Perl validate module before use - perl

I am using Module::Pluggable to load modules from a given directory:
for my $module ( plugins() ) {
eval "use $module";
if ($#) {
my $error = (split(/\n/, $#))[0];
push #rplugin_errors, $error;
print STDOUT "Failed to load $module: $error\n";
} else {
print STDOUT "Loaded: $module\n";
my $mod = $module->new();
my $module_name = $mod->{name};
$classes{$module_name} = $mod;
}
}
This function can be called via a reload method elsewhere. But if a one of the modules I am trying to "use" throws an errors it's not loaded and the script is somewhat crippled.
I'd like to validate each module in plugins() before executing use. So Ideally I could do something like:
$error = 0;
for my $module ( plugins() ) {
eval TEST $module;
if ($#) {
print STDERR "$module failed. Will not continue";
$error = 1;
last;
}
}
if ($error == 0) {
for my $module ( plugins() ) {
use $module;
}
}

Change
eval TEST $module;
back to
eval "use $module";
Well, importing probably doesn't make sense here (or in your original code), so the following would be better:
eval "require $module";

I think you're overcomplicating this. Your code already includes a clause to test for errors in the use and report on them if any occur. (if ($#)... print STDOUT "Failed to load $module: $error\n";) According to your comment on ikegami's answer, your goal is that "If one fails, we halt and send a message stating the reload could not take place because of a module error." (Yes, I know you said your goal is to validate the modules before loading them. It isn't. Your goal is to halt if there's an error; you've just decided that pre-validation is the way to accomplish that. This is what we call an X-Y Problem.)
You're already detecting and reporting any errors that occur... You want to halt on error... So, when you detect an error, halt after reporting it.
if ($#) {
my $error = (split(/\n/, $#))[0];
push #rplugin_errors, $error;
die "Failed to load $module: $error\n";
} else {

Related

How can I force exiting a perl subroutine/closure via last/next to fail the program automatically?

Given the following fully functional perl script and module:
tx_exec.pl:
#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict; # make sure $PWD is in your PERL5LIB
# no warnings!
use tx_exec qw(tx_exec);
tx_exec ("normal", sub { return "foobar"; });
tx_exec ("die", sub { die "barbaz\n"; });
tx_exec ("last", sub { last; });
tx_exec ("next", sub { next; });
tx_exec.pm:
package tx_exec;
use strict;
use warnings;
require Exporter;
our #ISA = qw(Exporter);
our #EXPORT_OK = qw(tx_exec);
my $MAX_TRIES = 3;
sub tx_exec {
my ($desc, $sub, $args) = #_;
print "\ntx_exec($desc):\n";
my $try = 0;
while (1) {
$try++;
my $sub_ret;
my $ok = eval {
# start transaction
$sub_ret = $sub->($args);
# commit transaction
1;
};
unless ($ok) {
print "failed with error: $#";
# rollback transaction
if ($try >= $MAX_TRIES) {
print "failed after $try tries\n";
return (undef, undef);
}
print "try #$try failed, retrying...\n";
next;
}
# some cleanup
print "returning (1, ".($sub_ret//'<undef>').")\n";
return (1, $sub_ret);
}
}
I get the following output:
$ ./tx_exec.pl
tx_exec(normal):
returning (1, foobar)
tx_exec(die):
failed with error: barbaz
try #1 failed, retrying...
failed with error: barbaz
try #2 failed, retrying...
failed with error: barbaz
failed after 3 tries
tx_exec(last):
tx_exec(next):
# infinite loop
I understand what is happening, and I'm getting a warning about it if I turn on warnings in the script defining the closures. However, can I force the program to fail/die automatically/idiomatically, when next/last would exit a closure-subroutine like here, under the following strict circumstances:
The $sub being passed is a closure and not a simple function (a simple function dies on bare next/last anyway, which is trivial to handle)
The library code (tx_exec) and the client code (invoking it) are in separate compilation units and the client does not use warnings.
Using perl 5.16.2 (without possibility of upgrading).
Here is a github gist documenting all the approaches so far:
use warnings FATAL => qw(exiting) doesn't make a difference in library code
local $SIG handler doesn't work if the call site doesn't have FATAL => qw(exiting) warning enabled
manual detection works, but is somewhat cumbersome and all over the place (nonlocalized)
ysth's approach with a bare block works best, as it catches the last/next, fully localizing manual detection and guaranteeing that nothing can go wrong (except next/last with labels, which is easier to avoid).
Short Using next/last in the sub (that caller passes as coderef) triggers an exception, if not within a "loop block." This affords an easy handling of such use, with a small change of tx_exec().
The wrong use of last/next raised in the question is a little nuanced. First, from last
last cannot be used to exit a block that returns a value such as eval {}, sub {}, or do {}, and should not be used to exit a grep or map operation.
and for doing this in a sub or eval we get a warning
Exiting subroutine via last at ...
(and for "eval"), and similarly for next. These are classified as W in perldiag and can be controlled by using/not the warnings pragma.† This fact foils attempts to make such use fatal by FATAL => 'exiting' warning or by $SIG{__WARN__} hook.
However, if such use of next or last (in a sub or eval) has no "loop block" in any enclosing scope (or call stack) then it also raises an exception.‡ The message is
Can't "last" outside a loop block...
and similarly for next. It is found in perldiag (search for outside a loop), classified as F.
Then one solution for the posed problem is to run the coderef passed by caller outside of loop blocks, and we get the interpreter to check for and alert us to (raise exception) the offending use. As the while (1) loop is there only to be able to try multiple times this can be implemented.
The coderef can be run and tested against this exception in a utility routine
sub run_coderef {
my ($sub, #args) = #_;
my $sub_ret;
my $ok = eval { $sub_ret = $sub->(#args); 1 };
if (not $ok) {
if ($# =~ /^Can't "(?:next|last)"/) { #'
die $#; # disallow such use
}
else { return } # other error, perhaps retry
}
else { return $sub_ret }
}
which can be used like
sub tx_exec {
my ($sub, #args) = #_;
my $sub_ret = run_coderef($sub, #args);
my $run_again = (defined $sub_ret) ? 0 : 1;
if ($run_again) {
my $MAX_TRIES = 3;
my $try = 0;
while (1) {
++$try;
$sub_ret = run_coderef($sub, #args);
if ( not defined $sub_ret ) { # "other error", run again
if ($try >= $MAX_TRIES) {
print "failed after $try tries\n";
return (undef, undef);
}
print "try #$try failed, retrying...\n";
next;
}
...
}
}
}
This approach makes perfect sense design wise: it allows an exception to be raised for the disallowed use, and it localizes the handling in its own sub.
The disallowed behavior is checked for really only on the first run, since after that run_coderef is called out of a loop, in which case (this) exception isn't thrown. This is fine since the repeated runs (for "allowed" failures) are executed with that same sub so it is enough to check the first use.
On the other hand, it also means that we can
run eval { $sub_ret = $sub->(#args) ... } directly in the while (1), since we have checked for bad use of last/next on the first run
Can add further cases to check for in run_coderef, making it a more rounded checker/enforcer. The first example is the Exiting warnings, which we can make fatal and check for them as well. This will be useful if warnings in the caller are enabled
This approach can be foiled but the caller would have to go out of their way toward that end.
Tested with v5.16.3 and v5.26.2.
† Btw, you can't fight a caller's decision to turn off warnings. Let them be. It's their code.
‡ This can be checked with
perl -wE'sub tt { last }; do { tt() }; say "done"'
where we get
Exiting subroutine via last at -e line 1.
Can't "last" outside a loop block at -e line
while if there is a "loopy" block
perl -wE'sub tt { last }; { do { tt() } }; say "done"'
we get to see the end of the program, no exception
Exiting subroutine via last at -e line 1.
done
The extra block { ... } "semantically identical to a loop that executes once" (next).
This can be checked for eval by printing its message in $#.
The original post, based on the expectation that only warnings are emitted
The warnings pragma is lexical, so adding per ysth comment
use warnings FATAL => 'exiting';
in the sub itself (or in eval to scope it more tightly) should work under the restrictions
sub tx_exec {
use warnings FATAL => "exiting";
my ($sub, $args) = #_;
$sub->($args);
};
since the warning fires inside the tx_exec scope. In my test the call to this with a coderef not doing last/next first runs fine, and it dies only for a later call with them.
Or, can implement it using $SIG{__WARN__} "signal" (hook)
sub tx_exec {
local $SIG{__WARN__} = sub {
die #_ if $_[0] =~ /^Exiting subroutine via (?:last|next)/;
warn #_
};
my ($sub, $args) = #_;
...
}
This is the manual approach I was mentioning in the question. So far this was the only approach that helped me cleanly handle misbehaving client code, without any assumptions or expectations.
I'd prefer, and will gladly consider, a more idiomatic approach, like the local $SIG or use warnings FATAL => 'exiting', if they work without any expectation from client code (specifically that it has warnings enabled in any form).
tx_exec.pl:
#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict;
# no warnings!
use tx_exec qw(tx_exec);
tx_exec ("normal", sub { return "foobar"; });
tx_exec ("die", sub { die "barbaz\n"; });
tx_exec ("last", sub { last; });
tx_exec ("next", sub { next; });
tx_exec.pm:
package tx_exec;
use strict;
use warnings;
require Exporter;
our #ISA = qw(Exporter);
our #EXPORT_OK = qw(tx_exec);
my $MAX_TRIES = 3;
sub tx_exec {
my ($desc, $sub, $args) = #_;
print "\ntx_exec($desc):\n";
my $try = 0;
my $running = 0;
while (1) {
$try++;
my $sub_ret;
my $ok = eval {
# start transaction
die "Usage of `next` disallowed in closure passed to tx_exec\n" if $running;
$running = 1;
$sub_ret = $sub->($args);
print "sub returned properly\n";
# commit transaction
1;
};
$running = 0;
unless ($ok) {
if ($# =~ /^Usage of `next`/) {
print $#;
return (undef, undef); # don't retry
}
print "failed with error: $#";
# rollback transaction
if ($try >= $MAX_TRIES) {
print "failed after $try tries\n";
return (undef, undef);
}
print "try #$try failed, retrying...\n";
next;
}
# some cleanup
print "returning (1, ".($sub_ret//'<undef>').")\n";
return (1, $sub_ret);
}
print "Usage of `last` disallowed in closure passed to tx_exec\n";
return (undef, undef);
}
output:
tx_exec(normal):
sub returned properly
returning (1, foobar)
tx_exec(die):
failed with error: barbaz
try #1 failed, retrying...
failed with error: barbaz
try #2 failed, retrying...
failed with error: barbaz
failed after 3 tries
tx_exec(last):
Usage of `last` disallowed in closure passed to tx_exec
tx_exec(next):
Usage of `next` disallowed in closure passed to tx_exec
For lack of #ysth's involvement in writing an answer, I'm writing the best solution I found so far, inspired by his first attempt from the comments to the question. (I will re-accept ysth's answer if he posts it later).
The eval calling the coderef needs to look like this:
my $ok = eval {
# start transaction
my $proper_return = 0;
{
$sub_ret = $sub->($args);
$proper_return = 1;
}
die "Usage of `next` or `last` disallowed in coderef passed to tx_exec\n" unless $proper_return;
# commit transaction
1;
};
The bare block is acting as a loop which will immediately exit on either next or last, so whether we land after the bare block, or within it, from calling the coderef, we can deduce whether the coderef executed next/last and act appropriately.
More on bare block semantics and their interaction with next/last can be found here.
It is left as an exercise for the reader to handle the rarely seen redo in the code above.

Looping through data provided by Net::SSH2

I am using the following lib Net::SSH2
I can connect to my device and get the output OK in most case. Below is the relevant code:
sub logIntoDevice
{
my $self = shift;
my ($ssh2) = #_;
if(! $ssh2->connect($self->deviceIP))
{
say "Failed to connect to device:",$self->deviceIP;
$ssh2->disconnect();
exit 0;
}
if(! $ssh2->auth_password($self->usr, $self->pass))
{
say "Authentication Fail to ",$self->deviceIP;
$ssh2->disconnect();
exit 0;
}
my $channel = $ssh2->channel();
$channel->blocking(0);
$channel->shell();
return $channel;
}
sub sendCmd
{
my $self = shift;
my ($cmd,$channel) = #_;
my #cmdOutput;
print $channel "$cmd\n";
while (<$channel>)
{
chomp $_;
push(#cmdOutput, $_);
}
return #cmdOutput;
}
So below are the cmd i sent to the sub's. They work fine and the output is write to file OK.
$self->writeToFile($fileName,$self->sendCmd("show clock",$channel));
$self->writeToFile($fileName,$self->sendCmd("\n",$channel));
$self->writeToFile($fileName,$self->sendCmd("dir",$channel));
with the exception of when i sent the following cmd:
$self->writeToFile($fileName,$self->sendCmd("sh run",$channel));
the output of the cmd on the device using putty is:
sh run
Building configuration...
Current configuration : 16575 bytes
!
!
!Last configuration change at 16:37:19 CET+1 Sat Mar 15 2014
.....
but in the log file all you see is
sh run
Building configuration...
so the issue is the blank lines after the Building configuration output make the while (<$channel>) think its the end of the output.
My issue is I cant figure a way to loop through the data without using a While loop.
UPDATE
Ok come up with this solution but seems very clunky. must be a better way if doing this
sub sendCmd
{
my $self = shift;
my ($cmd,$channel) = #_;
my #cmdOutput;
my $currPrompt;
#get prompt. i am sure there is a better way!!! just cant figure it out
print $channel "\n";
while (<$channel>)
{
$currPrompt = $_;
}
print $channel "$cmd\n";
while(42)
{
my $inerOutput;
while (<$channel>)
{
chomp $_;
$inerOutput = $_;
push(#cmdOutput, $_);
}
if($inerOutput ne $currPrompt)
{
sleep(7);
}
else
{
last;
}
}
return #cmdOutput;
}
I don't think your issue is blank lines. Most likely, the issue is that you are using non-blocking mode, and it takes time for the device to perform the command. So you are getting an empty line (or an undef) after "Building configuration..." is read because there is no extra output produced yet.
I would use Net::SSH2's poll method with a timeout, which will let you know when there is something to read. If "sh run" takes substantially longer than other commands you are issuing, your sendCmd method needs to be aware of this, and allow more time to pass before it decides no more output is coming its way.
Alternatively, you can (as is the custom when using, for example, Net::Telnet) wait for more output until you see the prompt, whatever the prompt is for the device in question,
and then you will know that the command has finished its execution.
Net::SSH2->poll is deprecated as result of libss2_poll deprecation

How can I suppress warnings emitted by Perl's PDF::Reuse?

Is there a way to suppress warnings & error messages in PDF::Reuse?
(I don't need the warnings...if this part of the script fails for any particular pdf then its ok.)
I've tried the following but it doesn't seem to work:
eval {
local $SIG{ALRM} = sub {die "alarm\n"};
alarm 10;
{
local $SIG{__WARN__}=sub{};
use PDF::Reuse;
prFile( $copyPdf );
prDoc( $file ) ;
prEnd() or next;
}
alarm 0;
};
if ($#) {
die unless $# eq "alarm\n";
print "timed out\n";
}
What warnings are you seeing?
I tried the above script with a PDF I had lying around and got no errors or warnings. perl 5.8.8, PDF::Reuse 0.35.
Is the problem that one of your PDFs is badly formed?

just can't get perl working as expected ( conditionals and variable declaring )

EDIT:
I will try a better explication this time, this is the exact code from my script (sorry for all them coments, they are a result of your sugestions, and apear in the video below).
#use warnings;
#use Data::Dumper;
open(my $tmp_file, ">>", "/tmp/some_bad.log") or die "Can not open log file: $!\n";
#if( $id_client != "")
#allowed_locations = ();
#print $tmp_file "Before the if: ". Data::Dumper->Dump([\#allowed_locations, $id_client]) . "";
if( $id_client )
{
# print $tmp_file "Start the if: ". Data::Dumper->Dump([\#allowed_locations, $id_client]) . "";
# my $q = "select distinct id_location from locations inner join address using (id_db5_address) inner join zona_rural_detaliat using (id_city) where id_client=$id_client";
# my $st = &sql_special_transaction($sql_local_host, $sql_local_database, $sql_local_root, $sql_local_root_password, $q);
# print $tmp_file "Before the while loop: ref(st)='". ref($st) . "\n";
# while((my $id)=$st->fetchrow())
# {
# print $tmp_file "Row the while loop: ". Data::Dumper->Dump([$id]) . "";
# my $id = 12121212;
# push(#allowed_locations, $id);
# }
# print $tmp_file "After the while loop: ref(st)='". ref($st) . "\n";
# my($a) = 1;
#} else {
# my($a) = 0;
}
#print $tmp_file "After the if: ". Data::Dumper->Dump([\#allowed_locations, $id_client]) . "";
close($tmp_file) or die "Can not close file: $!\n";
#&html_error(#allowed_locations);
First off all, somebody said that I should try to run it in command line, the script works fine in command line (no warnings, It was uncommented then), but when triyng to load in via apache in the browser it fails, please see this video where I captured the script behavior, what I tried to show in the video:
I have opened 2 tabs the first doesn't define the variable $id_client, the second defines the variable $id_client that is read from GET: ?id_client=36124 => $id_client = 36124; , both of them include the library in the video "locallib.pl"
When running the script with all the
new code commented the page loads
when uncoment the line that defines
the #allowed_locations = (); the
script fails
leave this definition and uncoment
the if block, and the definition of
my $a; in the if block; Now the script works fine when $id_client is
defined, but fails when $id_client
is not defined
Uncoment the else block and the
definition of my $a; in the else
block. Now the script works fine
with or without $id_client
now comment all the my $a;
definisions and comment the else
block, the script fails
but if I'm using open() to open
a file before the IF, and
close() to close it after the if it does't fail even if the IF block
is empty and event if there is no
else block
I have replicated all the steps when running the script in the command line, and the script worked after each step.
I know it sounds like something that cannot be the behavior of the script, but please watch the video (2 minutes), maybe you will notice something that I'm doing wrong there.
Using perl version:
[root#db]# perl -v
This is perl, v5.8.6 built for i386-linux-thread-mult
Somebody asked if I don't have a test server, answer: NO, my company has a production server that has multiple purposes, not only the web interface, and I cannot risk to update the kernel or the perl version, and cannot risk instaling any debuger, as the company owners say: "If it works, leave it alone", and for them the solution with my ($a); is perfect beacause it works, I'm asking here just for me, to learn more about perl, and to understand what is going wrong and what can I do better next time.
Thank you.
P.S. hope this new approach will restore some of my -1 :)
EDIT:
I had success starting the error logging, and found this in the error log after each step that resulted in a failure I got this messages:
[Thu Jul 15 14:29:19 2010] [error] locallib.pl did not return a true value at /var/www/html/rdsdb4/cgi-bin/clients/quicksearch.cgi line 2.
[Thu Jul 15 14:29:19 2010] [error] Premature end of script headers: quicksearch.cgi
What I found is that this code is at the end of the main code in the locallib.pl after this there are sub definitions, and locallib.pl is a library not a program file, so it's last statement must returns true. , a simple 1; statement at the end of the library ensures that (I put it after sub definitions to ensure that noobody writes code in the main after the 1;) and the problem was fixed.
Don't know why in CLI it had no problem ...
Maybe I will get a lot of down votes now ( be gentle :) ) , but what can I do ...and I hope that some newbies will read this and learn something from my mistake.
Thank you all for your help.
You need to explicitly check for definedness.
If you want to enter the loop when $client is defined,
use if ( defined $client ).
If you want to enter the loop when $client is defined and a valid integer,
use if ( defined $client && $client =~ /^-?\d+$/ ).
I assume it's an integer from the context, if it can be a float, the regex needs to be enhanced - there's a standard Perl library containing pre-canned regexes, including ones to match floats. If you require a non-negative int, drop -? from regex's start.
If you want to enter the loop when $client is defined and a non-zero (and assuming it shouldn't ever be an empty string),
use if ( $client ).
If you want to enter the loop when $client is defined and a valid non-zero int,
use if ( $client && $client =~ /^-?\d+$/ ).
Your #ids is "undef" when if condition is false, which may break the code later on if it relies on #ids being an array. Since you didn't actually specify how the script breaks without an else, this is the most likely cause.
Please see if this version works (use whichever "if" condition from above you need, I picked the last one as it appears to match the closest witrh the original code's intent - only enter for non-zero integers):
UPDATED CODE WITH DEBUGGING
use Data::Dumper;
open(my $tmp_file, ">", "/tmp/some_bad.log") or die "Can not open log file: $!\n";
#ids = (); # Do this first so #ids is always an array, even for non-client!
print $tmp_file "Before the if: ". Data::Dumper->Dump([\#ids, $client]) . "\n";
if ( $client && $client =~ /^-?\d+$/ ) # First expression catches undef and zero
{
print $tmp_file "Start the if: ". Data::Dumper->Dump([\#ids, $client]) . "\n";
my $st = &sql_query("select id from table where client=$client");
print $tmp_file "Before the while loop: ref(st)='". ref($st) . "'\n";
while(my $row = $st->fetchrow())
{
print $tmp_file "Row the while loop: ". Data::Dumper->Dump([row]) . "'\n";
push(#ids, $row->[0]);
}
print $tmp_file "After the while loop: ref(st)='". ref($st) . "'\n";
# No need to undef since both variables are lexically in this block only
}
print $tmp_file "After the if\n";
close($tmp_file) or die "Can not close file: $!\n";
when checking against a string, == and != should be respectively 'eq' or 'ne'
if( $client != "" )
should be
if( $client ne "" )
Otherwise you don't get what you're expecting to get.
Always begin your script with :
use warnings;
use strict;
these will give you usefull informations.
Then you could write :
my #ids;
if (defined $client) {
#ids = (); # not necessary if you run this part only once
my $st = sql_query("select id from table where client=$client");
while( my ($id) = $st->fetchrow ) {
push #ids, $id;
}
} else {
warn '$client not defined';
}
if (#ids) { # Your query returned something
# do stuff with #ids
} else {
warn "client '$client' does not exist in database";
}
Note: this answer was deleted because I consider that this is not a real question. I am undeleting it to save other people repeating this.
Instead of
if( $client != "" )
try
if ($client)
Also, Perl debugging is easier if you
use warnings;
use strict;
What I found is that this code is at the end of the main code in the locallib.pl after this there are sub definitions, and locallib.pl is a library not a program file, so it's last statement must returns true, a simple 1; statement at the end of the library ensures that (put it after sub definitions to ensure that noobody writes code in the main after the 1;) and the problem was fixed.
The conclusion:
I have learned that every time you write a library or modify one, ensure that it's last statment returns true;
Oh my... Try this as an example instead...
# Move the logic into a subroutine
# Forward definition so perl knows func exists
sub getClientIds($);
# Call subroutine to find id's - defined later.
my #ids_from_database = &getClientIds("Joe Smith");
# If sub returned an empty list () then variable will be false.
# Otherwise, print each ID we found.
if (#ids_from_database) {
foreach my $i (#ids_from_database) {
print "Found ID $i \n";
}
} else {
print "Found nothing! \n";
}
# This is the end of the "main" code - now we define the logic.
# Here's the real work
sub getClientIds($) {
my $client = shift #_; # assign first parameter to var $client
my #ids = (); # what we will return
# ensure we weren't called with &getClientIds("") or something...
if (not $client) {
print "I really need you to give me a parameter...\n";
return #ids;
}
# I'm assuming the query is string based, so probably need to put it
# inside \"quotes\"
my $st = &sql_query("select id from table where client=\"$client\"");
# Did sql_query() fail?
if (not $st) {
print "Oops someone made a problem in the SQL...\n";
return #ids;
}
my #result;
# Returns a list, so putting it in a list and then pulling the first element
# in two steps instead of one.
while (#result = $st->fetchrow()) {
push #ids, $result[0];
}
# Always a good idea to clean up once you're done.
$st->finish();
return #ids;
}
To your specific questions:
If you want to test if $client is defined, you want "if ( eval { defined $client; } )", but that's almost certainly NOT what you're looking for! It's far easier to ensure $client has some definition early in the program (e.g. $client = "";). Also note Kaklon's answer about the difference between ne and !=
if (X) { stuff } else { } is not valid perl. You could do: if (X) { stuff } else { 1; } but that's kind of begging the question, because the real issue is the test of the variable, not an else clause.
Sorry, no clue on that - I think the problem's elsewhere.
I also echo Kinopiko in recommending you add "use strict;" at the start of your program. That means that any $variable #that %you use has to be pre-defined as "my $varable; my #that; my %you;" It may seem like more work, but it's less work than trying to deal with undefined versus defined variables in code. It's a good habit to get into.
Note that my variables only live within the squiggliez in which they are defined (there's implicit squiggliez around the whole file:
my $x = 1;
if ($x == 1)
{
my $x = 2;
print "$x \n"; # prints 2. This is NOT the same $x as was set to 1 above.
}
print "$x \n"; # prints 1, because the $x in the squiggliez is gone.

How can I catch the output from a carp in Perl?

I am writing a Perl module, and I am using carp to throw a non-fatal warning back to the calling program.
The carp warning works fine - I am checking if an input parameter meets a certain condition - if it does not meet the condition, a warning is sent with carp and the module continues on using a default for the parameter instead of the one the calling program passed. The warning is just to notify that a default parameter is being used instead of the passed in parameter.
My problem is with my test script. My test script is sending in a bad parameter to the module, and I am trying to catch the warning message that comes back and make sure I got the correct warning message.
My module looks something like this:
else {
carp "value must be numeric - using default value";
}
and my test script looks like this:
eval {
#call to my module
};
like (
$#,
qr/value must be numeric/,
"Should abort on non-numeric value"
);
When I run the test, I can see the warning (it must be going to STDERR) on the screen, but the contents of the $# variable is '' - blank.
Here is the output from my test script:
t/04bad_method_calls....ok 10/12value must be numeric - using default value at ...
# Failed test 'Should abort on non-numeric value'
# at t/04bad_method_calls.t line 98.
t/04bad_method_calls....NOK 12
# '' doesn't match '(?-xism:value must be numeric)'
# Looks like you failed 1 test of 12.
If I change the carp to a croak, my test script works - it catches the error message (but I only want to warn, not abort).
To be honest, I don't have the best understanding of eval - maybe that is not the best way to catch the warning output from carp. I tried using $SIG{__WARN__}, but that was empty as well.
Is there any way to capture the output from carp? It's not the biggest deal since this is just in my test script, but I'd still like to get my test script to work properly.
Thanks in advance!
From this page, http://perldoc.perl.org/perlvar.html, it looks like you want to set the local $SIG{__WARN__} to a subroutine that will turn warnings into fatal errors for your test script. The example they give is:
local $SIG{__WARN__} = sub { die $_[0] };
eval $proggie;
Another way how to catch warnings and also all STDERR output:
my $stderr = '';
{
local *STDERR;
open STDERR, '>', \$stderr;
do_stuf_here();
}
like( $stderr, qr/my result/, 'test stderr output' );
One can make fancy test function:
sub stderr_test (&$$) {
my ( $code, $pattern, $text ) = #_;
my $result = '';
{
local *STDERR;
open STDERR, '>', \$result;
$code->();
}
if ( UNIVERSAL::isa( $pattern, 'Regexp' ) ) {
like( $result, $pattern, $text );
}
else {
is( $result, $pattern, $text );
}
}
# usage
stderr_test {do_stuf_here} qr/my expected STDERR output/,
'stderr is like';
stderr_test {do_stuf_here} 'my expected STDERR output',
'stderr is exactly';
If you're doing this from a test script, you can use of the Test::* modules that capture output for you. I tend to like Test::Output.