NAME

Hash::Util - A selection of general-utility hash subroutines

SYNOPSIS

  use Hash::Util qw(lock_keys   unlock_keys
                    lock_value  unlock_value
                    lock_hash   unlock_hash);

  %hash = (foo => 42, bar => 23);
  lock_keys(%hash);
  lock_keys(%hash, @keyset);
  unlock_keys(%hash);

  lock_value  (%hash, 'foo');
  unlock_value(%hash, 'foo');

  lock_hash  (%hash);
  unlock_hash(%hash);

DESCRIPTION

Hash::Util contains special functions for manipulating hashes that don't really warrant a keyword.

By default Hash::Util does not export anything.

Restricted hashes

5.8.0 introduces the ability to restrict a hash to a certain set of keys. No keys outside of this set can be added. It also introduces the ability to lock an individual key so it cannot be deleted and the value cannot be changed.

This is intended to largely replace the deprecated pseudo-hashes.

lock_keys

unlock_keys

  lock_keys(%hash);
  lock_keys(%hash, @keys);

Restricts the given %hash's set of keys to @keys. If @keys is not given it restricts it to its current keyset. No more keys can be added. delete() and exists() will still work, but will not alter the set of allowed keys. Note: the current implementation prevents the hash from being bless()ed while it is in a locked state. Any attempt to do so will raise an exception. Of course you can still bless() the hash before you call lock_keys() so this shouldn't be a problem.

  unlock_keys(%hash);

Removes the restriction on the %hash's keyset.

lock_value

unlock_value

  lock_value  (%hash, $key);
  unlock_value(%hash, $key);

Locks and unlocks an individual key of a hash. The value of a locked key cannot be changed.

%hash must have already been locked for this to have useful effect.

lock_hash

unlock_hash

    lock_hash(%hash);

lock_hash() locks an entire hash, making all keys and values readonly. No value can be changed, no keys can be added or deleted.

    unlock_hash(%hash);

unlock_hash() does the opposite of lock_hash(). All keys and values are made read/write. All values can be changed and keys can be added and deleted.

CAVEATS

Note that the trapping of the restricted operations is not atomic: for example

    eval { %hash = (illegal_key => 1) }

leaves the %hash empty rather than with its original contents.

AUTHOR