> Isn't this the same as Markov's Object::Realize::Later ?
No, but that module certainly helps solve a similar set of problems;
it uses a formal object that populates itself in a defined manner,
instead of a tied scalar `tripping an alarm' that calls the sub to get
itself realized.
Very interesting, this more complex/complete solution may end up
avoiding some of the caveats of my approach. Thanks for the pointer.
> To my understanding it's a lot more like Simon Cozens's
> Tie::Discovery, only with single scalars rather than hash
> entries.
Yes, this is exactly right. I'll check out Simon's work to see if I
can fit the scalar version in gracefully. richardc++
> Mmm. The perl community seems to be bad at finding suitably
> descriptive names for things, given the seeming inability of
> later programmers to find them, and save re-inventing wheels.
No kidding. Perhaps the low volume of mail on this list is related.
> This seems on first inspection to be a form of Memoize, but
> providing access via variables (presumably tied, and therefore
> less efficient) than via functions. Memoize is part of the Perl
> core as of 5.8.0 .
No, memoize remembers the result from a function call with a set of
indexed arguments and caches them. This module _replaces_ a scalar
(eg, a reference to an object) with the result of a sub (eg, the
object) when it is accessed. Chalk and cheese, I'm afraid. The
efficiency issue is also a moot point, because after FETCH is called
once, the tied variable collapses into a regular scalar.
Besides, according to qq«package foo;
sub TIESCALAR { my $class = shift; bless { foo => shift }, $class; }
sub FETCH { return $_[0]->{foo}; }
package main;
use Benchmark;
my $thingy; my $obj = tie $thingy, "foo", "bar";
timethese(1_000, { "tie" => sub { ($thingy eq "bar") for (1..1000) },
"method" => sub { ($obj->FETCH eq "bar") for 1..1000 },
});», it's not dreadfully slower than a method call.
--
Sam Vilain, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Try to be the best of what you are, even if what you are is no good.
ASHLEIGH BRILLIANT
