Logger version 0.01
===================

NAME
        Pat::Logger - OO debugging tool which outputs logging messages in a nifty format.


SYNOPSIS
       · Print messages to both STDOUT and a file:


           use Pat::Logger;
           $debug_file = '/tmp/foo.log';
           eval { $logger = new Logger ( $debug_file ) };
           die $@ if $@;

           $logger->debug_message ( "Logger will tell you the package, subroutine and line number" );
           $logger->debug_message ( 'your debug message originated from' );


       · Print to STDOUT only:


           use Pat::Logger;
           eval { $logger = new_stdout Logger() };
           die $@ if $@;

           $logger->debug_message ( "This line will go to STDOUT only" );
           $logger->separate;
           $logger->debug_message ( "This line is separated from the previous one" );


DESCRIPTION
           The Logger module is a nifty tool to organaize your debug messages.

           While writing your code you need a tool to output your debug messages.
           You want to see where the message originated from (which module, which subroutine and line number),
           so you can proceed directly to solving the matter, rather than search for it's location.
           Logger does just that.

           There are two working modes for Logger, each one has it's own constructor:

           (1) Debugging to STDOUT+file.
           (2) Debugging to STDOUT only.



       · new($)
               This constructor expects a file name to output all message to.
               Upon success, a blessed hash reference will be returned.
               Upon failure the method dies, and $@ will hold the error message.


       · new_stdout()
               All debug messages will be sent to STDOUT solemly.
               Upon success, a blessed hash reference will be returned.
               Upon failure the method dies, and $@ will hold the error message.


       · debug_message($)
               This method takes one argument - the debug message you wish to log.
               Upon success - the method returns 1.
               Upon failre  - the method returns 0.

               The Logger object does all the work behind the scenes:
               (1) Grab the package, subroutine name and line number which the message originated from.
               (2) Create a nice format with the parameters aforementioned.
               (3) Output it according to object type.


       · separate()
               You may wish to create visual separation between messages.
               When you invoke separate(), a line consistant of 152 x '-' will be outputed.

               This length is coherent with the length of the format.


BUGS
           None at the moment.
           If you have any question or comment - nirp@aduva.com


COPYRIGHT
           Copyright 2001-2002, Pengas Nir

           This library is free software - you can redistribute
           it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.




INSTALLATION

To install this module type the following:

   perl Makefile.PL
   make
   make test
   make install


DEPENDENCIES

This module requires these other modules and libraries:

   fields pragma.
