HTML::ElementGlob(3)

NAME
HTML::ElementGlob - Perl extension for managing HTML::Element based objects as a single object.

SYNOPSIS
  use HTML::ElementGlob;
  $element_a = new HTML::Element 'font', color => 'red';
  $element_b = new HTML::Element 'font', color => 'blue';
  $element_a->push_content('red');
  $element_b->push_content('blue');

  $p = new HTML::Element 'p';
  $p->push_content($element_a, ' and ', $element_b, ' boo hoo hoo');

  # Tag type of the glob is not really relevant unless
  # you plan on seeing the glob as_HTML()
  $eglob = new HTML::ElementGlob 'p';
  $eglob->glob_push_content($element_a, $element_b);
  # Alter both elements at once
  $eglob->attr(size => 5);

  # They still belong to their original parent
  print $p->as_HTML;

DESCRIPTION
HTML::ElementGlob is a managing object for multiple HTML::Element(3) style elements. The children of the glob element retain their original parental elements and have no knowledge of the glob that manipulates them. All methods that do not start with 'glob_' will be passed, sequentially, to all elements contained within the glob element. Methods starting with 'glob_' will operate on the glob itself, rather than being passed to its foster children.

For example, $eglob->attr(size => 3) will invoke attr(size => 3) on all children contained by $eglob. $eglob->glob_attr(size => 3), on the other hand, will set the attr attribute on the glob itself.

The tag type passed to HTML::Element::Glob is largely irrrelevant as far as how methods are passed to children. However, if you choose to invoke $eglob->as_HTML(), you might want to pick a tag that would sensibly contain the globbed children for debugging or display purposes.

The 'glob_*' methods that operate on the glob itself are limited to those available in an HTML::Element(3). All other methods get passed blindly to the globbed children, which can be enhanced elements with arbitrary methods, such as HTML::ElementSuper(3).

Element globs can contain other element globs. In such cases, the plain methods will cascade down to the leaf children. 'glob_*' methods, of course, will not be propogated to children globs. You will have to rely on glob_content() to access those glob children and access their 'glob_*' methods directly.

REQUIRES
HTML::ElementSuper(3)

AUTHOR
Matthew P. Sisk, <sisk@mojotoad.com>

COPYRIGHT
Copyright (c) 1998-2010 Matthew P. Sisk. All rights reserved. All wrongs revenged. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

SEE ALSO
HTML::Element(3), HTML::ElementSuper, HTML::ElementRaw, HTML::Element::Table(3), perl(1).