Hash::Util - A selection of general-utility hash subroutines

- NAME
- SYNOPSIS
- DESCRIPTION

- Restricted hashes
- Operating on references to hashes.

- CAVEATS
- BUGS
- AUTHOR
- SEE ALSO

# NAME

Hash::Util - A selection of general-utility hash subroutines

# SYNOPSIS

      # Restricted hashes

      use Hash::Util qw(
                         hash_seed all_keys
                         lock_keys unlock_keys
                         lock_value unlock_value
                         lock_hash unlock_hash
                         lock_keys_plus hash_locked
                         hidden_keys legal_keys
                       );

      %hash = (foo => 42, bar => 23);
      # Ways to restrict a hash
      lock_keys(%hash);
      lock_keys(%hash, @keyset);
      lock_keys_plus(%hash, @additional_keys);

      # Ways to inspect the properties of a restricted hash
      my @legal = legal_keys(%hash);
      my @hidden = hidden_keys(%hash);
      my $ref = all_keys(%hash,@keys,@hidden);
      my $is_locked = hash_locked(%hash);

      # Remove restrictions on the hash
      unlock_keys(%hash);

      # Lock individual values in a hash
      lock_value  (%hash, 'foo');
      unlock_value(%hash, 'foo');

      # Ways to change the restrictions on both keys and values
      lock_hash  (%hash);
      unlock_hash(%hash);

      my $hashes_are_randomised = hash_seed() != 0;

# DESCRIPTION

`Hash::Util` and `Hash::Util::FieldHash` contain special functions for manipulating hashes that don't really warrant a keyword.

`Hash::Util` contains a set of functions that support restricted hashes. These are described in this document. `Hash::Util::FieldHash` contains an (unrelated) set of functions that support the use of hashes in inside-out classes, described in the Hash::Util::FieldHash manpage.

By default `Hash::Util` does not export anything.

## Restricted hashes

5.8.0 introduces the ability to restrict a hash to a certain set of keys. No keys outside of this set can be added. It also introduces the ability to lock an individual key so it cannot be deleted and the ability to ensure that an individual value cannot be changed.

This is intended to largely replace the deprecated pseudo-hashes.

lock_keys
unlock_keys

        lock_keys(%hash);
        lock_keys(%hash, @keys);

  Restricts the given %hash's set of keys to @keys. If @keys is not given it restricts it to its current keyset. No more keys can be added. `delete()` and `exists()` will still work, but will not alter the set of allowed keys. Note: the current implementation prevents the hash from being bless()ed while it is in a locked state. Any attempt to do so will raise an exception. Of course you can still `bless()` the hash before you call `lock_keys()` so this shouldn't be a problem.

        unlock_keys(%hash);

  Removes the restriction on the %hash's keyset.

  Note that if any of the values of the hash have been locked they will not be unlocked after this sub executes.

  Both routines return a reference to the hash operated on.

lock_keys_plus

        lock_keys_plus(%hash,@additional_keys)

  Similar to `lock_keys()`, with the difference being that the optional key list specifies keys that may or may not be already in the hash. Essentially this is an easier way to say

        lock_keys(%hash,@additional_keys,keys %hash);

  Returns a reference to %hash

lock_value
unlock_value

        lock_value  (%hash, $key);
        unlock_value(%hash, $key);

  Locks and unlocks the value for an individual key of a hash. The value of a locked key cannot be changed.

  Unless %hash has already been locked the key/value could be deleted regardless of this setting.

  Returns a reference to the %hash.

lock_hash
unlock_hash

          lock_hash(%hash);

  `lock_hash()` locks an entire hash, making all keys and values read-only. No value can be changed, no keys can be added or deleted.

          unlock_hash(%hash);

  `unlock_hash()` does the opposite of `lock_hash()`. All keys and values are made writable. All values can be changed and keys can be added and deleted.

  Returns a reference to the %hash.

lock_hash_recurse
unlock_hash_recurse

          lock_hash_recurse(%hash);

  `lock_hash()` locks an entire hash and any hashes it references recursively, making all keys and values read-only. No value can be changed, no keys can be added or deleted.

  Only recurses into hashes that are referenced by another hash. Thus a Hash of Hashes (HoH) will all be restricted, but a Hash of Arrays of Hashes (HoAoH) will only have the top hash restricted.

          unlock_hash_recurse(%hash);

  `unlock_hash_recurse()` does the opposite of `lock_hash_recurse()`. All keys and values are made writable. All values can be changed and keys can be added and deleted. Identical recursion restrictions apply as to `lock_hash_recurse()`.

  Returns a reference to the %hash.

hash_unlocked

        hash_unlocked(%hash) and print "Hash is unlocked!\n";

  Returns true if the hash and its keys are unlocked.

legal_keys

        my @keys = legal_keys(%hash);

  Returns the list of the keys that are legal in a restricted hash. In the case of an unrestricted hash this is identical to calling `keys(%hash)`.

hidden_keys

        my @keys = hidden_keys(%hash);

  Returns the list of the keys that are legal in a restricted hash but do not have a value associated to them. Thus if 'foo' is a "hidden" key of the %hash it will return false for both `defined` and `exists` tests.

  In the case of an unrestricted hash this will return an empty list.

  NOTE this is an experimental feature that is heavily dependent on the current implementation of restricted hashes. Should the implementation change, this routine may become meaningless, in which case it will return an empty list.

all_keys

        all_keys(%hash,@keys,@hidden);

  Populates the arrays @keys with the all the keys that would pass an `exists` tests, and populates @hidden with the remaining legal keys that have not been utilized.

  Returns a reference to the hash.

  In the case of an unrestricted hash this will be equivalent to

        $ref = do {
            @keys = keys %hash;
            @hidden = ();
            \%hash
        };

  NOTE this is an experimental feature that is heavily dependent on the current implementation of restricted hashes. Should the implementation change this routine may become meaningless in which case it will behave identically to how it would behave on an unrestricted hash.

hash_seed

          my $hash_seed = hash_seed();

  `hash_seed()` returns the seed number used to randomise hash ordering. Zero means the "traditional" random hash ordering, non-zero means the new even more random hash ordering introduced in Perl 5.8.1.

  Note that the hash seed is sensitive information: by knowing it one can craft a denial-of-service attack against Perl code, even remotely, see Algorithmic Complexity Attacks in the perlsec manpage for more information. Do not disclose the hash seed to people who don't need to know it. See also PERL_HASH_SEED_DEBUG in the perlrun manpage.

hv_store

        my $sv = 0;
        hv_store(%hash,$key,$sv) or die "Failed to alias!";
        $hash{$key} = 1;
        print $sv; # prints 1

  Stores an alias to a variable in a hash instead of copying the value.

## Operating on references to hashes.

Most subroutines documented in this module have equivalent versions that operate on references to hashes instead of native hashes. The following is a list of these subs. They are identical except in name and in that instead of taking a %hash they take a $hashref, and additionally are not prototyped.

lock_ref_keys
unlock_ref_keys
lock_ref_keys_plus
lock_ref_value
unlock_ref_value
lock_hashref
unlock_hashref
lock_hashref_recurse
unlock_hashref_recurse
hash_ref_unlocked
legal_ref_keys
hidden_ref_keys

# CAVEATS

Note that the trapping of the restricted operations is not atomic: for example

        eval { %hash = (illegal_key => 1) }

leaves the `%hash` empty rather than with its original contents.

# BUGS

The interface exposed by this module is very close to the current implementation of restricted hashes. Over time it is expected that this behavior will be extended and the interface abstracted further.

# AUTHOR

Michael G Schwern <schwern@pobox.com> on top of code by Nick Ing-Simmons and Jeffrey Friedl.

`hv_store()` is from Array::RefElem, Copyright 2000 Gisle Aas.

Additional code by Yves Orton.

# SEE ALSO

the Scalar::Util manpage, the List::Util manpage and Algorithmic Complexity Attacks in the perlsec manpage.

the Hash::Util::FieldHash manpage.

Hash::Util - A selection of general-utility hash subroutines