NAME

CGI::AppBuilder::Form - Configuration initializer

SYNOPSIS

use CGI::AppBuilder::Form;

my $ab = CGI::AppBuilder::Form->new(
   'ifn', 'my_init.cfg', 'opt', 'vhS:a:');
my ($q, $ar, $ar_log) = $ab->start_app($0, \%ARGV);
print $ab->disp_form($q, $ar); 

DESCRIPTION

This class provides methods for reading and parsing configuration files.

new (ifn => 'file.cfg', opt => 'hvS:')

This is a inherited method from CGI::AppBuilder. See the same method in CGI::AppBuilder for more details.

disp_form ($q, $ar)

Input variables:

$q    - CGI object
$ar   - array ref for parameters

Variables used or routines called:

CGI::AppBuilder::Message
  echo_msg - echo messages
  set_param - get a parameter from hash array
CGI::AppBuilder::Config
  eval_variables - replace value names with their values.

How to use:

my $ifn = 'myConfig.ini';
my ($q,$ar) = $s->get_inputs($ifn);
$self->disp_form($q, $ar);

Return: none

This method expects the following varialbes in $ar:

gk - GUI key items
gi - GUI items
gc - GUI columns
gf - GUI form
db - database connection varialbes (optional)
vars_keep - variables separated by comma for hidden variables
hr_form - hash ref containing attributes for <FORM> such as
  -target = "main"

This method performs the following tasks:

1) checks whether GI, GC and GF variables being defined.
2) replaces AR, DB, GI, and GC variables with their contents
3) builds GF elements
4) add hidden variables
5) print the form

explode_html ($gi, $pr)

Input variables:

$gi   - a hash ref 
$pr   - a parameter hash ref 

Variables used or routines called:

CGI::AppBuilder::Message
  echo_msg - echo messages

How to use:

my $ifn = 'myConfig.ini';
my ($q,$ar) = $s->get_inputs($ifn);
$self->explote_html($ar->{gi}, $ar);

Return: none

This method enables a 'x' command in your GUI definition and processes the complex elements in the hash ref. For instance, you have a GUI hash:

gi = {   # GUI Items
  rts => ['rpt_src',['DataFax Generic','Study Specific'],
       'DataFax Generic'],
  xtd_rts => 'radio_group',
  act1 => td('Action'),
  act2 => td({-colspan=>'2',-align=>'center'},
        gk->{opf} . submit('a','Go') . ' ' . submit('a','Update') .
        ' ' . reset() ),
  xcp_act => 'act1,act2',
  act  => submit('a','Go') . ' ' . reset(),
  }

and the method will copy (xcp_act) the results (HTML text) of $gi->{act1} and and $gi->{act2} into one. The $gi->{xcp_act} will contains the combined string.

The 'xtd_' instructs the method to use $gi->{rts} as arguments for the method name in $gi->{xtd_rts}.

explode_variable ($xr, $i, $pr)

Input variables:

$xr - a hash ref such as the elements of gi,gk,gc,gf in 
      GUI hash array 
$i  - one of gi, gk, gc and gf
$pr - a parameter hash ref containing the values for $i to be
      used in $xr 

Variables used or routines called:

CGI::AppBuilder::Message
  echo_msg - echo messages

How to use:

my $ifn = 'myConfig.ini';
my ($q,$ar) = $s->get_inputs($ifn);
my $gi = $self->explode_variable($ar, 'gi', $ar);
my $gc = $self->explode_variable($ar, 'gc', $ar);

Return: hash or hash ref for $i.

This method replaces variable names with their values and HTML commands with their results.

replace_named_variables ($ar, $vs, $ks)

Input variables:

$ar - a hash ref containing the elements of gi,gk,gc,gf in 
      GUI hash array 
$vs - a list of variable names separated by comma such as 
      'ar,db,gi,gk,gc'
$ks - a list of key elements separated by comma such as
      'gk,gi,gc,gf'

Variables used or routines called:

None

How to use:

my $ifn = 'myConfig.ini';
my ($q,$ar) = $s->get_inputs($ifn);
$self->replace_named_variables($ar, 'ar,db,gk,gi,gc','gk,gi,gc,gf'); 

Return: None.

This method replaces named variables with their values in $ar.

HISTORY

• Version 0.10

  This version extracts the disp_form method from CGI::Getopt class, inherits the new constructor from CGI::AppBuilder, and adds new methods of replace_named_variables, explode_variable, and explode_html.

• Version 0.20

SEE ALSO (some of docs that I check often)

Oracle::Loader, Oracle::Trigger, CGI::Getopt, File::Xcopy, CGI::AppBuilder, CGI::AppBuilder::Message, CGI::AppBuilder::Log, CGI::AppBuilder::Config, etc.

AUTHOR

Copyright (c) 2005 Hanming Tu. All rights reserved.

This package is free software and is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty. It may be used, redistributed and/or modified under the terms of the Perl Artistic License (see http://www.perl.com/perl/misc/Artistic.html)

cpanm CGI::AppBuilder::Form

perl -MCPAN -e shell
install CGI::AppBuilder::Form