NAME

       Catalyst::Action::Serialize - Serialize Data in a Response

SYNOPSIS

           package Foo::Controller::Bar;

           __PACKAGE__->config(
               'default'   => 'text/x-yaml',
               'stash_key' => 'rest',
               'map'       => {
                   'text/html'          => [ 'View', 'TT', ],
                   'text/x-yaml'        => 'YAML',
                   'text/x-data-dumper' => [ 'Data::Serializer', 'Data::Dumper' ],
               }
           );

           sub end :ActionClass('Serialize') {}

DESCRIPTION

       This action will serialize the body of an HTTP Response.  The serializer is selected by
       introspecting the HTTP Requests content-type header.

       It requires that your Catalyst controller is properly configured to set up the mapping
       between Content Type's and Serialization classes.

       The specifics of serializing each content-type is implemented as a plugin to
       Catalyst::Action::Serialize.

       Typically, you would use this ActionClass on your "end" method.  However, nothing is
       stopping you from choosing specific methods to Serialize:

         sub foo :Local :ActionClass('Serialize') {
            .. populate stash with data ..
         }

       When you use this module, the request class will be changed to Catalyst::Request::REST.

CONFIGURATION

   map
       Takes a hashref, mapping Content-Types to a given serializer plugin.

   default
       This is the 'fall-back' Content-Type if none of the requested or acceptable types is found
       in the "map". It must be an entry in the "map".

   stash_key
       Specifies the key of the stash entry holding the data that is to be serialized.  So if the
       value is "rest", we will serialize the data under:

         $c->stash->{'rest'}

   content_type_stash_key
       Specifies the key of the stash entry that optionally holds an overriding Content-Type. If
       set, and if the specified stash entry has a valid value, then it takes priority over the
       requested content types.

       This can be useful if you want to dynamically force a particular content type, perhaps for
       debugging.

HELPFUL PEOPLE

       Daisuke Maki pointed out that early versions of this Action did not play well with others,
       or generally behave in a way that was very consistent with the rest of Catalyst.

CUSTOM ERRORS

       For building custom error responses when serialization fails, you can create an ActionRole
       (and use Catalyst::Controller::ActionRole to apply it to the "end" action) which overrides
       "unsupported_media_type" and/or "_serialize_bad_request" methods.

SEE ALSO

       You likely want to look at Catalyst::Controller::REST, which implements a sensible set of
       defaults for doing a REST controller.

       Catalyst::Action::Deserialize, Catalyst::Action::REST

AUTHORS

       See Catalyst::Action::REST for authors.

LICENSE

       You may distribute this code under the same terms as Perl itself.