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 v5.36.0                                       2023-12-03                     Test2::Util::ExternalMeta(3pm)