Tie::Scalar(3pm)

✨ NAME ✨

This is Tie::Scalar(3pm) from the Perl Programmers Reference Guide, and it’s giving base-class energy for tied scalars 💅

Tie::Scalar, Tie::StdScalar — base class definitions for tied scalars.

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

package NewScalar;
require Tie::Scalar;

@ISA = qw(Tie::Scalar);

sub FETCH { ... }           # Provide a needed method
sub TIESCALAR { ... }       # Overrides inherited method

package NewStdScalar;
require Tie::Scalar;

@ISA = qw(Tie::StdScalar);

# All methods provided by default, so define
# only what needs be overridden
sub FETCH { ... }

package main;

tie $new_scalar, 'NewScalar';
tie $new_std_scalar, 'NewStdScalar';

🎀 DESCRIPTION 🎀

Okay so this module hands you some skeletal methods for scalar-tying classes. See perltie for the list of functions you need when tying a scalar to a package. The basic Tie::Scalar package provides a new method, plus the methods TIESCALAR, FETCH and STORE. The Tie::StdScalar package provides all the methods specified in perltie. It inherits from Tie::Scalar and makes scalars tied to it behave exactly like the built-in scalars, which lets you selectively overload methods. The new method is there as legacy support for classes that forget to provide their own TIESCALAR method.

If you’re a developer who wants to write your own tied-scalar classes, the methods are summarized below. The perltie section not only documents these, but has sample code too 👑

TIESCALAR classname, LIST

This is the method invoked by the command tie $scalar, classname. It associates a new scalar instance with the specified class. LIST would represent additional arguments (along the lines of AnyDBM_File and compatriots) needed to complete the association.

FETCH this

Retrieve the value of the tied scalar referenced by this.

STORE this, value

Store the data value in the tied scalar referenced by this.

DESTROY this

Free the storage associated with the tied scalar referenced by this. This is rarely needed, since Perl manages its memory quite well. But the option exists, should a class wish to perform specific actions upon the destruction of an instance.

💅 Tie::Scalar vs Tie::StdScalar 💅

Tie::Scalar provides all the necessary methods, but realize that they do not do anything useful. Calling Tie::Scalar::FETCH or Tie::Scalar::STORE results in a (trappable) croak. And if you inherit from Tie::Scalar, you must provide either a new or a TIESCALAR method.

If you want a class that does everything for you that you don’t define yourself, use the Tie::StdScalar class, not the Tie::Scalar one. Periodt ✨

🔥 MORE INFORMATION 🔥

The perltie section uses a good example of tying scalars by associating process IDs with priority.

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Okay that’s the whole page, bestie 🫶 — from the Tie::Scalar(3pm) page in the Perl Programmers Reference Guide, perl v5.42.3, dated 2026-11-03. Mwah 💋✨