Hash::SafeKeys(3pm)

NAME
Hash::SafeKeys - get hash contents without resetting each iterator

VERSION
Version 0.04

SYNOPSIS
    use Hash::SafeKeys;
    while (my ($k,$v) = each %hash) {
       if (something_interesting_happens()) {
          # get keys, values of %hash without resetting
          # the 'each' iterator above
          my @k = safekeys %hash;
          my @v = safevalues %hash;
          my %copy = safecopy %hash;
       }
    }

DESCRIPTION
Every hash variable in Perl has its own internal iterator, accessed by the builtin "each", "keys", and "values" functions. The iterator is also implicitly used whenever the hash is evaluated in list context. The iterator is "reset" whenever "keys" or "values" is called on a hash, including the implicit calls when the hash is evaluated in list context. That makes it dangerous to do certain hash operations inside a "while ... each" loop:

    while (my($k,$v) = each %hash) {
       ...
       @k = sort keys %hash;               # Infinite loop!
       @v = grep { /foo/ }, values %hash;  # Ack!
       print join ' ', %hash;              # Run away!
    }

"Hash::SafeKeys" provides alternate functions to access the keys, values, or entire contents of a hash in a way that does not reset the iterator, making them safe to use in such contexts:

    while (my($k,$v) = each %hash) {
       ...
       @k = sort safekeys %hash;               # Can do
       @v = grep { /foo/ }, safevalues %hash;  # No problem
       print join ' ', safecopy %hash;         # Right away, sir
    }

FUNCTIONS

  safekeys

  LIST = safekeys HASH
Like the builtin keys function, returns a list consisting of all the keys of the named hash, in the same order that the builtin function would return them in. Unlike "keys", calling "safekeys" does not reset the HASH's internal iterator (see each).

  safevalues

  LIST = safevalues HASH
Like the builtin values function, returns a list consisting of all the values of the named hash, in the same order that the builtin function would return them in. Unlike "values", calling "safevalues" does not reset the HASH's internal iterator (see each).

  safecopy

  LIST = safecopy HASH
In list context, returns a shallow copy of the named HASH without resetting the HASH's internal iterator. Usually, evaluating a HASH in list context implicitly uses the internal iterator, resetting any existing state

  save_iterator_state

  restore_iterator_state

  HANDLE = save_iterator_state($hashref)

  restore_iterator_state($hashref, HANDLE)
Low-level functions to manipulate the iterator of a hash reference. The use cases for directly using these functions are

1. Performance
    The absolute fastest way to safely access the keys of a hash is:

        $handle = Hash::Safekeys::save_iterator_state( \%hash );
        @keys = keys %hash;
        Hash::Safekeys::restore_iterator_state( \%hash, $handle );

    This is an improvement over "@keys = safekeys %hash" because it eliminates the O(n) list copy operation on return from the "safekeys" function.

2. Access to aliased values
    The builtin "values" function returns aliases to the internal hash values, allowing you to modify the contents of the hash with constructions like

        s/foo/bar/g for values %hash

    As "safevalues %hash" returns a copy of the hash values, "s/foo/bar/g for safevalues %hash" will not modify the contents of the hash.

    To safely modify the values of the hash, a workaround with the low-level iterator functions is

        $handle = Hash::SafeKeys::save_iterator_state( \%hash );
        for (values %hash) { ... modify($_) ... }
        Hash::SafeKeys::restore_iterator_state( \%hash, $handle );

3. Nested each calls on the same hash
    This construction will not work if $hash1 and $hash2 refer to the same hash:

        while (($key1,$val1) = each %$hash1) {
            while (($key2,$val2) = each %$hash2) { ... }
        }

    but this construction is safe:

        while (($key1,$val1) = each %$hash1) {
            $handle = Hash::SafeKeys::save_iterator_state($hash2);
            while (($key2,$val2) = each %$hash2) { ... }
            Hash::SafeKeys::restore_iterator_state($hash2, $handle);
        }

    The HANDLE that is returned by "save_iterator_state" and used as an input to "restore_iterator_state" is currently implemented as an integer that can be mapped internally to an original hash iterator. This implementation is subject to change in future releases and you should not rely on this value being an integer.

    It is a grave error to provide a different hash reference with the handle to the "restore_iterator_state" call than you provided to the "save_iterator_state" call that created the handle.

    Calling "save_iterator_state" without later calling "restore_iterator_state" will leak memory.

EXPORT
"safekeys", "safevalues", and "safecopy" are all exported by default. Invoke Hash::SafeKeys with the empty arg list

    use Hash::SafeKeys ();

if you don't want these functions to be imported into the calling package.

The low-level iterator functions "save_iterator_state" and "restore_iterator_state" may also be exported by including them in the "use" call or by using the tag ":all"

    use Hash::SafeKeys ':all';   # also exports low-level iterator funcs

AUTHOR
Marty O'Brien, "<mob at cpan.org>"

BUGS
Please report any bugs or feature requests to "bug-hash-safekeys at rt.cpan.org", or through the web interface at <http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Hash-SafeKeys>. I will be notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on your bug as I make changes.

SUPPORT
You can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command.

    perldoc Hash::SafeKeys

You can also look for information at:

•   RT: CPAN's request tracker (report bugs here)

    <http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/Bugs.html?Dist=Hash-SafeKeys>

•   AnnoCPAN: Annotated CPAN documentation

    <http://annocpan.org/dist/Hash-SafeKeys>

•   CPAN Ratings

    <http://cpanratings.perl.org/d/Hash-SafeKeys>

•   Search CPAN

    <http://search.cpan.org/dist/Hash-SafeKeys/>

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The "dclone" method in the Storable module demonstrated how to save and restore internal hash iterator state. This module is indebted to the authors of this module and to user "gpojd" at stackoverflow.com <http://stackoverflow.com/a/10921567/168857> for directing me to it.

A helpful comment by <Alexandr Evstigneev <http://search.cpan.org/~hurricup/>> let to further improvements.

LICENSE AND COPYRIGHT
Copyright 2012-2016 Marty O'Brien.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either: the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; or the Artistic License.

See http://dev.perl.org/licenses/ for more information.