NAME¶

Tie::Array::CSV - A tied array which combines the power of Tie::File and Text::CSV

SYNOPSIS¶

 use strict; use warnings;
 use Tie::Array::CSV;
 tie my @file, 'Tie::Array::CSV', 'filename';
 print $file[0][2];
 $file[3][5] = "Camel";

DESCRIPTION¶

This module allows an array to be tied to a CSV file for reading and writing. The array is a standard Perl 2D array (i.e. an array of array references) which gives access to the row and column of the user's choosing. This is done using the well established modules:

•

Tie::File

•

Text::CSV

This module was inspired by Tie::CSV_File which (sadly) hasn't been maintained. It also doesn't attempt to do any of the parsing (as that module did), but rather passes all of the heavy lifting to other modules.

Note that while the Tie::File prevents the need to read in the entire file, while in use, a parsed row IS held in memory.

CONSTRUCTORS¶

Since version 0.04 both constructors allow the options that version 0.03 only offered for the "new" constructor. The constructors must be passed a file name, either as the first argument, or as the value to the option key "file". Options may be passed as key-value pairs or as a hash reference. This yields the many ways of calling the constructors shown below, one for every taste.

N.B. Should a lone argument filename and a "file" option key both be passed to the constructor, the lone argument wins.

 tie my @file, 'Tie::Array::CSV', 'filename';

 tie my @file, 'Tie::Array::CSV', 'filename', { opt_key => val, ... };
 tie my @file, 'Tie::Array::CSV', 'filename', opt_key => val, ... ;
 tie my @file, 'Tie::Array::CSV', { file => 'filename', opt_key => val, ... };
 tie my @file, 'Tie::Array::CSV', file => 'filename', opt_key => val, ... ;

 my $array = Tie::Array::CSV->new( 'filename' );
 my $array = Tie::Array::CSV->new( 'filename', { opt_key => val, ... });
 my $array = Tie::Array::CSV->new( 'filename', opt_key => val, ... );
 my $array = Tie::Array::CSV->new( file => 'filename', opt_key => val, ... );
 my $array = Tie::Array::CSV->new( { file => 'filename', opt_key => val, ... } );

 tie my @file, 'Tie::Array::CSV', 'filename', { 
   tie_file => {}, 
   text_csv => { sep_char => ';' },
 };
 tie my @file, 'Tie::Array::CSV', 'filename', sep_char => ';';

ERRORS¶

For simplicity this module "croak"s on all almost all errors, which are trappable using a $SIG{__DIE__} handler. Modifing a severed row object issues a warning.

CAVEATS¶

• Much of the functionality of normal arrays is mimicked using Tie::Array. The interaction of this with Tie::File should be mentioned in that certain actions may be very inefficient. For example, "(un)shift"-ing the first row of data will probably involve Tie::Array asking Tie::File to move each row up one line, one-by-one. As a note, the intra-row "(un)shift" does not suffer this problem.
• At one time, some effort was been made to allow for fields which contain linebreaks. Quickly it became clear that linebreaks would change line numbers used for row access by Tie::File. Attempts to compensate for this, unfortunately, moved the module far from its stated goals, and therefore far less powerful for its intended purposes. The decision has been made (for now) not to support such files.

SEE ALSO¶

•

Tie::CSV_File - inspiration for this module, but problematic

SOURCE REPOSITORY¶

<http://github.com/jberger/Tie-Array-CSV>

AUTHOR¶

Joel Berger, <joel.a.berger@gmail.com>

CONTRIBUTORS¶

Christian Walde (Mithaldu) Graham Ollis (plicease)

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE¶

Copyright (C) 2013 by "AUTHOR" and "CONTRIBUTORS".

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