Constructors

User::Identity::Archive::Plain->new( [$name], %options )

 -Option       --Defined in             --Default
  abbreviations                           []
  description    User::Identity::Item     undef
  from           User::Identity::Archive  undef
  name           User::Identity::Item     <required>
  only                                    []
  parent         User::Identity::Item     undef
  tabstop                                 8
    

Attributes

$obj->abbreviation( $name, [$class] )

Returns the class which is capable of storing information which is grouped as $name. With $class argument, you add (or overrule) the definitions of an abbreviation. The $class is automatically loaded.

If $class is "undef", then the abbreviation is deleted. The class name which is deleted is returned.

$obj->abbreviations()

Returns a sorted list of all names which are known as abbreviations.

$obj->defaultTabStop( [$integer] )

Returns the width of a tab, optionally after setting it. This must be the same as set in your editor.

$obj->description()

Inherited, see "Attributes" in User::Identity::Item

$obj->name( [$newname] )

Inherited, see "Attributes" in User::Identity::Item

Collections

$obj->add($collection, $role)

Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item

$obj->addCollection( $object | <[$type], %options> )

Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item

$obj->collection($name)

Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item

$obj->parent( [$parent] )

Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item

$obj->removeCollection($object|$name)

Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item

$obj->type()

User::Identity::Archive::Plain->type()

Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item

$obj->user()

Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item

Searching

$obj->find($collection, $role)

Inherited, see "Searching" in User::Identity::Item

Access to the archive

$obj->from( <$fh|$filename|ARRAY>, %options )

Read the plain text information from the specified $fh, $filename, STRING, or ARRAY of lines.

 -Option --Default
  tabstop  <default from object>
  verbose  0
    

The Plain Archiver Format

It is too much work to specify full class named on each spot where you want to create a new object with data. Therefore, abbreviations are introduced. Use new(abbreviations) or abbreviations() to add extra abbreviations or to overrule some predefined.

Predefined names: user User::Identity email Mail::Identity location User::Identity::Location system User::Identity::System list User::Identity::Collection::Emails

It would have been nicer to refer to a person in stead of a user, however that would add to the confusion with the name-space.

Indentation says all

The syntax is as simple as possible. An extra indentation on a line means that the variable or class is a collection within the class on the line before.

 user markov
   location home
      country NL
   email home
      address  mark@overmeer.net
      location home
   email work
      address  solutions@overmeer.bet

 email tux
    address tux@fish.net

The above defines two items: one User::Identity named "markov", and an e-mail address "tux". The user has two collections: one contains a single location, and one stores two e-mail addresses.

To add to the confusion: the "location" is defined as field in "email" and as collection. The difference is easily detected: if there are indented fields following the line it is a collection. Mistakes will in most cases result in an error message.

Long lines

If you want to continue on the next line, because your content is too large, then add a backslash to the end, like this:

 email home
    description This is my home address,     \
                But I sometimes use this for \
                work as well
    address tux@fish.aq

Continuations do not play the game of indentation, so what you also can do is:

 email home
    description               \
 This is my home address,     \
 But I sometimes use this for \
 work as well
    address tux@fish.aq

The fields "comment" and "address" must be correctly indented. The line terminations are lost, which is useful for most fields. However, if you need them, you have to check the description of the applicable field.

Comments

You may add comments and white spaces. Comments start with a '#' as first non-blank character on the line. Comments are not allowed on the same line as real data, as some languages (like Perl) permit.

You can insert comments and blank lines on all places where you need them:

 user markov

    # my home address
    email home

       # useless comment statement
       address tux@fish.aq
       location #mind_the_hash

is equivalent to:

 user markov
    email home
       address tux@fish.aq
       location #mind_the_hash

References

Often you will have the need to add the same information to two items, for instance, multiple people share the same address. In this case, you can create a reference. However, this is only permitted for whole items: you can refer to someone's location, but not to the person's street.

To create a reference to an item of someone else, use

 user markov
    location home = user(cleo).location(home)
    location work
       organization   MARKOV Solutions

Configuration parameters

You can add some configuration lines as well. On the moment, the only one defined is

 tabstop = 4

which can be used to change the meaning of tabs in the file. The default setting is 8, but some people prefer 4 (or other values).