TAP::Pa...Handler(3pm)

okay bestie, welcome to the TAP::Parser::SourceHandler(3pm) page — from the Perl Programmers Reference Guide. The header squeezes the name down to TAP::Pa...Handler(3pm) because terminal columns are rude 💅. This is the abstract base class page, and we’re gonna get through it together, fr fr.

🌸 NAME 🌸

TAP::Parser::SourceHandler — Base class for different TAP source handlers. 🎀

💖 VERSION 💖

Version 3.50 — periodt.

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

# abstract class - don't use directly!
# see TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory for general usage

# must be sub-classed for use
package MySourceHandler;
use base 'TAP::Parser::SourceHandler';
sub can_handle    { return $confidence_level }
sub make_iterator { return $iterator }

# see example below for more details

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

This is an abstract base class for TAP::Parser::Source handlers / handlers. (Yes, it says “handlers / handlers” — we keep the lore exact, bestie 💀.)

A TAP::Parser::SourceHandler does whatever is necessary to produce & capture a stream of TAP from the raw source, and package it up in a TAP::Parser::Iterator for the parser to consume. Obsessed with that pipeline, honestly.

SourceHandlers must implement the source detection & handling interface used by TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory. At 2 methods, the interface is pretty simple: can_handle and make_source. (That’s what the page says, and we’re not editing the source material, iykyk.)

Unless you’re writing a new TAP::Parser::SourceHandler, a plugin, or subclassing TAP::Parser, you probably won’t need to use this module directly. Lowkey a “for builders only” vibe.

🔥 METHODS 🔥

👑 Class Methods 👑

can_handle

Abstract method. No cap.

my $vote = $class->can_handle( $source );

$source is a TAP::Parser::Source.

Returns a number between 0 & 1 reflecting how confidently the raw source can be handled. For example, 0 means the source cannot handle it, 0.5 means it may be able to, and 1 means it definitely can. See "detect_source" in TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory for details on how this is used. The confidence scale is giving very “rate me from 0 to 1” energy 💅.

make_iterator

Abstract method. Another one, bestie.

my $iterator = $class->make_iterator( $source );

$source is a TAP::Parser::Source.

Returns a new TAP::Parser::Iterator object for use by the TAP::Parser. It "croak"s on error — so if it goes sideways, it croaks, dramatic but valid 😭.

🌈 SUBCLASSING 🌈

Please see "SUBCLASSING" in TAP::Parser for a subclassing overview, and any of the subclasses that ship with this module as an example. What follows is a quick overview. 🫶

Start by familiarizing yourself with TAP::Parser::Source and TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory. TAP::Parser::SourceHandler::RawTAP is the easiest sub-class to use as an example.

It’s important to point out that if you want your subclass to be automatically used by TAP::Parser you’ll have to — and make sure it gets loaded somehow. If you’re using prove you can write an App::Prove plugin. If you’re using TAP::Parser or TAP::Harness directly (e.g. through a custom script, ExtUtils::MakeMaker, or Module::Build) you can use the "config" option which will cause "load_sources" in TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory to load your subclass. Yes, that’s a whole lot of module names — main character energy for build tooling, honestly.

Don’t forget to register your class with "register_handler" in TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory.

Example

This is the example from the page — code stays exact, obviously 💖:

package MySourceHandler;

use strict;

use MySourceHandler; # see TAP::Parser::SourceHandler
use TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory;

use base 'TAP::Parser::SourceHandler';

TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory->register_handler( __PACKAGE__ );

sub can_handle {
    my ( $class, $src ) = @_;
    my $meta   = $src->meta;
    my $config = $src->config_for( $class );

    if ($config->{accept_all}) {
        return 1.0;
    } elsif (my $file = $meta->{file}) {
        return 0.0 unless $file->{exists};
        return 1.0 if $file->{lc_ext} eq '.tap';
        return 0.9 if $file->{shebang} && $file->{shebang} =~ /^#!.+tap/;
        return 0.5 if $file->{text};
        return 0.1 if $file->{binary};
    } elsif ($meta->{scalar}) {
        return 0.8 if $$raw_source_ref =~ /\d\.\.\d/;
        return 0.6 if $meta->{has_newlines};
    } elsif ($meta->{array}) {
        return 0.8 if $meta->{size} < 5;
        return 0.6 if $raw_source_ref->[0] =~ /foo/;
        return 0.5;
    } elsif ($meta->{hash}) {
        return 0.6 if $raw_source_ref->{foo};
        return 0.2;
    }

    return 0;
}

sub make_iterator {
    my ($class, $source) = @_;
    # this is where you manipulate the source and
    # capture the stream of TAP in an iterator
    # either pick a TAP::Parser::Iterator::* or write your own...
    my $iterator = TAP::Parser::Iterator::Array->new([ 'foo', 'bar' ]);
    return $iterator;
}

1;

🎀 AUTHORS 🎀

• TAPx Developers.
• Source detection stuff added by Steve Purkis

⭐ SEE ALSO ⭐

• TAP::Object
• TAP::Parser
• TAP::Parser::Source
• TAP::Parser::Iterator
• TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory
• TAP::Parser::SourceHandler::Executable
• TAP::Parser::SourceHandler::Perl
• TAP::Parser::SourceHandler::File
• TAP::Parser::SourceHandler::Handle
• TAP::Parser::SourceHandler::RawTAP

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That’s the whole page, bestie 💖. It comes from perl v5.42.3, dated 2026-11-03 — mwah, go build something iconic 🫶✨.