# $Id: README 2 2007-10-27 22:08:58Z kim $

Data-Page-Balanced version 1.0.0

INSTALLATION

To install this module, run the following commands:

	perl Makefile.PL
	make
	make test
	make install

Alternatively, to install with Module::Build, you can use the following commands:

	perl Build.PL
	./Build
	./Build test
	./Build install

NAME
    Data::Page::Balanced - A data pager that will balance the number of
    entries per page.

VERSION
    This document describes Data::Page::Balanced version 1.0.0

SYNOPSIS
        use Data::Page::Balanced;

        my $pager = Data::Page::Balanced->new({
            total_entries => 67,
            entries_per_page => 25
        });
        
    print $pager->last_page() # 2
        print $pager->entries_per_page() # 34

DESCRIPTION
    This module behaves like Data::Page except that it balances the number
    of entries per page so there is no last page with only a few entries.
    If, for example, you have 26 entries and want 25 entries per page, a
    normal pager would give you two pages with 25 entries on the first and 1
    on the last. Data::Page::Balanced will instead give you one page with 26
    entries.

    The benefit of a balanced number of entries per page is greater when the
    number of pages is small, with the ideal case being when there are two
    pages with only one entry on the last, in which case
    Data::Page::Balanced will fold it over to the first page. This saves the
    user from having to navigate to a page with only one entry, making it
    easier for him or her to see all the entries at once.

    The default flexibility is "floor(entries_per_page/2)", which means that
    in the example with 25 entries per page, the calculated entries per page
    can go up to 37 (25 + 12). The flexibility can be changed both at
    initialization and later on.

SUBROUTINES/METHODS
  new
        my $pager = Data::Page::Balanced->new({
            total_entries => 67,
            entries_per_page => 25,
            current_page => 1,
            flexibility => 12
        });

    This constructs a new pager object. The "total_entries" and
    "entries_per_page" arguments are mandatory, since they are used to
    calculate the actual number of entries per page.

    The "current_page" and "flexibility" arguments are optional.

    All arguments are given as name-value pairs in an anonymous hash.

  total_entries
        $pager->total_entries(100); # Sets the total entries to 100
        $pager->total_entries();    # Returns the current total entries

    This will get or set the total entries. *Changing this will re-calculate
    the number of entries per page.*

  entries_per_page
        $pager->entries_per_page(23); # Sets the entries per page to 23
        $pager->entries_per_page();   # Returns the current entries per page

    This will get or set the entries per page. *Since changing this will
    re-calculate the number of entries per page according to the
    flexibility, in most cases what you set is not what you later will get.*

  flexibility
        $pager->flexibility(12); # Sets the flexibility to 12
        $pager->flexibility();   # Returns the current flexibility

    This will get or set the flexibility value. *Changing this will
    re-calculate the number of entries per page.*

DIAGNOSTICS
    "total_entries and entries_per_page must be supplied."
        The "total_entries" and "entries_per_page" arguments has to be
        supplied when initializing a new object.

    "There must be at least one entry per page. %d is too small."
        The number of entries per page is not allowed to be smaller than 1.

CONFIGURATION AND ENVIRONMENT
    Data::Page::Balanced requires no configuration files or environment
    variables.

DEPENDENCIES
    Data::Page Class::Accessor::Chained::Fast

INCOMPATIBILITIES
    None reported.

BUGS AND LIMITATIONS
    No bugs have been reported.

    Please report any bugs or feature requests to
    "bug-data-page-balanced@rt.cpan.org", or through the web interface at
    <http://rt.cpan.org>.

AUTHOR
    Kim Ahlström "<kim.ahlstrom@gmail.com>"

LICENSE AND COPYRIGHT
    Copyright (c) 2007, Kim Ahlström "<kim.ahlstrom@gmail.com>". All rights
    reserved.

    This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
    under the same terms as Perl itself. See perlartistic.

DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY
    BECAUSE THIS SOFTWARE IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY
    FOR THE SOFTWARE, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN
    OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES
    PROVIDE THE SOFTWARE "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER
    EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
    WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE
    ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS WITH
    YOU. SHOULD THE SOFTWARE PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL
    NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR CORRECTION.

    IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING
    WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR
    REDISTRIBUTE THE SOFTWARE AS PERMITTED BY THE ABOVE LICENCE, BE LIABLE
    TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR
    CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE
    SOFTWARE (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING
    RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A
    FAILURE OF THE SOFTWARE TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER SOFTWARE), EVEN IF
    SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
    DAMAGES.