Package: libclass-autoloadcan-perl (0.03-2.1)

module managing conflict between AUTOLOAD, can and inheritance

Class::AutoloadCAN solves a fundamental conflict between AUTOLOAD, can and inheritance. The problem is that while you can implement anything in AUTOLOAD, UNIVERSAL::can is not aware that it is there. Attempting to modify UNIVERSAL::can to document those methods is very hard. And if a parent class uses AUTOLOAD then subclasses have to do a lot of work to make their AUTOLOADs cooperate with the parent one. It is harder still if 2 parent classes in a multiple inheritance tree wish to cooperate with each other. Few try to do this, which may be good since those who try usually get it wrong. See http://www.perlmonks.org/?node_id=342804 for a fuller discussion.

With this module instead of writing AUTOLOADs, you write CANs. Based on what they return, Class::AutoloadCAN will decide whether you handle the call or it needs to search higher up the inheritance chain.

Tags: Software Development: Perl Development, Libraries, Implemented in: Perl

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