NAME selfvars - Provide $self and @args variables for OO programs SYNOPSIS package MyClass; ### Import $self and @args into your package: use selfvars; ### Or name the variables explicitly: # use selfvars -self => 'self', -args => 'args'; ### Write the constructor as usual: sub new { return bless({}, shift); } ### Use $self in place of $_[0]: sub foo { $self->{foo}; } ### Use @args in place of @_[1..$#_]: sub set { my ($foo, $bar) = @args; $self->{foo} = $foo; $self->{bar} = $bar; } DESCRIPTION This moudles adds $self and @args keywords to your Perl OO module. They are really just handy helpers to get rid of: my $self = shift; Behind the scenes, $self is simply tied to $_[0], and @args to @_[1..$#_]. Note that they are variables, not barewords. Currently, both $self and @args are read-only; this means you cannot mutate them: $self = 'foo'; # error my $foo = shift @args; # error This restriction may be lifted at a later version of this module, or turned into a configurable option instead. INTERFACE $self Return the current object. @args Return the argument list. Choosing non-default names You can choose alternative variable names with explicit import arguments: # Use $this and @opts instead of $self and @args: use selfvars -self => 'this', -args => 'opts'; # Use $this but leave @args alone: use selfvars -self => 'this', -args; # Use @opts but leave $self alone: use selfvars -args => 'opts', -self; You may also omit a variable name from the explicit import arguments: # Import $self but not @args: use selfvars -self => 'self'; # Same as the above: use selfvars -self; DEPENDENCIES None. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This module was inspired and based on Kang-min Liu (gugod)'s "self.pm". As seen on #perl: audreyt: selfvars.pm looks exactly like what I want self.pm to be in the beginning audreyt: but I can't sort out the last BEGIN{} block like you did. audreyt: that's a great job :D SEE ALSO self AUTHORS Audrey Tang COPYRIGHT Copyright 2007 by Audrey Tang . This software is released under the MIT license cited below. The "MIT" License Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software. THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.