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IO::Handle(3pm) Perl Programmers Reference Guide IO::Handle(3pm)

NAME

IO::Handle - supply object methods for I/O handles

SYNOPSIS

use IO::Handle;

$io = new IO::Handle;

if ($io->fdopen(fileno(STDIN),"r")) {

print $io->getline;

$io->close;

}

$io = new IO::Handle;

if ($io->fdopen(fileno(STDOUT),"w")) {

$io->print("Some text\n");

}

# setvbuf is not available by default on Perls 5.8.0 and later.

use IO::Handle 'IOLBF';

$io->setvbuf($buffervar, IOLBF, 1024);

undef $io; # automatically closes the file if it's open

autoflush STDOUT 1;

DESCRIPTION

"IO::Handle" is the base class for all other IO handle classes. It is

not intended that objects of "IO::Handle" would be created directly,

but instead "IO::Handle" is inherited from by several other classes in

the IO hierarchy. If you are reading this documentation, looking for a replacement for the "FileHandle" package, then I suggest you read the documentation for "IO::File" too. CCOONNSSTTRRUUCCTTOORR new ()

Creates a new "IO::Handle" object.

newfromfd ( FD, MODE )

Creates an "IO::Handle" like "new" does. It requires two parame-

ters, which are passed to the method "fdopen"; if the fdopen fails, the object is destroyed. Otherwise, it is returned to the caller. MMEETTHHOODDSS

See perlfunc for complete descriptions of each of the following sup-

ported "IO::Handle" methods, which are just front ends for the corre-

sponding built-in functions:

$io->close

$io->eof

$io->fileno

$io->formatwrite( [FORMATNAME] )

$io->getc

$io->read ( BUF, LEN, [OFFSET] )

$io->print ( ARGS )

$io->printf ( FMT, [ARGS] )

$io->stat

$io->sysread ( BUF, LEN, [OFFSET] )

$io->syswrite ( BUF, [LEN, [OFFSET]] )

$io->truncate ( LEN )

See perlvar for complete descriptions of each of the following sup-

ported "IO::Handle" methods. All of them return the previous value of

the attribute and takes an optional single argument that when given will set the value. If no argument is given the previous value is

unchanged (except for $io->autoflush will actually turn ON autoflush by

default).

$io->autoflush ( [BOOL] ) $|

$io->formatpagenumber( [NUM] ) $%

$io->formatlinesperpage( [NUM] ) $=

$io->formatlinesleft( [NUM] ) $-

$io->formatname( [STR] ) $~

$io->formattopname( [STR] ) $^

$io->inputlinenumber( [NUM]) $.

The following methods are not supported on a per-filehandle basis.

IO::Handle->formatlinebreakcharacters( [STR] ) $:

IO::Handle->formatformfeed( [STR]) $^L

IO::Handle->outputfieldseparator( [STR] ) $,

IO::Handle->outputrecordseparator( [STR] ) $\

IO::Handle->inputrecordseparator( [STR] ) $/

Furthermore, for doing normal I/O you might need these:

$io->fdopen ( FD, MODE )

"fdopen" is like an ordinary "open" except that its first parameter

is not a filename but rather a file handle name, an IO::Handle

object, or a file descriptor number.

$io->opened

Returns true if the object is currently a valid file descriptor, false otherwise.

$io->getline

This works like <$io> described in "I/O Operators" in perlop except

that it's more readable and can be safely called in a list context but still returns just one line. If used as the conditional

+within a "while" or C-style "for" loop, however, you will need to

+emulate the functionality of <$io> with "defined($ = $io->get-

line)".

$io->getlines

This works like <$io> when called in a list context to read all the

remaining lines in a file, except that it's more readable. It will also croak() if accidentally called in a scalar context.

$io->ungetc ( ORD )

Pushes a character with the given ordinal value back onto the given handle's input stream. Only one character of pushback per handle is guaranteed.

$io->write ( BUF, LEN [, OFFSET ] )

This "write" is like "write" found in C, that is it is the opposite

of read. The wrapper for the perl "write" function is called "for-

matwrite".

$io->error

Returns a true value if the given handle has experienced any errors since it was opened or since the last call to "clearerr", or if the handle is invalid. It only returns false for a valid handle with no outstanding errors.

$io->clearerr

Clear the given handle's error indicator. Returns -1 if the handle

is invalid, 0 otherwise.

$io->sync

"sync" synchronizes a file's in-memory state with that on the

physical medium. "sync" does not operate at the perlio api level, but operates on the file descriptor (similar to sysread, sysseek and systell). This means that any data held at the perlio api level will not be synchronized. To synchronize data that is buffered at the perlio api level you must use the flush method. "sync" is not implemented on all platforms. Returns "0 but true" on success, "undef" on error, "undef" for an invalid handle. See fsync(3c).

$io->flush

"flush" causes perl to flush any buffered data at the perlio api level. Any unread data in the buffer will be discarded, and any unwritten data will be written to the underlying file descriptor. Returns "0 but true" on success, "undef" on error.

$io->printflush ( ARGS )

Turns on autoflush, print ARGS and then restores the autoflush sta-

tus of the "IO::Handle" object. Returns the return value from

print.

$io->blocking ( [ BOOL ] )

If called with an argument "blocking" will turn on non-blocking IO

if "BOOL" is false, and turn it off if "BOOL" is true. "blocking" will return the value of the previous setting, or the current setting if "BOOL" is not given.

If an error occurs "blocking" will return undef and $! will be set.

If the C functions setbuf() and/or setvbuf() are available, then

"IO::Handle::setbuf" and "IO::Handle::setvbuf" set the buffering policy

for an IO::Handle. The calling sequences for the Perl functions are

the same as their C counterparts-including the constants "IOFBF",

"IOLBF", and "IONBF" for setvbuf()-except that the buffer parameter

specifies a scalar variable to use as a buffer. You should only change the buffer before any I/O, or immediately after calling flush.

WARNING: The IO::Handle::setvbuf() is not available by default on Perls

5.8.0 and later because setvbuf() is rather specific to using the stdio library, while Perl prefers the new perlio subsystem instead. WARNING: A variable used as a buffer by "setbuf" or "setvbuf" mmuusstt nnoott

bbee mmooddiiffiieedd in any way until the IO::Handle is closed or "setbuf" or

"setvbuf" is called again, or memory corruption may result! Remember that the order of global destruction is undefined, so even if your buffer variable remains in scope until program termination, it may be

undefined before the file IO::Handle is closed. Note that you need to

import the constants "IOFBF", "IOLBF", and "IONBF" explicitly. Like C, setbuf returns nothing. setvbuf returns "0 but true", on success, "undef" on failure.

Lastly, there is a special method for working under -TT and setuid/gid

scripts:

$io->untaint

Marks the object as taint-clean, and as such data read from it will

also be considered taint-clean. Note that this is a very trusting

action to take, and appropriate consideration for the data source and potential vulnerability should be kept in mind. Returns 0 on

success, -1 if setting the taint-clean flag failed. (eg invalid

handle) NNOOTTEE

An "IO::Handle" object is a reference to a symbol/GLOB reference (see

the "Symbol" package). Some modules that inherit from "IO::Handle" may

want to keep object related variables in the hash table part of the

GLOB. In an attempt to prevent modules trampling on each other I pro-

pose the that any such module should prefix its variables with its own

name separated by 's. For example the IO::Socket module keeps a "time-

out" variable in 'iosockettimeout'.

BUGS

Due to backwards compatibility, all filehandles resemble objects of

class "IO::Handle", or actually classes derived from that class. They

actually aren't. Which means you can't derive your own class from

"IO::Handle" and inherit those methods.

HISTORY Derived from FileHandle.pm by Graham Barr