parse_dir

 my $dir = parse_dir( $listing );
 my $dir = parse_dir( $listing, $time_zone );
 my $dir = parse_dir( $listing, $time_zone, $type );
 my $dir = parse_dir( $listing, $time_zone, $type, $error );
 my @files = parse_dir( $listing );
 my @files = parse_dir( $listing, $time_zone );
 my @files = parse_dir( $listing, $time_zone, $type );
 my @files = parse_dir( $listing, $time_zone, $type, $error );

The first parameter ($listing) is the directory listing to parse. It can be a scalar, a reference to an array of directory lines or a glob representing a filehandle to read the directory listing from.

The second parameter ($time_zone) is the time zone to use when parsing time stamps in the listing. If this value is undefined, then the local time zone is assumed.

The third parameter ($type) is the type of listing to assume. Currently supported formats are 'unix', 'apache' and 'dosftp'. The default value is 'unix'. Ideally, the listing type should be determined automatically.

The fourth parameter ($error) specifies how unparseable lines should be treated. Values can be 'ignore', 'warn' or a code reference. Warn means that the perl warn() function will be called. If a code reference is passed, then this routine will be called and the return value from it will be incorporated in the listing. The default is 'ignore'.

Only the first parameter is mandatory.

 # list context
 foreach my $file (parse_dir($listing)) {
     my($name, $type, $size, $mtime, $mode) = @$file;
 }
 
 # scalar context
 my $dir = parse_dir($listing);
 foreach my $file (@$dir) {
     my($name, $type, $size, $mtime, $mode) = @$file;
 }

The return value from parse_dir() is a list of directory entries. In a scalar context the return value is a reference to the list. The directory entries are represented by an array consisting of:

name

The name of the file.

type

One of: "f" file, "d" directory, "l" symlink, "?" unknown.

size

The size of the file.

time

The number of seconds since January 1, 1970.

mode

Bitmask a la the mode returned by "stat".