NAME

XML::Grove::Factory - simplify creation of XML::Grove objects

SYNOPSIS

 use XML::Grove::Factory;

 ### An object that creates Grove objects directly
 my $gf = XML::Grove::Factory->grove_factory;

 $grove = $gf->document( CONTENTS );
 $element = $gf->element( $name, { ATTRIBUTES }, CONTENTS );
 $pi = $gf->pi( $target, $data );
 $comment = $gf->comment( $data );

 ### An object that creates elements by method name
 my $ef = XML::Grove::Factory->element_factory();

 $element = $ef->NAME( { ATTRIBUTES }, CONTENTS);

 ### Similar to `element_factory', but creates functions in the
 ### current package
 XML::Grove::Factory->element_functions( PREFIX, ELEMENTS );

 $element = NAME( { ATTRIBUTES }, CONTENTS );

DESCRIPTION

XML::Grove::Factory provides objects or defines functions that let you simply and quickly create the most commonly used XML::Grove objects. XML::Grove::Factory supports three types of object creation. The first type is to create raw XML::Grove objects. The second type creates XML elements by element name. The third type is like the second, but defines local functions for you to call instead of using an object, which might save typing in some cases.

The three types of factories can be mixed. For example, you can use local functions for all element names that don't conflict with your own sub names or contain special characters, and then use a `grove_factory()' object for those elements that do conflict.

In the examples that follow, each example is creating an XML instance similar to the following, assuming it's pretty printed:

    <?xml version="1.0"?>
    <HTML>
      <HEAD>
        <TITLE>Some Title</TITLE>
      </HEAD>
      <BODY bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
        <P>A paragraph.</P>
      </BODY>
    </HTML>

GROVE FACTORY

$gf = XML::Grove::Factory->grove_factory(): Creates a new grove factory object that creates raw XML::Grove objects.
$gf->document( CONTENTS );: Creates an XML::Grove::Document object. CONTENTS may contain processing instructions, strings containing only whitespace characters, and a single element object (but note that there is no checking). Strings are converted to XML::Grove::Characters objects.
$gf->element($name, CONTENTS);
$gf->element($name, { ATTRIBUTES }, CONTENTS);: Creates an XML::Grove::Element object with the name `$name'. If the argument following `$name' is an anonymous hash, ATTRIBUTES, then they will be copied to the elements attributes. CONTENTS will be stored in the element's content (note that there is no validity checking). Strings in CONTENTS are converted to XML::Grove::Characters objects.
$gf->pi( TARGET, DATA)
$gf->pi( DATA ): Create an XML::Grove::PI object with TARGET and DATA.
$gf->comment( DATA ): Create an XML::Grove::Comment object with DATA.

GROVE FACTORY EXAMPLE

 use XML::Grove::Factory;

 $gf = XML::Grove::Factory->grove_factory;

 $element = 
   $gf->element('HTML',
     $gf->element('HEAD',
       $gf->element('TITLE', 'Some Title')),
     $gf->element('BODY', { bgcolor => '#FFFFFF' },
       $gf->element('P', 'A paragraph.')));

ELEMENT FACTORY

$ef = XML::Grove::Factory->element_factory(): Creates a new element factory object for creating elements. `element_factory()' objects work by creating an element for any name used to call the object.
$ef->NAME( CONTENTS )
$ef->NAME( { ATTRIBUTES }, CONTENTS): Creates an XML::Grove::Element object with the given NAME, ATTRIBUTES, and CONTENTS. The hash containing ATTRIBUTES is optional if this element doesn't need attributes. Strings in CONTENTS are converted to XML::Grove::Characters objects.

ELEMENT FACTORY EXAMPLE

 use XML::Grove::Factory;

 $ef = XML::Grove::Factory->element_factory();

 $element =
   $ef->HTML(
     $ef->HEAD(
       $ef->TITLE('Some Title')),
     $ef->BODY({ bgcolor => '#FFFFFF' },
       $ef->P('A paragraph.')));

ELEMENT FUNCTIONS

XML::Grove::Factory->element_functions (PREFIX, ELEMENTS): Creates functions in the current package for creating elements with the names provided in the list ELEMENTS. PREFIX will be prepended to every function name, or PREFIX can be an empty string ('') if you're confident that there won't be any conflicts with functions in your package.
NAME( CONTENTS )
NAME( { ATTRIBUTES }, CONTENTS )
PREFIXNAME( CONTENTS )
PREFIXNAME( { ATTRIBUTES }, CONTENTS ): Functions created for `NAME' or `PREFIXNAME' can be called to create XML::Grove::Element objects with the given NAME, ATTRIBUTES, and CONTENT. The hash containing ATTRIBUTES is optional if this element doesn't need attributes. Strings in CONTENT are converted to XML::Grove::Characters objects.

ELEMENT FACTORY EXAMPLE

 use XML::Grove::Factory;

 XML::Grove::Factory->element_functions('', qw{ HTML HEAD TITLE BODY P });

 $element =
   HTML(
     HEAD(
       TITLE('Some Title')),
     BODY({ bgcolor => '#FFFFFF' },
       P('A paragraph.')));

AUTHOR

Ken MacLeod, ken@bitsko.slc.ut.us

Inspired by the HTML::AsSubs module by Gisle Aas.