In effect, you'd be moving run-time dispatch to compile-time. There are some tricky bits, but it's worth trying.

Doesn't perl already have some internal optimization (i.e. caching) or is that just for UNIVERSAL::isa? Do perl make use of the UNIVERSAL::isa caching when doing method look-ups? I'd be glad to see some elaborations here.

-Anomo

Get someone else in the class to generate your XML automatically with a drag-and-drop user interface.

Someone in the class might have a program that works with some sort of big directed graph. Encourage this person to use Graphviz to create a picture of the big graph.

An example of this type of project would be to create a decently rendered PERT chart from a scheduling program, thus solving a glaring deficiency in a particular widely used yet loathsome scheduling program. Another example would be to make a class hierarchy analyzer as described in other suggestions in this thread.

You will need a cool application to develop with your cool XML/Perl/Tk integration. For your example, create a control panel to interactively adjust the many parameters used to drive the Graphviz automatic graph layout tool.

This is actually a research project, in that the Graphviz graphs are truly amazing, but they require adjustment to make them useful. A tool to facilitate this adjustment process would be neato!

It should work perfectly the first time! - toma
msg me if you would like me to attempt to clarify any parts of this suggestion.

If things get any worse, I'll have to ask you to stop helping me.

Have a look at the thread hacking a project in groups for some OO related stuff that may be relevant.

cheers

tachyon

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Greetings gri6507,

Have you considered building a game? I've been toying with the idea of writing a Cosmic Wimpout game in Perl, probably with OOP and wrapped into a module. The idea being, you could use the module to write a command-line Perl game, Web game, or other. Since the game deals with five dice with similar characteristics, it seems like it would lead naturally into an OOP project.

Why Cosmic Wimpout? Well, the game rules are very simple, straight forward, and well defined. The game also requires extremely minimal user interaction with the game engine. As a player, you only really decide whether you roll or stand, and what the wild dice becomes when the rules give you the option to choose.

I've found a great Palm application that's a joy to play, but I can't find any other application of this classic dice game. So your project would also have the advantage of being mostly pseudo original. :)

-gryphon
code('Perl') || die;

Hi,

I have thought about games. In fact, I've even built several games in perl (althouhg not OO), like tetris, minesweeper, battleship, etc. So, just as an excersize in OO, I am currently working on rewriting Tetris in Java, and, most likely afterwards, in OO-Perl again.

However, all this is to say that a game will most likely not suffice for a project. The Professor mentioned that our projects should contain on the order of -teen- or so classes, and what he is looking to get out of this is our abilities to deal with the design aspects of medium sized projects. (I should have mentioned that this is going to be a collaboration between two people).