new(\%params)¶

Constructor method which instantiates and returns a reference to a "Template::Plugins" object. A reference to a hash array of configuration items may be passed as a parameter. These are described below.

Note that the Template front-end module creates a "Template::Plugins" provider, passing all configuration items. Thus, the examples shown below in the form:

    $plugprov = Template::Plugins->new({
        PLUGIN_BASE => 'MyTemplate::Plugin',
        LOAD_PERL   => 1,
        ...
    });

can also be used via the Template module as:

    $ttengine = Template->new({
        PLUGIN_BASE => 'MyTemplate::Plugin',
        LOAD_PERL   => 1,
        ...
    });

as well as the more explicit form of:

    $plugprov = Template::Plugins->new({
        PLUGIN_BASE => 'MyTemplate::Plugin',
        LOAD_PERL   => 1,
        ...
    });
    
    $ttengine = Template->new({
        LOAD_PLUGINS => [ $plugprov ],
    });

fetch($name, @args)¶

Called to request that a plugin of a given name be provided. The relevant module is first loaded (if necessary) and the load() class method called to return the factory class name (usually the same package name) or a factory object (a prototype). The new() method is then called as a class or object method against the factory, passing all remaining parameters.

Returns a reference to a new plugin object or "($error, STATUS_ERROR)" on error. May also return "(undef, STATUS_DECLINED)" to decline to serve the request. If "TOLERANT" is set then all errors will be returned as declines.

PLUGINS¶

The PLUGINS option can be used to provide a reference to a hash array that maps plugin names to Perl module names.

    my $plugins = Template::Plugins->new({
        PLUGINS => {
            cgi => 'MyOrg::Template::Plugin::CGI',
            foo => 'MyOrg::Template::Plugin::Foo',
            bar => 'MyOrg::Template::Plugin::Bar',
        },  
    });

PLUGIN_BASE¶

If a plugin is not defined in the PLUGINS hash then the PLUGIN_BASE is used to attempt to construct a correct Perl module name which can be successfully loaded.

    # single value PLUGIN_BASE
    my $plugins = Template::Plugins->new({
        PLUGIN_BASE => 'MyOrg::Template::Plugin',
    });
    # multiple value PLUGIN_BASE
    my $plugins = Template::Plugins->new({
        PLUGIN_BASE => [   'MyOrg::Template::Plugin',
                           'YourOrg::Template::Plugin'  ],
    });

LOAD_PERL¶

The LOAD_PERL option can be set to allow you to load regular Perl modules (i.e. those that don't reside in the "Template::Plugin" or another user-defined namespace) as plugins.

If a plugin cannot be loaded using the PLUGINS or PLUGIN_BASE approaches then, if the LOAD_PERL is set, the provider will make a final attempt to load the module without prepending any prefix to the module path.

Unlike regular plugins, modules loaded using LOAD_PERL do not receive a Template::Context reference as the first argument to the "new()" constructor method.

TOLERANT¶

The TOLERANT flag can be set to indicate that the "Template::Plugins" module should ignore any errors encountered while loading a plugin and instead return "STATUS_DECLINED".

DEBUG¶

The DEBUG option can be used to enable debugging messages for the "Template::Plugins" module by setting it to include the "DEBUG_PLUGINS" value.

    use Template::Constants qw( :debug );
    
    my $template = Template->new({
        DEBUG => DEBUG_FILTERS | DEBUG_PLUGINS,
    });