Hi Monks,

Please advise on this. 

 
package ABC;
{

    sub new {
        my $hashref={};
        my @array=();
        my $arrayref=[];
        $class=$_;

        bless ($hashref,$class);
        bless (@array,$class);
        bless ($arrayref,$class);

        return $hashref, @array, $arrayref; 
#I think I can only return one of these three data structures but not 
+all, right?
    }

    sub get {
        #To access $hashref, @array, and $arrayref 
    }

    sub set {
        #To set $hashref, @array, and $arrayref
    }
}
1;


#main
$object1=ABC->new(); #assuming ABC class returns $hashref
$object2=ABC->new(); #assuming ABC class returns @array
$object3=ABC->new(); #assuming ABC class returns $arrayref

[download]

Basically, I want to create a class ABC with three separate data structures, $hashref, @array, and $arrayref and I want some mechanism to manipulate the data in them. Questions are,

Q1. How do I make the constructor return all three data structures, $hashref, @array, and $arrayref when invoked. Is it possible? I understand that only one of these three can be returned by the constructor and not all together. Correct?

Q2. I guess with $object1,$object2,$object3, I am creating three different objects. Right? Is there a way by which I create just one object of ABC and through this object I am able to manipulate data in all three data structures of, $hashref, @array, and $arrayref.

Q3. Do I need to create three different sets of get() and set() functions each to manipulate $hashref, @array, and $arrayref respectively by creating their objects first, ie $object1,$object2,$object3 ?

Q4. I understand I can manipulate $hashref, @array, and $arrayref only through access functions like get() and set() and not directly like $object1->$hashref or something like it, am I correct?

Q5. Suppose I create a nested data structure reference in the constructor, say $all={}, that contains all three, $hashref, @array, and $arrayref and if I bless $all with class ABC, then I can create just one object which I can then use to manipulate the data contained in $hashref, @array, and $arrayref. Also, this way I may just need one set of get()/set(). Is this a feasible solution? Would a nested data structure of $hashref, @array, and $arrayref together be better solution than their three separate data structures? Perhaps, the nested structure might make the program slower, yes/no?

I am not sure if I am making sense. Am I missing something? Please let me have your comments guys. What are the common ways of doing such things? Please guide.

Thanks a lot!

Cheers, Raj

In reply to On Perl Objects! by newbio

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