NAME

       Config::Model::Itself - Model editor for Config::Model

SYNOPSIS

        my $meta_model = Config::Model -> new ( ) ;

        # load Config::Model model
        my $meta_inst = $model->instance (
           root_class_name => 'Itself::Model' ,
           instance_name   => 'meta_model' ,
        );

        my $meta_root = $meta_inst -> config_root ;

        # Itself constructor returns an object to read or write the data
        # structure containing the model to be edited
        my $rw_obj = Config::Model::Itself -> new(
           model_object => $meta_root,
           model_dir => '/path/to/model_files' ,
        ) ;

        # now load the model to be edited
        $rw_obj -> read_all( ) ;

        # For Curses UI prepare a call-back to write model
        my $wr_back = sub { $rw_obj->write_all();

        # create Curses user interface
        my $dialog = Config::Model::CursesUI-> new
             (
              experience => 'advanced',
              store => $wr_back,
             ) ;

        # start Curses dialog to edit the mode
        $dialog->start( $meta_model )  ;

        # that's it. When user quits curses interface, Curses will call
        # $wr_back sub ref to write the modified model.

DESCRIPTION

       Config::Itself module and its model files provide a model of Config:Model (hence the
       Itself name).

       Let's step back a little to explain. Any configuration data is, in essence, structured
       data. This data could be stored in an XML file. A configuration model is a way to describe
       the structure and relation of all items of a configuration data set.

       This configuration model is also expressed as structured data. This structure data is
       structured and follow a set of rules which are described for humans in Config::Model.

       The structure and rules documented in Config::Model are also expressed in a model in the
       files provided with "Config::Model::Itself".

       Hence the possibity to verify, modify configuration data provided by Config::Model can
       also be applied on configuration models. Using the same user interface.

       From a Perl point of view, Config::Model::Itself provides a class dedicated to read and
       write a set of model files.

Constructor

   new ( model_object => ... , model_dir => ... )
       Creates a new read/write handler. This handler is dedicated to the "model_object" passed
       with the constructor. This parameter must be a Config::Model::Node class.

   Methods

read_all ( root_model => ... , [ force_load => 1 ] )

       Load all the model files contained in "model_dir" and all its subdirectories. "root_model"
       is used to filter the classes read.

       Use "force_load" if you are trying to load a model containing errors.

       "read_all" returns a hash ref containing ( class_name => file_name , ...)

   write_all
       Will write back configuration model in the specified directory. The structure of the read
       directory is respected.

   write_model_snippet( snippet_dir => foo, model_file => bar.pl )
       Write snippet models in separate ".d" directory. E.g. a snippet for class "Foo::Bar" will
       be written in "Foo/Bar.d/bar.pl" file. This file is to be used by augment_config_class
       '...', class_data )">

   read_model_snippet( snippet_dir => foo, model_file => bar.pl )
       To read model snippets, this methid will search recursively $snippet_dir and load all
       "bar.pl" files found in there.

   list_class_element
       Returns a string listing all the class and elements. Useful for debugging your
       configuration model.

   get_dot_diagram
       Returns a graphviz dot file that represents the strcuture of the configuration model:

       •   "include" are represented by solid lines

       •   Class usage (i.e. "config_class_name" parameter) is represented by dashed lines. The
           name of the element is attached to the dashed line.

AUTHOR

       Dominique Dumont, (ddumont at cpan dot org)

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright (C) 2007-2012 by Dominique Dumont

LICENSE

       This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the LGPL
       terms.

SEE ALSO

       Config::Model, Config::Model::Node,