NAME

Math::Symbolic::Custom::Pattern::Export - Export method to MS::Custom

SYNOPSIS

  use Math::Symbolic::Custom::Pattern;
  
  # later:
  my $pattern = $tree->to_pattern();
  # and even later:
  $another_tree->is_of_form($pattern);

DESCRIPTION

This module is an extension to the Math::Symbolic module. A basic familiarity with that module is required.

Please have a look at the Math::Symbolic::Custom::Pattern module first. This is an internal module only. It manages to add two new methods to all Math::Symbolic objects: "is_of_form" and "to_pattern". It uses the Math::Symbolic::Custom mechanism for that.

EXPORT

In a way, this module exports the "is_of_form" and "to_pattern" methods to Math::Symbolic::Base. Please look at Math::Symbolic::Custom.

Math::Symbolic method is_of_form

This method can be called on any Math::Symbolic tree. First argument must be a pattern. Returns true if the pattern matches the tree and false if not. As with the "match()" method on Math::Symbolic::Custom::Pattern objects, the true value returned reflects the way the pattern matched. Please see Math::Symbolic::Custom::Pattern for details.

The pattern may either be a Math::Symbolic::Custom::Pattern object (fastest) or a Math::Symbolic tree representing a pattern (decent speed, since only the pattern object needs to be constructed) or a string to be parsed as a Math::Symbolic tree (very slow since the string has to be parsed).

For details on patterns, please refer to the documentation of Math::Symbolic::Custom::Pattern.

This method always throws fatal errors since returning a boolean is used for valid, non-error return values. Therefore, if you plan to pass unvalidated objects or strings to be parsed, consider wrapping calls to this method in "eval {}" blocks. (Note that "eval BLOCK" is the safer brother of the much despised "eval STRING". See perlfunc.)

Math::Symbolic method to_pattern

Generates a Math::Symbolic::Custom::Pattern object from the Math::Symbolic tree "to_pattern" is called on. The pattern can be used with the "is_of_form()" method or like any other Math::Symbolic::Custom::Pattern object. (See that package for details on patterns.)

AUTHOR

Steffen M�ller, <symbolic-module at steffen-mueller dot net>

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself, either Perl version 5.8.4 or, at your option, any later version of Perl 5 you may have available.