File Coverage

=head1 NAME

Data::Dumper::EasyOO - wraps DD for easy use of various printing styles

=head1 ABSTRACT

EzDD is an object wrapper around Data::Dumper (henceforth just DD),
and uses an inner DD object to produce all its output.  Its purpose is
to make DD's OO capabilities easier to use, ie to make it easy to:

 1. label your data meaningfully, not just as $VARx
 2. make and reuse EzDD objects
 3. customize print styles on any/all of them independently
 4. provide essentially all of DD's functionality
 5. do so with fewest keystrokes possible

=head1 SYNOPSIS

1st, an equivalent to DD's Dumper, which prints exactly like Dumper does

    use Data::Dumper::EasyOO;
    print ezdump([1,3]);

which prints:

    $VAR1 = [
              1,
              3
            ];

Here, we provide our own (meaningful) label, and use autoprinting, and
thereby drop the 'print' from all ezdump calls.


    use Data::Dumper::EasyOO (autoprint => 1);
    my $gl = { Joe => 'beer', Betsy => 'wine' });
    ezdump ( guest_list => $gl);

which prints:

    $guest_list = {
                    'Joe' => 'beer',
                    'Betsy' => 'wine'
                  };


And theres much more...

=head1 DESCRIPTION

EzDD wraps Data::Dumper, and uses an inner DD object to print/dump.
By default the output is identical to DD.  That said, EzDD gives you a
nicer interface, thus encouraging you to tailor DD output the way you
like it.

A primary design feature of EzDD is that you can choose your preferred
printing style in the 'use' statement.  EzDD replaces the usual
'import' semantics with the same (property => value) pairs as are
available in new().  

You can think of the use statement as a way to set new()'s default
behavior once, and reuse those styles (or override and supplement
them) on EzDD objects you create thereafter.

All of DD's style-setting methods are available in EzDD as both
properties to new(), and as object methods; its your choice.

=head2 An easy use of ezdump()

For maximum laziness support, ezdump() is exported into your
namespace, and supports the synopsis example.  $ezdump is also
exported; it is the EzDD object that ezdump() uses to do its dumping,
and allows you to tailor ezdump()s print-style.  It also lets you use
OO style if you prefer.

Continuing from 2nd synopsis example...

    $ezdump->Set(sortkeys=>1);
    ezdump ( guest_list => $gl );
    print "\n";
    $ezdump->Indent(1);
    ezdump ( guest_list => $gl );

which prints:

    $guest_list = {
                    'Betsy' => 'wine',
                    'Joe' => 'beer'
                  };

    $guest_list = {
      'Betsy' => 'wine',
      'Joe' => 'beer'
    };

The print-styles are set 2 times; 1st as a property setting, 2nd done
like a DD method.  The styles accumulate and persist on the object.


=cut

=for consideration

    # rest is EXPERIMENTAL, and incomplete, and broken
    # Im not sure I like it anyway, even if it did work

    if (@aliases) { # && not @ezdds) {
	# create default objects into the aliases

	foreach my $alias (@aliases) {
	    my $x = $pkg->new();

	    # create the alias in caller pkg
	    ${$caller.'::'.$alias} = $x;

	    # this breaks aliasPkg->new() calls
	    # *{$caller.'::'.$alias} = \&$x;
	}
    }
=cut