Objects (or References) and Classes (or Packages)

<< Perl Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples

This chapter provides tutorial examples and notes about objects and classes. Topics include converting references to objects by bless(); using packages as classes; invoking package subroutines as class or object methods; creating objects within a package by new(); Example of a simple Perl class, CalendarClass.pm.

Basic Concepts of Classes and Objects

Invoking Package Subroutines as Class Methods

bless() - Converting References to Objects

Invoking Package Subroutines as Object Methods

Class Variables and Object Variables

new() Method - Creating Objects by the Class

CalendarClass.pm - A Perl Class Example

Conclusions:

• A class is package with a new() subroutine to return an object, and other subroutines to be invoked as class methods and object methods.
• An object is a reference blessed with a package name.
• Class methods and object methods are invoked with the "->" notation.
• Class variables are variables defined in the package scope.
• Object variables are pairs of keys and values stored in the hash referenced by the object.