NAME

Bio::Phylo::Factory - Creator of objects, reduces hardcoded class names in code

SYNOPSIS

 use Bio::Phylo::Factory;
 my $fac = Bio::Phylo::Factory->new;
 my $node = $fac->create_node( '-name' => 'node1' );

 # probably prints 'Bio::Phylo::Forest::Node'?
 print ref $node;

DESCRIPTION

The factory module is used to create other objects without having to 'use' their classes. This allows for greater flexibility in Bio::Phylo's design, as class names are no longer hard-coded all over the place.

METHODS

CONSTRUCTOR

new()

Factory constructor.

 Type    : Constructor
 Title   : new
 Usage   : my $fac = Bio::Phylo::Factory->new;
 Function: Initializes a Bio::Phylo::Factory object.
 Returns : A Bio::Phylo::Factory object.
 Args    : (optional) a hash keyed on short names, with
           class names for values. For example, 
           'node' => 'Bio::Phylo::Forest::Node', which 
           will allow you to subsequently call $fac->create_node,
           which will return a Bio::Phylo::Forest::Node object.
           (Note that this example is enabled by default, so you
           don't need to specify it.)

FACTORY METHODS

create($class, %args)

 Type    : Factory methods
 Title   : create
 Usage   : my $foo = $fac->create('Foo::Class');
 Function: Creates an instance of $class, with constructor arguments %args
 Returns : A Bio::Phylo::* object.
 Args    : $class, a class name (required),
           %args, constructor arguments (optional)

register_class()

Registers the argument class name such that subsequently the factory can instantiates objects of that class. For example, if you register Foo::Bar, the factory will be able to instantiate objects through the create_bar() method.

 Type    : Factory methods
 Title   : register_class
 Usage   : $fac->register_class('Foo::Bar');
 Function: Registers a class name for instantiation
 Returns : Invocant
 Args    : $class, a class name (required), or
           'bar' => 'Foo::Bar', such that you
           can subsequently call $fac->create_bar()

CITATION

If you use Bio::Phylo in published research, please cite it:

Rutger A Vos, Jason Caravas, Klaas Hartmann, Mark A Jensen and Chase Miller, 2011. Bio::Phylo - phyloinformatic analysis using Perl. BMC Bioinformatics 12:63. <http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2105-12-63>