Devel::Backtrace (3pm)

This is version 0.12.

    my $backtrace = Devel::Backtrace->new;

    print $backtrace; # use automatic stringification
                      # See EXAMPLES to see what the output might look like

    print $backtrace->point(0)->line;

Devel::Backtrace->\fInew()\fP

Optional parameters: -start => $start, -format => $format

If only one parameter is given, it will be used as $start.

Constructs a new \*(C`Devel::Backtrace\*(C' which is filled with all the information \*(C`caller($i)\*(C' provides, where $i starts from $start. If no argument is given, $start defaults to 0.

If $start is 1 (or higher), the backtrace won't contain the information that (and where) Devel::Backtrace::new() was called. Returns the i'th tracepoint as a Devel::Backtrace::Point object (see its documentation for how to access every bit of information).

Note that the following code snippet will print the information of \*(C`caller($start+$i)\*(C':

print Devel::Backtrace->new($start)->point($i) Returns a list of all tracepoints. In scalar context, the number of tracepoints is returned. This method deletes all leading tracepoints that contain information about calls within $package. Afterwards the $backtrace will look as though it had been created with a higher value of $start.

If the optional parameter $package is not given, it defaults to the calling package.

The effect is similar to what the Carp module does.

This module ships with an example \*(L"skipme.pl\*(R" that demonstrates how to use this method. See also \*(L"\s-1EXAMPLES\s0\*(R". This method is like \*(C`skipme\*(C' except that it deletes calls to the package rather than calls from the package.

Before discarding those calls, \*(C`skipme\*(C' is called. This is because usually the topmost call in the stack is to Devel::Backtrace->new, which would not be catched by \*(C`skipmysubs\*(C' otherwise.

This means that skipmysubs usually deletes more lines than skipme would.

\*(C`skipmysubs\*(C' was added in Devel::Backtrace version 0.06.

See also \*(L"\s-1EXAMPLES\s0\*(R" and the example \*(L"skipme.pl\*(R". Returns a string that contains one line for each tracepoint. It will contain the information from \*(C`Devel::Backtrace::Point\*(C''s to_string() method. To get more information, use the to_long_string() method.

Note that you don't have to call to_string() if you print a \*(C`Devel::Backtrace\*(C' object or otherwise treat it as a string, as the stringification operator is overloaded.

See \*(L"\s-1EXAMPLES\s0\*(R". Returns a very long string that contains several lines for each trace point. The result will contain every available bit of information. See \*(L"to_long_string\*(R" in Devel::Backtrace::Point for an example of what the result looks like.

A sample stringification might look like this:

Devel::Backtrace::new called from MyPackage (foo.pl:30) MyPackage::test2 called from MyPackage (foo.pl:28) MyPackage::test1 called from main (foo.pl:18) main::bar called from main (foo.pl:6) main::foo called from main (foo.pl:13)

If MyPackage called skipme, the first two lines would be removed. If it called skipmysubs, the first three lines would be removed.

If you don't like the format, you can change it:

my $backtrace = Devel::Backtrace->new(-format => '%I. %s');

This would produce a stringification of the following form:

0. Devel::Backtrace::new 1. MyPackage::test2 2. MyPackage::test1 3. main::bar 4. main::foo

Devel::StackTrace does mostly the same as this module. I'm afraid I hadn't noticed it until I uploaded this module.

Carp::Trace is a simpler module which gives you a backtrace in string form.

Devel::DollarAt comes with this distribution and is a nice application of this module. You can use it for debugging to get a backtrace out of $@.

Christoph Bussenius <[email protected]>

If you use this module, I'll be glad if you drop me a note. You should mention this module's name in the subject of your mails, in order to make sure they won't get lost in all the spam.

This module is in the public domain.

If your country's law does not allow this module being in the public domain or does not include the concept of public domain, you may use the module under the same terms as perl itself.