NAME

"Devel::MAT::Tool" - extend the ability of "Devel::MAT"

DESCRIPTION

The "Devel::MAT::Tool::" namespace provides a place to store plugins that extend the abilities of Devel::MAT. Such tools can be used to provide extra analysis or display capabilities on the UI. It can interact with the UI by calling methods in the Devel::MAT::UI package.

A tool should be placed in the namespace and provide an object class. It does not need to inherit from anything specific. Tools will be constructed lazily by the UI as requested by the user.

METHODS

The following methods should provided on a tool class.

FOR_UI

  $display = CLASS->FOR_UI

If the tool should be displayed on the UI's "Tools" menu, this constant method should be provided to return a true value.

CMD

  $cname = CLASS->CMD

If the tool provides a named command for the commandline, this constant method should be provided to return its name.

AUTOLOAD_TOOL

  $load = CLASS->AUTOLOAD_TOOL( $pmat )

If the tool should be automatically loaded for the given file, this method should be provided to return a true value. This might be useful to provide extra analysis if the tool detects it can provide something useful; for example when the tool peeks inside objects of specific classes, and those classes are found in the file.

init_tool

  $tool->init_tool()

Performs any required initialisation, typically tasks such as further bulk analysis performed on the entire dumpfile heap.

init_ui

  $tool->init_ui( $ui )

Asks the tool to initialise any UI elements it may require, by calling methods on the given $ui. This may be an object, or the package name "Devel::MAT::UI" directly.

SVs

Tools may, and are encouraged to where appropriate, add methods to the "Devel::MAT::SV" package to access results of analysis or perform other related activities. All SVs are implemented as blessed HASH references, and tools may use keys beginning "tool_..." in it. Key and method names should be namespaced appropriately according to the tool name, to avoid collisions.

AUTHOR

Paul Evans <leonerd@leonerd.org.uk>