Include external variables?

[johnfl68]

Hello:

Is there a way to easily include external variables?

I have about a half dozen scripts that have a good deal of variables that are the same in all of them. Things like font file locations, look-up tables, etc. It would be nice if I could put these all in a common file, and then just include that file like a module. Things like this and many more:

$font41        = "/usr/share/fonts/liberation-fonts/LiberationSans-Reg
+ular.ttf";
$font42        = "/usr/share/fonts/liberation-fonts/LiberationSans-Ita
+lic.ttf";
$font43        = "/usr/share/fonts/liberation-fonts/LiberationSans-Bol
+d.ttf";
$font44        = "/usr/share/fonts/liberation-fonts/LiberationSans-Bol
+dItalic.ttf";

my %w16towdirection = (
    "N", "North",
    "S", "South",
    "E", "East",
    "W", "West",
    "NE", "Northeast",
    "SE", "Southeast", 
    "SW", "Southwest",
    "NW", "Northwest",
    "NNE", "North-northeast", 
    "ENE", "East-northeast", 
    "ESE", "East-southeast", 
    "SSE", "South-southeast",
    "SSW", "South-southwest", 
    "WSW", "West-southwest", 
    "WNW", "West-northwest", 
    "NNW", "North-northwest",
    );

I'm sure this can be done, but in searching I think I am not using quite the correct terms to get results that seem to be the answer I think I am looking for.

Any help pointing me in the right direction would be appreciated. Thanks!

[LanX]

> I am not using quite the correct terms to get results

it's called a config file.

There many approaches, including YAML or JSON to avoid code execution during inclusion.

If there are no security concerns, the simplistic approach is to use do or require to execute a perl-file defining global variables.

[BillKSmith]

A true module should do the job for you, but it is generally considered poor practice to export variables. In your case they are used as contants that are widely used in your application. You would not be concerned about "polluting" symbol space or accidentally changing their values. Go for it.

[pushtaev]

If you use Moose, take a look at MooseX::SimpleConfig.

If you don't but still use OOP, take a look at it anyway, just to understand the idea.

If you don't use OOP at all, I recommend you to create a big and complex hash variable and export it, instead of export all this "$font44".

Look at http://perldoc.perl.org/Exporter.html to learn about Exporter.

[Anonymous Monk]

Old school: AppConfig, User ... new school: (unvalidated)Config::General/YAML/JSON with File::HomeDir, File::ShareDir => File::UserConfig

Validation and built-in editor Config::Model / config-edit#-ui