NAME
Hash::Util - A selection of general-utility hash subroutines
SYNOPSIS
# Restricted hashes
use Hash::Util qw(
hashseed allkeys
lockkeys unlockkeys
lockvalue unlockvalue
lockhash unlockhash
lockkeysplus hashlocked
hiddenkeys legalkeys
);
%hash = (foo => 42, bar => 23);
# Ways to restrict a hash
lockkeys(%hash);
lockkeys(%hash, @keyset);
lockkeysplus(%hash, @additionalkeys);
# Ways to inspect the properties of a restricted hash
my @legal = legalkeys(%hash);
my @hidden = hiddenkeys(%hash);
my $ref = allkeys(%hash,@keys,@hidden);
my $islocked = hashlocked(%hash);
# Remove restrictions on the hash
unlockkeys(%hash);
# Lock individual values in a hash
lockvalue (%hash, 'foo');
unlockvalue(%hash, 'foo');
# Ways to change the restrictions on both keys and values
lockhash (%hash);
unlockhash(%hash);
my $hashesarerandomised = hashseed() != 0;
DESCRIPTION
"Hash::Util" and "Hash::Util::FieldHash" contain special functions for
manipulating hashes that don't really warrant a keyword.
"Hash::Util" contains a set of functions that support restricted
hashes. These are described in this document. "Hash::Util::FieldHash"
contains an (unrelated) set of functions that support the use of hashes
in inside-out classes, described in Hash::Util::FieldHash.
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
ability to ensure that an individual value cannot be changed.
This is intended to largely replace the deprecated pseudo-hashes.
lockkeys
unlockkeys
lockkeys(%hash);
lockkeys(%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 lockkeys() so this shouldn't be a
problem.
unlockkeys(%hash);
Removes the restriction on the %hash's keyset.
Note that if any of the values of the hash have been locked they
will not be unlocked after this sub executes.
Both routines return a reference to the hash operated on.
lockkeysplus
lockkeysplus(%hash,@additionalkeys)
Similar to "lockkeys()", with the difference being that the
optional key list specifies keys that may or may not be already in
the hash. Essentially this is an easier way to say
lockkeys(%hash,@additionalkeys,keys %hash);
Returns a reference to %hash
lockvalue
unlockvalue
lockvalue (%hash, $key);
unlockvalue(%hash, $key);
Locks and unlocks the value for an individual key of a hash. The
value of a locked key cannot be changed.
Unless %hash has already been locked the key/value could be deleted
regardless of this setting.
Returns a reference to the %hash.
lockhash
unlockhash
lockhash(%hash);
lockhash() locks an entire hash, making all keys and values read-
only. No value can be changed, no keys can be added or deleted.
unlockhash(%hash);
unlockhash() does the opposite of lockhash(). All keys and
values are made writable. All values can be changed and keys can
be added and deleted.
Returns a reference to the %hash.
lockhashrecurse
unlockhashrecurse
lockhashrecurse(%hash);
lockhash() locks an entire hash and any hashes it references
recursively, making all keys and values read-only. No value can be
changed, no keys can be added or deleted.
Only recurses into hashes that are referenced by another hash. Thus
a Hash of Hashes (HoH) will all be restricted, but a Hash of Arrays
of Hashes (HoAoH) will only have the top hash restricted.
unlockhashrecurse(%hash);
unlockhashrecurse() does the opposite of lockhashrecurse().
All keys and values are made writable. All values can be changed
and keys can be added and deleted. Identical recursion restrictions
apply as to lockhashrecurse().
Returns a reference to the %hash.
hashunlocked
hashunlocked(%hash) and print "Hash is unlocked!\n";
Returns true if the hash and its keys are unlocked.
legalkeys
my @keys = legalkeys(%hash);
Returns the list of the keys that are legal in a restricted hash.
In the case of an unrestricted hash this is identical to calling
keys(%hash).
hiddenkeys
my @keys = hiddenkeys(%hash);
Returns the list of the keys that are legal in a restricted hash
but do not have a value associated to them. Thus if 'foo' is a
"hidden" key of the %hash it will return false for both "defined"
and "exists" tests.
In the case of an unrestricted hash this will return an empty list.
NOTE this is an experimental feature that is heavily dependent on
the current implementation of restricted hashes. Should the
implementation change, this routine may become meaningless, in
which case it will return an empty list.
allkeys
allkeys(%hash,@keys,@hidden);
Populates the arrays @keys with the all the keys that would pass an
"exists" tests, and populates @hidden with the remaining legal keys
that have not been utilized.
Returns a reference to the hash.
In the case of an unrestricted hash this will be equivalent to
$ref = do {
@keys = keys %hash;
@hidden = ();
\%hash
};
NOTE this is an experimental feature that is heavily dependent on
the current implementation of restricted hashes. Should the
implementation change this routine may become meaningless in which
case it will behave identically to how it would behave on an
unrestricted hash.
hashseed
my $hashseed = hashseed();
hashseed() returns the seed number used to randomise hash
ordering. Zero means the "traditional" random hash ordering, non-
zero means the new even more random hash ordering introduced in
Perl 5.8.1.
Note that the hash seed is sensitive information: by knowing it one
can craft a denial-of-service attack against Perl code, even
remotely, see "Algorithmic Complexity Attacks" in perlsec for more
information. Do not disclose the hash seed to people who don't
need to know it. See also "PERLHASHSEEDDEBUG" in perlrun.
hvstore
my $sv = 0;
hvstore(%hash,$key,$sv) or die "Failed to alias!";
$hash{$key} = 1;
print $sv; # prints 1
Stores an alias to a variable in a hash instead of copying the
value.
Operating on references to hashes.
Most subroutines documented in this module have equivalent versions
that operate on references to hashes instead of native hashes. The
following is a list of these subs. They are identical except in name
and in that instead of taking a %hash they take a $hashref, and
additionally are not prototyped.
lockrefkeys
unlockrefkeys
lockrefkeysplus
lockrefvalue
unlockrefvalue
lockhashref
unlockhashref
lockhashrefrecurse
unlockhashrefrecurse
hashrefunlocked
legalrefkeys
hiddenrefkeys
CAVEATS
Note that the trapping of the restricted operations is not atomic: for
example
eval { %hash = (illegalkey => 1) }
leaves the %hash empty rather than with its original contents.
BUGS
The interface exposed by this module is very close to the current
implementation of restricted hashes. Over time it is expected that this
behavior will be extended and the interface abstracted further.
AUTHOR
Michael G Schwern on top of code by Nick Ing-
Simmons and Jeffrey Friedl.
hvstore() is from Array::RefElem, Copyright 2000 Gisle Aas.
Additional code by Yves Orton.
SEE ALSO
Scalar::Util, List::Util and "Algorithmic Complexity Attacks" in
perlsec.
Hash::Util::FieldHash.
perl v5.16.3 2013-03-04 Hash::Util(3pm)