File Coverage

blib/lib/CGI/Application/Plugin/Forward.pm

Criterion	Covered	Total	%
statement	31	31	100.0
branch	10	12	83.3
condition	3	3	100.0
subroutine	6	6	100.0
pod	1	1	100.0
total	51	53	96.2

package CGI::Application::Plugin::Forward;


use warnings;
use strict;
use Carp;
use vars qw(@ISA @EXPORT);
@ISA = ('Exporter');

@EXPORT = ('forward');

=head1 NAME

CGI::Application::Plugin::Forward - Pass control from one run mode to another

=head1 VERSION

Version 1.06

=cut

our $VERSION = '1.06';

use CGI::Application;
if (CGI::Application->can('new_hook')) {
    CGI::Application->new_hook('forward_prerun');
}

=head1 SYNOPSIS

    use base 'CGI::Application';
    use CGI::Application::Plugin::Forward;

    sub setup {
        my $self = shift;
        $self->run_modes([qw(
            start
            second_runmode
        )]);
    }
    sub start {
        my $self = shift;
        return $self->forward('second_runmode');
    }
    sub second_runmode {
        my $self = shift;

        my $rm = $self->get_current_runmode;  # 'second_runmode'

    }

=head1 DESCRIPTION

The forward method passes control to another run mode and returns its
output.  This is equivalent to calling C<< $self->$other_runmode >>,
except that L's internal value of the current run mode
is updated.

This means that calling C<< $self->get_current_runmode >> after calling
C will return the name of the new run mode.  This is useful for
modules that depend on the name of the current run mode such as
L.

For example, here's how to pass control to a run mode named C
from C while updating the value of C:

    sub setup {
        my $self = shift;
        $self->run_modes({
            start         => 'start',
            other_action  => 'other_method',
        });
    }
    sub start {
        my $self = shift;
        return $self->forward('other_action');
    }
    sub other_method {
        my $self = shift;

        my $rm = $self->get_current_runmode;  # 'other_action'
    }

Note that forward accepts the I of the run mode (in this case
I<'other_action'>), which might not be the same as the name of the
method that handles the run mode (in this case I<'other_method'>)


You can still call C<< $self->other_method >> directly, but
C will not be updated:

    sub setup {
        my $self = shift;
        $self->run_modes({
            start         => 'start',
            other_action  => 'other_method',
        });
    }
    sub start {
        my $self = shift;
        return $self->other_method;
    }
    sub other_method {
        my $self = shift;

        my $rm = $self->get_current_runmode;  # 'start'
    }


Forward will work with coderef-based runmodes as well:

    sub setup {
        my $self = shift;
        $self->run_modes({
            start         => 'start',
            anon_action   => sub {
                my $self = shift;
                my $rm = $self->get_current_runmode;  # 'anon_action'
            },
        });
    }
    sub start {
        my $self = shift;
        return $self->forward('anon_action');
    }

=head1 FORWARD vs. REDIRECT

Calling C changes the run mode of your application, but it
stays within the same HTTP request.

To redirect to a new runmode using a completely new web request, you
might consider using the C method provided by
L.

The advantage of using an external redirect as opposed to an internal
forward is that it provides a 'clean break' between pages.

For instance, in a typical BREAD application (Browse, Read, Edit, Add,
Delete), after the user completes an action, you usually return the user
to the Browse list.  For instance, when the user adds a new record
via a POST form, and your app returns them to the list of records.

If you use C, then you are still in the same request as the
original I.  The user might hit I, expecting to
refresh the list of records.  But in fact, I will attempt to
repost the I form.  The user's browser might present a
warning about reposting the same data.  The browser may refuse to
redisplay the page, due for caching reasons.

So in this case, it may make more sense to do a fresh HTTP redirect back
to the Browse list.

=head1 METHODS

=head2 forward

Runs another run mode passing any parameters you supply.  Returns the
output of the new run mode.

    return $self->forward('run_mode_name', @run_mode_params);

=cut

sub forward {
    my $self     = shift;
    my $run_mode = shift;

    if ($CGI::Application::Plugin::AutoRunmode::VERSION) {
        if (CGI::Application::Plugin::AutoRunmode->can('is_auto_runmode')) {
            if (CGI::Application::Plugin::AutoRunmode::is_auto_runmode($self, $run_mode)) {
                $self->run_modes( $run_mode => $run_mode);
            }
        }
    }

    my %rm_map = $self->run_modes;
    if (not exists $rm_map{$run_mode}) {
        croak "CAP::Forward: run mode $run_mode does not exist";
    }
    my $method = $rm_map{$run_mode};

    if ($self->can($method) or ref $method eq 'CODE') {
        $self->{__CURRENT_RUNMODE} = $run_mode;
        if ($self->can('call_hook')) {
            $self->call_hook('forward_prerun');
        }
        return $self->$method(@_);
    }
    else {
        croak "CAP::Forward: target method $method of run mode $run_mode does not exist";
    }
}


=head1 HOOKS

Before the forwarded run mode is called, the C hook is
called. You can use this hook to do any prep work that you want to do
before any new run mode gains control.

This is similar to L's built in C
method, but it is called each time you call L; not just the
when your application starts.

    sub setup {
        my $self = shift;
        $self->add_callback('forward_prerun' => \&prepare_rm_stuff);
    }

    sub prepare_rm_stuff {
        my $self = shift;
        # do any necessary prep work here....
    }

Note that your hooked method will only be called when you call
L.  If you never call C, the hook will not be called.
In particuar, the hook will not be called for your application's
C.  For that, you still use C.

If you want to have a method run for every run mode I the
C, then you can call the hook directly from
C.

    sub setup {
        my $self = shift;
        $self->add_callback('forward_prerun' => \&prepare_rm_stuff);
    }
    sub cgiapp_prerun {
        my $self = shift;
        $self->prepare_rm_stuff;
    }

    sub prepare_rm_stuff {
        my $self = shift;
        # do any necessary prep work here....
    }

Alternately, you can hook C to the C
hook:

    sub setup {
        my $self = shift;
        $self->add_callback('forward_prerun' => \&cgiapp_prerun);
    }
    sub cgiapp_prerun {
        my $self = shift;
        # do any necessary prep work here....
    }

This is a less flexible solution, since certain things that can be done
in C (like setting C) won't work when the
method is called from the C hook.

=head1 AUTHOR

Michael Graham, C<<  >>

=head1 BUGS

Please report any bugs or feature requests to
C, or through the web interface at
L.  I will be notified, and then you'll automatically
be notified of progress on your bug as I make changes.

=head1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Mark Stosberg for the idea and...well...the implementation as
well.

=head1 COPYRIGHT & LICENSE

Copyright 2005 Michael Graham, All Rights Reserved.

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

=cut

1; # End of CGI::Application::Plugin::Forward