Re: "private" copy of Tumbler/Context

On Mon, Feb 17, 2014 at 07:46:17AM +0100, Jens Rehsack wrote:
> Am 16.02.2014 um 16:29 schrieb Tim Bunce <[email protected]>:
> > 
> > I've renamed Tumbler to Data::Tumbler and polished it up a little
> > (and made corresponding changes to both our tumbler.pl files).
> 
> git push eaten by stormy weather?

Oops. Done. Thanks.

> > I'm still not very happy about the interface between Data::Tumbler and
> > Context, i.e.:

[...]

> > The first means that $context wouldn't be an object any more (though
> > individual settings would) so instead of calling methods on context,
> > like $context->get_env_var($name) you'd call functions like
> > get_env_var_in_context($context, $name);
> 
> Objects with an expected role being provided sounds more reasonable
> to me. This would also allow to hide implementation details (on
> both sides).

Tumbler, as an algorithm, is simple and has no coupling to Context.
A user shouldn't have to construct an object class just to use it.
I've opted to go with making Data::Tumbler a class.

> > Returning to your suggestion of shipping Tumbler and Context a build-time tools
> > in another module. Yes, that's worth doing.
> > 
> > Note that Tumbler and Context are not directly related to the test
> > generation use-case.  So I think it would be a good idea to create another
> > module which is aimed directly at supporting test generation and which
> > uses Tumbler and Context.  That module would contain get_input_tests(),
> > write_test_file(), plus a plugin mechanism (eg for dbd_dbm_settings_provider).
> > 
> > I suggest you start by creating a prototype of that module in
> > sandbox/tim/lib and use it in sandbox/jens/tumbler.pl. Once you've
> > something working I'll hack on it and adopt it in my tumbler.pl.
> > 
> > Sound ok?
> 
> I would start in the real life (but not doing releases) and see whether it
> works as expected or not. I did a minor shot for MooX::Cmd related tests and
> I think it can work in a limited environment (MX::Cmd, LMU are such) for
> clinical trials ;)

Cool. Go for it.

Tim.