NAME Tie::Hash::MultiKey - multiple keys per value SYNOPSIS use Tie::Hash::MultiKey; $thm = tie %hash, qw(Tie::Hash::MultiKey) ,@optionalext; $thm = tied %hash; untie %hash; ($href,$thm) = new Tie::Hash::MultiKey; $hash{'foo'} = 'baz'; or $hash{'foo', 'bar'} = 'baz'; or $array_ref = ['foo', 'bar']; $hash{ $array_ref } = 'baz'; print $hash{foo}; # prints 'baz' print $hash{bar}; # prints 'baz' $array_ref = ['fuz','zup']; $val = tied(%hash)->addkey('fuz' => 'bar'); $val = tied(%hash)->addkey('fuz','zup' => 'bar'); $val = tied(%hash)->addkey( $array_ref => 'bar'); print $hash{fuz} # prints 'baz' $array_ref = ['foo', 'bar']; $val = tied(%hash)->remove('foo'); $val = tied(%hash)->remove('foo', 'bar'); $val = tied(%hash)->remove( $array_ref ); $val = tied(%hash)->delkey(); alias for above @ordered_keys = tied(%hash)->keylist('foo') @allkeys_by_order = tied(%hash)->keylist(); @slotlist = tied(%hash)->slotlist($i); @ordered_vals = tied(%hash)->vals(); $num_vals = tied(%hash)->size; $num_vals = tied(%hash)->consolidate; ($newRef,$newThm) = tied(%hash)->clone(); $newThm = tied(%hash)->copy(tied(%new),@optionalext); All of the above methods can be accessed as: i.e. $thm->consolidate; DESCRIPTION Tie::Hash::MultiKey creates hashes that can have multiple ordered keys for a single value. As shown in the SYNOPSIS, multiple keys share a common value. Additional keys can be added that share the same value and keys can be removed without deleting other keys that share that value. STORE..ing a value for one or more keys that already exist will overwrite the existing value and add any missing keys to the key group for that value. WARNING: multiple key values supplied as an ARRAY to STORE and DELETE operations are passed by Perl as a single string separated by Perl's $; multidimensional array seperator. i.e. $hash{'a','b','c'} = $something; or @keys = ('a','b','c'); $hash{@keys} = $something' This really means $hash{join($;, 'a','b','c')}; Tie::Hash::MultiKey will do the right thing as long as your keys DO NOT contain binary data the may include the $; separator character. It is recommended that you use the ARRAY_REF construct to supply multiple keys for binary data. i.e. $hash{['a','b','c']} = $something; or $keys = ['a','b','c']; $hash{$keys} = $something; The ARRAY_REF construct is ALWAYS safe. * $thm = tie %hash,'Tie::Hash::MultiKey' ,%optional_ex Ties a %hash to this package for enhanced capability and returns a method pointer. my %hash; my $thm = tie %hash,'Tie::Hash::MultiKey'; Extension of this module is discussed in detail below. * $thm = tied %hash; Returns a method pointer for this package. * untie %hash; Breaks the binding between a variable and this package. There is no affect if the variable is not tied. REMEMBER that if you have created a reference to the tied hash, untie will not work until that binding is broken. This means that the object will not be destroyed or garbage collected and the memory will not be reclaimed. i.e WRONG $thm = tie %h, 'Tie::Hash::MultiKey'; ... code ... untie %h; RIGHT $thm = tie %h, 'Tie::Hash::MultiKey'; ... code ... undef $thm; untie %h; * ($href,$thm) = new 'Tie::Hash::MultiKey' ,%optional_ex This method returns an UNBLESSED reference to an anonymous tied %hash. input: none returns: unblessed tied %hash reference, object handle To get the object handle from \%hash use this. $thm = tied %{$href}; In SCALAR context it returns the unblessed %hash pointer. In ARRAY context it returns the unblessed %hash pointer and the package object/method pointer. * $val = $thm->addkey('new_key' => 'existing_key'); Add one or more keys to the shared key group for a particular value. input: array or array_ref, existing_key returns: hash value or dies with stack trace Dies with stack trace if existing_key does not exist OR if new key belongs to another key set. Arguments may be a single SCALAR, ARRAY, or ARRAY_REF * $val = ->remove('key'); * $val = ->delkey('key'); alias for above Remove one or more keys from the shared key group for a particular value If this operation removes the LAST key, then it performs a DELETE which is the same as: delete $hash{key}; remove returns a reverse list of the removed value's by key i.e. @val = remove(something); or $val = remove(something); Arguments may be a single SCALAR, ARRAY or ARRAY_REF * @ordered_keys = $thm->keylist('foo'); * @allkeys_by_order = $thm->keylist(); Returns all the keys in the group that includes the KEY 'foo' in the order that they were added to the %hash; If no argument is specified, returns all the keys in the %hash in the order that they were added to the %hash input: key or EMPTY returns: @ordered_keys returns: () if $key is not in the %hash * @keys = $thm->slotlist($i); Returns one key from each key group in position $i. i.e. $thm = tie %hash, 'Tie::Hash::MultiKey'; $hash{['a','b','c']} = 'one'; $hash{['d','e','f']} = 'two'; $hash{'g'} = 'three'; $hash{['h','i','j']} = 'four'; @slotkeys = $thm->slotlist(1); will produce ('b','e', undef, 'i') All the keys at index '1' for the groups to which they were added, in the order which the FIRST KEY in the group was added to the %hash. If there is no key in the specified slot, an undef is returned for that position. * $thm->size; Returns the number of ITEMS in the hash (not the number of keys). Should be faster than ... scalar @values * $thm->consolidate; USE WITH CAUTION Consolidate all keys with the same values into common groups. returns: number of consolidated key groups @ordered_vals = $thm->vals(); Return a list of values in the order they were added. * ($href,$thm) = $thm->clone(); This method returns an UNBLESSED reference to an anonymous tied %hash that is a deep copy of the parent object. input: none returns: unblessed tied %hash reference, object handle To get the object handle from \%hash use this. $thm = tied %{$href}; In SCALAR context it returns the unblessed %hash pointer. In ARRAY context it returns the unblessed %hash pointer and the package object/method pointer. i.e. $newRef = $thm->clone(); $newRref->{'a','b'} = 'content' $newThm = tied %{$newRef}; * $new_thm = $thm->copy(tie %new,'Tie::Hash::MultiKey'); This method deep copies a MultiKey %hash to another new %hash. It may be invoked on an existing tied object handle or a reference to a tied %hash. input: object handle OR reference to tied %hash returns: object handle / method pointer i.e $thm = tie %hash,'Tie::Hash::MultiKey'; $newThm = $thm->copy(tie %new,'Tie::Hash::MultiKey'); or tie %new,'Tie::Hash::MultiKey'); $newThm = $thm->copy(\%new); NOTE: this method duplicates the data stored in the parent %hash, overwriting and destroying anything that may have been stored in the copy target. COMMON OPERATIONS A tied multikey %hash behave like a regular %hash for most operations; $value = $hash{$key} returns the key group value $hash{$key} = $value sets the value for the key group i.e. all keys in the group will return that value $hash{$key1,$key2} = $value assigns $value to the key key group consisting of $key1, $key2 if they do not. If at least one of the keys already exists, the remaining keys are assigned to the key group and the value is set for the entire group. Better syntax $hash{[$key,$key]} = $value; delete $hash{$key} deletes the ENTIRE key group to which $key belongs. delete $hash($key1,$key2) deletes ALL groups to which $key1 and $key2 belong. Better syntax delete $hash{[$key1,$key2]}; keys %hash returns all keys. values %hash returns all values NOTE: that this will not be the same number of items as returned by keys unless there are no key groups containing more than one key. ($k,$v) = each %hash behaves as expected. References to tied %hash behave in the same manner as regular %hash's except as noted for multiple key values above. LIMITATIONS SLICE operations will produce unusual results if you try to use regular ARRAYS to specify key groups in the slice. Tie::Hash::MultiKey %hash's only accept SCALAR or ARRAY_REF arguments for SLICE and direct assigment. i.e. %WRONG = ( one => 1, two => 2, (3,4,5) => 12 # expands to 3 => 4, 5 => 12 ); %hash = ( # OK one => 1, two => 2, [3,4,5] => 12 ); will produce a psuedo hash of the form: %hash = ( one => 1, two => 2, 3 => 12, --| 4 => 12, --| 5 => 12 --| ); where the operation $hash{4} = 99 will change the hash to: %hash = ( one => 1, two => 2, 3 => 99, --| 4 => 99, --| 5 => 99 --| ); Example: $hp = \%hash; @{$hp}{'one','two','[3,4,5]} = (1,2,12); produces the same result as above. If the hash already contains a KEY of the same name, the value will be changed for all other shared keys. -------------------------- If you are using ARRAY_REF's as keys (not as pointers to keys as above) they must be blessed into some other package so that ref $key ne 'ARRAY' i.e. bless $key, 'KEY'; # or anything other than 'ARRAY' -------------------------- Example SLICE assignments TO tied hash @tiedhash{@keys} = @values; $hp = \%tiedhash; @{$hp}{@keys} = @values; FROM tied hash @values = @tiedhash{@keys}; $hp = \%tiedhash; @values = @{$hp}{@keys}; NOTE: when assigning TO the hash, keys may be ARRAY_REF's as described above. Extension of this module This module has extension capabilities that allow adding features to the characteristics of the elements within the tied hash. For example, knowing the order that items in the hash are accessed as in a cache where older items are timed out and removed from the cache. The extensions can be customized to a particular instance of a tied object. This means that extensions can be embodied as a new module or as customization within a Perl program for a particular object instance. Requirements: An extension 6 Required and 7 Optional callback subrefs to support the following operations: TIE O create the tied object extension FETCH R recall value operations STORE R save and update operations DELETE R delete key set + value operations EXISTS O checking to see if key exists NEXT O iterative operations (Perl each) COPY R hash copy and clone operations CLEAR R hash clear operations ADDKEY O add a key to existing key set DELKEY O delete a key from an existing key set REORDERK O operation to re-order the key indices that tracks the order that keys are added to the tied hash REORDERV R operation to re-order the value indices for values belonging to unique key sets ...one or more data elements with any key name as required by the extension CONSOLD O operation to consolidate keys that have a common value DATAn any scalar, array_ref, hash_ref Usage: require Tie::Hash::MultiKey; tie %x, 'Tie::Hash::MultiKey', TIE => $subref_tie, FETCH => $subref_fetch, STORE => $subref_store, DELETE => $subref_delete, EXISTS => $subref_exists, NEXT => $subref_next, CLEAR => $subref_clear COPY => $subref_copy, ADDKEY => $subref_addkey, DELKEY => $subref_delkey REORDERK => $subref_Korder, REORDERV => $subref_Vorder, CONSOLD => $subref_consolidate; The extension may also be provisioned as a hash_ref. NOTE: about internal re-ordering. If the tied object has new keys or key sets added more than 2^48 times, the internal accounting mechanism will re-order the indices to prevent the pointers from converting from unique integer value to floats. Extensions that are tied either to the order of key addition or values for a key set must correct their associated pointers to match internal re-ordering. See: t/Extension.t for usage and testing examples See: Tie::Hash::MultiKeyCache for implementation The callbacks return the following arguments: $sub___tie->($self) $sub_clear->($self) A pointer to pre-extension blessed tied hash object IMPORTANT: add extension storage to $self->[16] and beyond - $sub_fetch->($self,$key,$valueindex) $sub__next->($self,$key,$valueindex) next is called ONLY if the key exists and is immediately followed by a call to the internal FETCH method. Normally no action should be done. A pointer to the the tied hash object The original key used for the call to fetch The internal value index hash key NOTE: the primary key hash $self->[0] must not be touched by the $sub_next extension or it will mess up the Perl iterator. - $sub_store->($self,\@keys,$valueindex) A pointer to the tied hash object A pointer to an array of the keys for the store The internal value index hash pointer - $sub_delete->($self,$kp,$vp) A pointer to the tied hash object A pointer to an ordered array of the deleted keys A pointer to an ordered array of the deleted values - $sub_exists->($self,$key) exists is called ONLY if the key exists; A pointer to the the tied hash object The original key used for the operation - $sub_addkey->($self,$key,$valueindex,\@newkeys) A pointer to the tied hash object The reference key used to identify the key set The internal value index for key set A list of new keys added - $sub_delkey->($self,$key,$vi) A pointer to the tied hash object The value of the key being deleted The internal value index for the key set else false Calls extension_sub_delete if the key is the last key of a key set. - $sub_copy->($self,$copy,\@valueindex) A pointer to the tied hash object A pointer to the tied hash copy object A pointer to an array internal value index keys - $sub_Korder->{$self,\%reorderK) A pointer to the tied hash object A pointer to a hash of the reorder key order transfomation key => new_order_value - $sub_Vorder->($self,\%reorderV) A pointer to the tied hash object A pointer to a hash of the reorder to value hash transformation old_order => new_ord - $sub_consolidate->($self,\%kbo,\%ko,\%n2o) A pointer to the tied hash object A pointer to a hash as consolidated of value => [keys] A pointer to hash as consolidated of keys => order A pointer to hash of new vi => [old vi order] %n2o is a map of new value indices after consolidation to an array of old value indices. i.e. if there were tow values belonging to different key sets then there would be two vi's in the old order array represented by the single vi key. - The internal structure of the tied hash object is as follows: [ 0 => { # $kh key => vi # value index for 1 & 2 below }, 1 => { # $vh vi => value, # contains value for the key set }, 2 => { # $sh pointer to hash list keys in a key set vi = {key1 => order1, key2 => order2, ...}, }, 3 => vi, # numeric value of next value index 4 => or, # numeric value of next key order 5 => crumbs # STORE key value 6 => reserved 7 => { # extensions FETCH => subref, # required STORE => subref, # required DELETE => subref, # required COPY => subref, # required CLEAR => subref, # required REORDERV => subref, # required TIE => subref, # optional EXISTS => subref, # optional NEXT => subref, # optional ADDKEY => subref, # optional DELKEY => subref, # optional REORDERK => subref, # optional CONSOLD => subref, # optional ... one or more data keys DATAn => scalar, array_ref, hash_ref } ]; Extension writers should store new information in the indices 16 and up. Developers of extensions are encouraged to read the code. AUTHOR Michael Robinton, COPYRIGHT Copyright 2014, Michael Robinton This program is free software; you may redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.