AI-MicroStructure

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lib/AI/MicroStructure/MultiList.pm  view on Meta::CPAN

    :all
    # names primes even
    two
    # names primes odd
    three five seven
    # names composites even
    four six eight
    # names composites odd
    nine
    # names other
    zero one

=head1 DESCRIPTION

C<AI::MicroStructure::MultiList> is the base class for all structures
that are meant to return a random excerpt from a predefined list
I<divided in categories>.

The category is selected at construction time from:

=over 4

=item 1.

the given C<category> parameter,

=item 2.

the default category for the selected structure.

=back

Categories and sub-categories are separated by a C</> character.

=head1 METHODS

AI::MicroStructure::MultiList offers several methods, so that the subclasses
are easy to write (see full example in L<SYNOPSIS>):

=over 4

=item new( category => $category )

The constructor of a single instance. An instance will not repeat items
until the list is exhausted.

    $meta = AI::MicroStructure::digits->new( category => 'primes' );
    $meta = AI::MicroStructure::digits->new( category => 'primes/odd' );

The special category C<:all> will use all the items in all categories.

    $meta = AI::MicroStructure::digits->new( category => ':all' );

If no C<category> parameter is given, C<AI::MicroStructure::MultiList>
will use the class default. If the class doesn't define a default,
then C<:all> is used.

=item init()

init() must be called when the subclass is loaded, so as to read the
__DATA__ section and fully initialise it.

=item name( $count )

Return $count names (default: C<1>).

Using C<0> will return the whole list in list context, and the size of the
list in scalar context (according to the C<category> parameter passed to the
constructor).

=item category()

Return the selected category for this instance.

=item categories()

Return the categories supported by the structure (except C<:all>).

=item has_category( $category )

Return a boolean value indicating if the structure contains the given category.

=item structure()

Return the structure name.

=back

=head1 AUTHOR

Philippe 'BooK' Bruhat, C<< <book@cpan.org> >>

=head1 COPYRIGHT & LICENSE

Copyright 2006 Philippe 'BooK' Bruhat, All Rights Reserved.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the same terms as Perl itself.

=cut



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