and, based on the options passed, produces a stream of SAX
events that can be used to transform that structure into XML.
Examples:
$pd->parse_chunk( \%my_hash );
$pd->parse_chunk( \@my_list );
$pd->parse_chunk( $my_hashref );
$pd->parse_chunk( $my_arrayref );
CONFIGURATION METHODS
All config options can be passed to calls to the new() constructor using the typical "hash
of named properties" syntax. The methods below offer direct access to the individual
options (or ways to add/remove the smaller definitions contained by those options).
init
Accepts: The same configuration options that can be passed to the new() constructor.
Returns: [none]
See the list of OPTIONS above in the definition of new() for details.
rootname
Accepts: A string or [none].
Returns: The current root name.
When called with an argument, this method sets the name of the top-level (root)
element. It always returns the name of the current (or new) root name.
Examples:
$pd->rootname( $new_name );
my $current_root = $pd->rootname();
defaultname
Accepts: A string or [none]
Returns: The current default element name.
When called with an argument, this method sets the name of the default element. It
always returns the name of the current (or new) default name.
Examples:
$pd->defaultname( $new_name );
my $current_default = $pd->defaultname();
keymap
Accepts: A hash (or hash reference) containing a series of keyname->elementname
mappings or [none].
Returns: The current keymap hash (as a plain hash, or hash reference depending on
caller context).
When called with a hash (hash reference) as its argument, this method sets/resets the
entire internal keyname->elementname mappings definitions (where 'keyname' means the
name of a given key in the hash and 'elementname' is the name used when firing SAX
events for that key).
In addition to simple name->othername mappings, value of a keymap option can also a
reference to a subroutine (or an anonymous sub). The keyname will be passed as the
sole argument to this subroutine and the sub is expected to return the new element
name. In the cases of nested arrayrefs, no keyname will be passed, but you can still
generate the name from scratch.
Extending that idea, keymap will also accept a default mapping using the key '*' that
will be applied to all elements that do have an explicit mapping configured.
To add new mappings or remove existing ones without having to reset the whole list of
mappings, see add_keymap() and delete_keymap() respectively.
If your are using "stream style" processing, this method should be used with caution
since altering this mapping during processing may result in not-well-formed XML.
Examples:
$pd->keymap( keyname => 'othername',
anotherkey => 'someothername' );
$pd->keymap( \%mymap );
# make all tags lower case
$pd->keymap( '*' => sub{ return lc( $_[0];} );
# process keys named 'keyname' with a local sub
$pd->keymap( keyname => \&my_namer,
my %kmap_hash = $pd->keymap();
my $kmap_hashref = $pd->keymap();
add_keymap
Accepts: A hash (or hash reference) containing a series of keyname->elementname
mappings.
Returns: [none]
Adds a series of keyname->elementname mappings (where 'keyname' means the name of a
given key in the hash and 'elementname' is the name used when firing SAX events for
that key).
Examples:
$pd->add_keymap( keyname => 'othername' );
$pd->add_keymap( \%hash_of_mappings );
delete_keymap
Accepts: A list (or array reference) of element/keynames.
Returns: [none]
Deletes a list of keyname->elementname mappings (where 'keyname' means the name of a
given key in the hash and 'elementname' is the name used when firing SAX events for
that key).
This method should be used with caution since altering this mapping during processing
may result in not-well-formed XML.
Examples:
$pd->delete_keymap( 'some', 'key', 'names' );
$pd->delete_keymap( \@keynames );
skipelements
Accepts: A list (or array reference) containing a series of key/element names or
[none].
Returns: The current skipelements array (as a plain list, or array reference depending
on caller context).
When called with an array (array reference) as its argument, this method sets/resets
the entire internal skipelement definitions (which determines which keys will not be
'parsed' during processing).
To add new mappings or remove existing ones without having to reset the whole list of
mappings, see add_skipelements() and delete_skipelements() respectively.
Examples:
$pd->skipelements( 'elname', 'othername', 'thirdname' );
$pd->skipelements( \@skip_names );
my @skiplist = $pd->skipelements();
my $skiplist_ref = $pd->skipelements();
add_skipelements
Accepts: A list (or array reference) containing a series of key/element names.
Returns: [none]
Adds a list of key/element names to skip during processing.
Examples:
$pd->add_skipelements( 'some', 'key', 'names' );
$pd->add_skipelements( \@keynames );
delete_skipelements
Accepts: A list (or array reference) containing a series of key/element names.
Returns: [none]
Deletes a list of key/element names to skip during processing.
Examples:
$pd->delete_skipelements( 'some', 'key', 'names' );
$pd->delete_skipelements( \@keynames );
charmap
Accepts: A hash (or hash reference) containing a series of parent/child keyname pairs
or [none].
Returns: The current charmap hash (as a plain hash, or hash reference depending on
caller context).
When called with a hash (hash reference) as its argument, this method sets/resets the
entire internal keyname/elementname->characters children mappings definitions (where
'keyname' means the name of a given key in the hash and 'characters children' is list
containing the nested keynames that should be passed as the text children of the
element named 'keyname' (instead of being processed as child elements or attributes).
To add new mappings or remove existing ones without having to reset the whole list of
mappings, see add_charmap() and delete_charmap() respectively.
See CAVEATS for the limitations that relate to this method.
Examples:
$pd->charmap( elname => ['list', 'of', 'nested', 'keynames' );
$pd->charmap( \%mymap );
my %charmap_hash = $pd->charmap();
my $charmap_hashref = $pd->charmap();
add_charmap
Accepts: A hash or hash reference containing a series of parent/child keyname pairs.
Returns: [none]
Adds a series of parent-key -> child-key relationships that define which of the
possible child keys will be processed as text children of the created 'parent'
element.
Examples:
$pd->add_charmap( parentname => ['list', 'of', 'child', 'keys'] );
$pd->add_charmap( parentname => 'childkey' );
$pd->add_charmap( \%parents_and_kids );
delete_charmap
Accepts: A list (or array reference) of element/keynames.
Returns: [none]
Deletes a list of parent-key -> child-key relationships from the instance-wide hash of
"parent->nested names to pass as text children definitions. If you need to alter the
list of child names (without deleting the parent key) use add_charmap() to reset the
parent-key's definition.
Examples:
$pd->delete_charmap( 'some', 'parent', 'keys' );
$pd->delete_charmap( \@parentkeynames );
attrmap
Accepts: A hash (or hash reference) containing a series of parent/child keyname pairs
or [none].
Returns: The current attrmap hash (as a plain hash, or hash reference depending on
caller context).
When called with a hash (hash reference) as its argument, this method sets/resets the
entire internal keyname/elementname->attr children mappings definitions (where
'keyname' means the name of a given key in the hash and 'attr children' is list
containing the nested keynames that should be passed as attributes of the element
named 'keyname' (instead of as child elements).
To add new mappings or remove existing ones without having to reset the whole list of
mappings, see add_attrmap() and delete_attrmap() respectively.
See CAVEATS for the limitations that relate to this method.
Examples:
$pd->attrmap( elname => ['list', 'of', 'nested', 'keynames' );
$pd->attr( \%mymap );
my %attrmap_hash = $pd->attrmap();
my $attrmap_hashref = $pd->attrmap();
add_attrmap
Accepts: A hash or hash reference containing a series of parent/child keyname pairs.
Returns: [none]
Adds a series of parent-key -> child-key relationships that define which of the
possible child keys will be processed as attributes of the created 'parent' element.
Examples:
$pd->add_attrmap( parentname => ['list', 'of', 'child', 'keys'] );
$pd->add_attrmap( parentname => 'childkey' );
$pd->add_attrmap( \%parents_and_kids );
delete_attrmap
Accepts: A list (or array reference) of element/keynames.
Returns: [none]
Deletes a list of parent-key -> child-key relationships from the instance-wide hash of
"parent->nested names to pass as attributes" definitions. If you need to alter the
list of child names (without deleting the parent key) use add_attrmap() to reset the
parent-key's definition.
Examples:
$pd->delete_attrmap( 'some', 'parent', 'keys' );
$pd->delete_attrmap( \@parentkeynames );
bindattrs
Accepts: 1 or 0 or [none].
Returns: undef or 1 based on the current state of the bindattrs option.
Consider:
<myns:foo bar="quux"/>
and
<myns:foo myns:bar="quux"/>
are not functionally equivalent.
By default, attributes will be forwarded as not being bound to the namespace of the
containing element (like the first example above). Setting this option to a true value
alters that behavior.
Examples:
$pd->bindattrs(1); # attributes now bound and prefixed.
$pd->bindattrs(0);
my $is_binding = $pd->bindattrs();
add_namespace
Accepts: A hash containing the defined keys 'uri' and 'prefix'.
Returns: [none]
Add a namespace URI/prefix pair to the instance-wide list of XML namespaces that will
be used while processing. The reserved prefix '#default' can be used to set the
default (unprefixed) namespace declaration for elements.
Examples:
$pd->add_namespace( uri => 'http://myhost.tld/myns',
prefix => 'myns' );
$pd->add_namespace( uri => 'http://myhost.tld/default',
prefix => '#default' );
See namespacemap() or the namespacemap option detailed in new() for details about how
to associate key/element name with a given namespace.
namespacemap
Accepts: A hash (or hash reference) containing a series of uri->key/element name
mappings or [none].
Returns: The current namespacemap hash (as a plain hash, or hash reference depending
on caller context).
When called with a hash (hash reference) as its argument, this method sets/resets the
entire internal namespace URI->keyname/elementname mappings definitions (where
'keyname' means the name of a given key in the hash and 'namespace URI' is a declared
namespace URI for the given process).
To add new mappings or remove existing ones without having to reset the whole list of
mappings, see add_namespacemap() and delete_namespacemap() respectively.
If your are using "stream style" processing, this method should be used with caution
since altering this mapping during processing may result in not-well-formed XML.
Examples:
$pd->add_namespace( uri => 'http://myhost.tld/myns',
prefix => 'myns' );
$pd->namespacemap( 'http://myhost.tld/myns' => elname );
$pd->namespacemap( 'http://myhost.tld/myns' => [ 'list', 'of', 'elnames' ] );
$pd->namespacemap( \%mymap );
my %nsmap_hash = $pd->namespacemap();
my $nsmap_hashref = $pd->namespacemap();
add_namespacemap
Accepts: A hash (or hash reference) containing a series of uri->key/element name
mappings
Returns: [none]
Adds one or more namespace->element/keyname rule to the instance-wide list of
mappings.
Examples:
$pd->add_namespacemap( 'http://myhost.tld/foo' => ['some', 'list', 'of' 'keys'] );
$pd->add_namespacemap( %new_nsmappings );
remove_namespacemap
Accepts: A list (or array reference) of element/keynames.
Returns: [none]
Removes a list of namespace->element/keyname rules to the instance-wide list of
mappings.
Examples:
$pd->delete_namespacemap( 'foo', 'bar', 'baz' );
$pd->delete_namespacemap( \@list_of_keynames );
SAX EVENT METHODS
As a subclass of XML::SAX::Base, XML::Generator::PerlData allows you to call all of the
SAX event methods directly to insert arbitrary events into the stream as needed. While its
use in this way is probably a Bad Thing (and only relevant to "stream style" processing)
it is good to know that such fine-grained access is there if you need it.
With that aside, there may be cases (again, using the "stream style") where you'll want to
insert single elements into the output (wrapping each array in series of arrays in single
'record' elements, for example).
The following methods may be used to simplify this task by allowing you to pass in simple
element name strings and have the result 'just work' without requiring an expert knowledge
of the Perl SAX2 implementation or forcing you to keep track of things like namespace
context.
Take care to ensure that every call to start_tag() has a corresponding call to end_tag()
or your documents will not be well-formed.
start_tag
Accepts: A string containing an element name and an optional hash of simple key/value
attributes.
Returns: [none]
Examples:
$pd->start_tag( $element_name );
$pd->start_tag( $element_name, id => $generated_id );
$pd->start_tag( $element_name, %some_attrs );
end_tag
Accepts: A string containing an element name.
Returns: [none]
Examples:
$pd->end_tag( $element_name );
CAVEATS
In general, XML is based on the idea that every bit of data is going to have a
corresponding name (Elements, Attributes, etc.). While this is not at all a Bad Thing, it
means that some Perl data structures do not map cleanly onto an XML representation.
Consider:
my %hash = ( foo => ['one', 'two', 'three'] );
How do you represent that as XML? Is it three 'foo' elements, or is it a 'foo' parent
element with 3 mystery children? XML::Generator::PerlData chooses the former. Or:
<foo>one</foo>
<foo>two</foo>
<foo>three</foo>
Now consider:
my @lol = ( ['one', 'two', 'three'], ['four', 'five', 'six'] );
In this case you wind up with a pile of elements named 'default'. You can work around this
by doing $pd->add_keymap( default => ['list', 'of', 'names'] ) but that only works if you
know how many entries are going to be in each nested list.
The practical implication here is that the current version of XML::Generator::PerlData
favors data structures that are based on hashes of hashes for deeply nested structures
(especally when using Simple Style processing) and some options like "attrmap" do not work
for arrays at all. Future versions will address these issues if sanely possible.
AUTHOR
Kip Hampton, khampton@totalcinema.com
COPYRIGHT
(c) Kip Hampton, 2002-2014, All Rights Reserved.
LICENSE
This module is released under the Perl Artistic Licence and may be redistributed under the
same terms as perl itself.
SEE ALSO
XML::SAX, XML::SAX::Writer.