How Do I Bundle Perl Modules and Their Tests Into the Same File?

perlknight has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

All, in python you can write a module and declare package main to test it. Can something like this be done in perl? e.g:

package abc;
come code...
package main
some test code for this module
[download]

Thanks.

2006-02-13 Retitled by Steve_p, as per Monastery guidelines
Original title: 'Can this be done...'

Comment on How Do I Bundle Perl Modules and Their Tests Into the Same File? Download Code

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Re: How Do I Bundle Perl Modules and Their Tests Into the Same File? by BrowserUk (Patriarch) on Feb 13, 2006 at 00:39 UTC
`package abc; ... return 1 if caller; package main; my $abc = abc->new(); ...` [download] To run the tests, use `perl \path\to\lib\abc.pm` [download] Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error. Lingua non convalesco, consenesco et abolesco. -- Rule 1 has a caveat! -- Who broke the cabal? "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority". In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^2: How Do I Bundle Perl Modules and Their Tests Into the Same File? by salva (Canon) on Feb 13, 2006 at 08:45 UTC
would this work if the module is `require`d, from a sub? for instance: `sub foo { require abc; abc->bar(); }` [download]	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^3: How Do I Bundle Perl Modules and Their Tests Into the Same File? by BrowserUk (Patriarch) on Feb 13, 2006 at 12:46 UTC
Yes. Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error. Lingua non convalesco, consenesco et abolesco. -- Rule 1 has a caveat! -- Who broke the cabal? "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority". In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.	[reply] [d/l]
Re: How Do I Bundle Perl Modules and Their Tests Into the Same File? by jdhedden (Deacon) on Feb 13, 2006 at 00:16 UTC
The ifdef module would be useful for this. Write your module like this: `package MyClass; { # Put class code here inside the braces to # constrain the lexical scope of its variables ... } 1; =begin TEST package main; # Test code my $obj = MyClass->new(); ... =cut` [download] Then run it like this: `perl -Mifdef=TEST MyClass.pm` [download] I'm sure others will offer more ideas, too. Update: Added missing `1;` as pointed out below. Remember: There's always one more bug.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^2: How Do I Bundle Perl Modules and Their Tests Into the Same File? by perlknight (Pilgrim) on Feb 13, 2006 at 00:30 UTC
hmm, a module need to have "1;" as the last entry. Where does this goes in this case? The last line or in the module it is declaring, e.g for this particalur example in the MyClass package?	[reply]
Re^3: How Do I Bundle Perl Modules and Their Tests Into the Same File? by ikegami (Patriarch) on Feb 13, 2006 at 03:13 UTC
Before of after the =begin..=cut, it doesn't matter. When used as a module, =begin..=cut is just a comment, so it's ignored. When used as a script (to test the module), the `1;` isn't needed since it's not a module.	[reply] [d/l]
Re: How Do I Bundle Perl Modules and Their Tests Into the Same File? by bmann (Priest) on Feb 13, 2006 at 04:38 UTC
Try this: `package abc; # ... package main; sub test_me { # test code here } test_me unless defined caller;` [download] Like python, if the module is used or required test_me will not be executed. If you run the module using `perl Module.pm`, the code in test_me will be executed. Update: Just realized BrowserUK posted a very similar solution above...	[reply] [d/l] [select]

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