NAME
    Text::Column - format tables from specific array and hash structures

SYNOPSIS
      #####
      # Subroutine interface
      #
      use Text::Column qw(format_hash_table format_array_table);

      $table = format_hash_table(\%hash, \@width, \@header);
      $table = format_array_table(\@array, \@width, \@header);

      #####
      # Object interface
      #
      use Text::Column;

      $table = Text::Column->format_hash_table(\%hash, \@width, \@header);
      $table = Text::Column->format_array_table(\@array, \@width, \@header);

DESCRIPTION
    The methods in this module are used to generate formated tables from the
    data in various specific array and hash structures. These subroutines
    are used in test software. They are used to build simple inventory
    listings, tracebility listins and such for PODs. Thus, the purpose is
    not to load them with a lot of word processing features but to keep them
    bare bones with as little code as possible. Feature creep is prohibited.
    The last thing need is a blue screen for out of a 100,000 line option
    ridden, ten layer deep objectize, word processor in the test software.

SUBROUTINES
  format_array_table

     $formated_table = format_array_table(\@array, \@width, \@header)

    The *format_array_table* method provides a formatted table suitable for
    inclusion in a POD. The *\@array* variable references an array of array
    references. Each array reference in the top array is for a row array
    that contains the items in column order for the row. The *\@width*
    variable references the width of each column in column order while the
    *\@header* references the table column names in column order.

  format_hash_table

     $table = format_hash_table(\%hash, \@width, \@header)

    The *format_hash_table* method provides a formatted table suitable for
    inclusion in a POD. The *\%array* variable references a hash of
    references to either arrays or hashes. Each key is the first column of a
    row. An array referenced by the hash value contains the items in column
    order for the rest of the row. The keys of a hash referenced by the hash
    value is the items for the next column in the row. Any other hash value
    signals the end of the row. The *format_hash_table* method always sort
    hash keys.

    The *\@width* variable references the width of each column in column
    order while the *\@header* references the table column names in column
    order.

REQUIREMENTS
    Coming soon.

DEMONSTRATION
     ~~~~~~ Demonstration overview ~~~~~

    Perl code begins with the prompt

     =>

    The selected results from executing the Perl Code follow on the next
    lines. For example,

     => 2 + 2
     4

     ~~~~~~ The demonstration follows ~~~~~

     =>     use File::Spec;

     =>     use File::Package;
     =>     my $fp = 'File::Package';

     =>     my $tt = 'Text::Column';

     =>     my $loaded = '';
     =>     my $template = '';
     =>     my %variables = ();
     =>     my $expected = '';
     => my $errors = $fp->load_package($tt)
     => $errors
     ''

     => my @array_table =  (
     =>    [qw(module.pm 0.01 2003/5/6 new)],
     =>    [qw(bin/script.pl 1.04 2003/5/5 generated)],
     =>    [qw(bin/script.pod 3.01 2003/6/8), 'revised 2.03']
     => );
     => $tt->format_array_table(\@array_table, [15,7,10,15],[qw(file version date comment)])
     ' file            version date       comment
      --------------- ------- ---------- ---------------
      module.pm       0.01    2003/5/6   new
      bin/script.pl   1.04    2003/5/5   generated
      bin/script.pod  3.01    2003/6/8   revised 2.03
     '

     => my %hash_table =  (
     =>    'module.pm' => [qw(0.01 2003/5/6 new)],
     =>    'bin/script.pl' => [qw(1.04 2003/5/5 generated)],
     =>    'bin/script.pod' => [qw(3.01 2003/6/8), 'revised 2.03']
     => );
     => $tt->format_hash_table(\%hash_table, [15,7,10,15],[qw(file version date comment)])
     ' file            version date       comment
      --------------- ------- ---------- ---------------
      bin/script.pl   1.04    2003/5/5   generated
      bin/script.pod  3.01    2003/6/8   revised 2.03
      module.pm       0.01    2003/5/6   new
     '

     => %hash_table =  (
     =>    'L<test1>' => {'L<requirement4>' => undef, 'L<requirement1>' => undef },
     =>    'L<test2>' => {'L<requirement3>' => undef },
     =>    'L<test3>' => {'L<requirement2>' => undef, 'L<requirement1>' => undef },
     => );
     => $tt->format_hash_table(\%hash_table, [20,20],[qw(test requirement)])
     ' test                 requirement
      -------------------- --------------------
      L<test1>             L<requirement1>
      L<test1>             L<requirement4>
      L<test2>             L<requirement3>
      L<test3>             L<requirement1>
      L<test3>             L<requirement2>
     '

QUALITY ASSURANCE
    Running the test script "Column.t" verifies the requirements for this
    module. The "tmake.pl" cover script for Test::STDmaker automatically
    generated the "Column.t" test script, "Column.d" demo script, and
    "t::Text::Column" program module POD, from the "t::Text::Column" program
    module contents. The "tmake.pl" cover script automatically ran the
    "Column.d" demo script and inserted the results into the 'DEMONSTRATION'
    section above. The "t::Text::Column" program module is in the
    distribution file Text-Column-$VERSION.tar.gz.

NOTES
  Author

    The holder of the copyright and maintainer is

    <support@SoftwareDiamonds.com>

  Copyright Notice

    Copyrighted (c) 2002 Software Diamonds

    All Rights Reserved

  Binding Requirement Notice

    Binding requirements are indexed with the pharse 'shall[dd]' where dd is
    an unique number for each header section. This conforms to standard
    federal government practices, STD490A 3.2.3.6. In accordance with the
    License, Software Diamonds is not liable for any requirement, binding or
    otherwise.

  License

    Software Diamonds permits the redistribution and use in source and
    binary forms, with or without modification, provided that the following
    conditions are met:

    1   Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
        notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

    2   Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
        notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
        documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

    SOFTWARE DIAMONDS, http::www.softwarediamonds.com, PROVIDES THIS
    SOFTWARE 'AS IS' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT
    NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
    FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL SOFTWARE
    DIAMONDS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
    SPECIAL,EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
    TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,DATA, OR
    PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF
    LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING USE
    OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN
    ANY WAY OUT OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

SEE ALSO
    Docs::Site_SVD::Text_Column
    Test::STDmaker
    ExtUtils::SVDmaker
Title Page
     Software Version Description

     for

     Text::Column - Format tables from hashes and arrays suitable for PODs

     Revision: D

     Version: 0.05

     Date: 2004/04/29

     Prepared for: General Public 

     Prepared by:  SoftwareDiamonds.com E<lt>support@SoftwareDiamonds.comE<gt>

     Copyright: copyright � 2003 Software Diamonds

     Classification: NONE

1.0 SCOPE
    This paragraph identifies and provides an overview of the released
    files.

  1.1 Identification

    This release, identified in 3.2, is a collection of Perl modules that
    extend the capabilities of the Perl language.

  1.2 System overview

    The "Text::Column" module extends the Perl language (the system).

    The US DOD 2167A software development standard creates and cites a fully
    decent number of Data Item Descriptions (DID). A DID and US DOD 490A,
    Specification Practices, specify in great detail the paragraph number,
    headings and the information required for each paragraph in the document
    govern by the DID.

    The usually approach is for suppliers of the DIDs to set up templates
    and fill in the template with the missing information to complete the
    DID document.

    Different organizations use different degrees of automation. Some will
    have hard copy templates. Some will use word processor templates. Others
    will use Visual Basic to merge database information into a template.

    The methods in this module support a Perl automation of this processes.
    by formatting raw array and hash data into tables for inclusion in PODS

  1.3 Document overview.

    This document releases Text::Column version 0.05 providing a description
    of the inventory, installation instructions and other information
    necessary to utilize and track this release.

3.0 VERSION DESCRIPTION
    All file specifications in this SVD use the Unix operating system file
    specification.

  3.1 Inventory of materials released.

    This document releases the file

     Text-Column-0.05.tar.gz

    found at the following repository(s):

      http://www.softwarediamonds/packages/
      http://www.perl.com/CPAN/authors/id/S/SO/SOFTDIA/

    Restrictions regarding duplication and license provisions are as
    follows:

    Copyright.
        copyright � 2003 Software Diamonds

    Copyright holder contact.
         603 882-0846 E<lt>support@SoftwareDiamonds.comE<gt>

    License.
        Software Diamonds permits the redistribution and use in source and
        binary forms, with or without modification, provided that the
        following conditions are met:

        1   Redistributions of source code, modified or unmodified must
            retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and
            the following disclaimer.

        2   Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
            copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
            disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
            with the distribution.

        SOFTWARE DIAMONDS, http://www.SoftwareDiamonds.com, PROVIDES THIS
        SOFTWARE 'AS IS' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING,
        BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
        FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL
        SOFTWARE DIAMONDS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
        SPECIAL,EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
        LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF
        USE,DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
        ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
        OR TORT (INCLUDING USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF
        NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE POSSIBILITY
        OF SUCH DAMAGE.

  3.2 Inventory of software contents

    The content of the released, compressed, archieve file, consists of the
    following files:

     file                                                         version date       comment
     ------------------------------------------------------------ ------- ---------- ------------------------
     lib/Docs/Site_SVD/Text_Column.pm                             0.05    2004/04/29 revised 0.04
     MANIFEST                                                     0.05    2004/04/29 generated, replaces 0.04
     Makefile.PL                                                  0.05    2004/04/29 generated, replaces 0.04
     README                                                       0.05    2004/04/29 generated, replaces 0.04
     lib/Text/Column.pm                                           1.11    2004/04/29 revised 1.1
     t/Text/Column.d                                              0.01    2003/07/27 unchanged
     t/Text/Column.pm                                             0.04    2004/04/29 revised 0.03
     t/Text/Column.t                                              0.05    2003/09/15 unchanged
     t/Text/File/Package.pm                                       1.16    2004/04/29 new
     t/Text/Test/Tech.pm                                          1.21    2004/04/29 new
     t/Text/Data/Secs2.pm                                         1.18    2004/04/29 new
     t/Text/Data/SecsPack.pm                                      0.03    2004/04/29 new
     t/Text/Data/Startup.pm                                       0.03    2004/04/29 new

  3.3 Changes

    The changes to the previous version are as follows:

    Test-STD-STDutil-0.01
        Rename Module
            At 02:44 AM 6/14/2003 +0200, Max Maischein wrote: A second thing
            that I would like you to reconsider is the naming of
            "Test::TestUtil" respectively "Test::Tech" - neither of those is
            descriptive of what the routines actually do or what the module
            implements. I would recommend renaming them to something closer
            to your other modules, maybe "Test::SVDMaker::Util" and
            "Test::SVDMaker::Tech", as some routines do not seem to be
            specific to the Test::-suite but rather general
            (format_array_table). Some parts (the "scrub" routines) might
            even better live in another module namespace,
            "Test::Util::ScrubData" or something like that.

            Broke away the template and table routines from Test::TestUtil
            created this module Test::STD::STDutil.

    Test-STD-STDutil-0.02
        Use the new modules from the break-up of the "File::FileUtil" module

    Text-Text-0.01
        Broke up the "Test::STD::STDutil" module and moved it to more
        appropriate places in the high level directory tree.

    Text-Column-0.01
        Changed name from Text::Table to Text::Column. Text::Table taken.

    Text-Column-0.02
        Change the test so that test support program modules resides in
        distribution directory tlib directory instead of the lib directory.
        Because they are no longer in the lib directory, test support files
        will not be installed as a pre-condition for the test of this
        module. The test of this module will precede immediately. The test
        support files in the tlib directory will vanish after the
        installtion.

    Text-Column-0.03
        Recreate distribution file with Archive::TarGzip 0.02 that uses mode
        777 for directories instead of 666. Started to get emails from Unix
        installers about untar not being able to change to a directory with
        mode of 666.

    Text-Column-0.04
        Add the module 'Data::Secs2' in the tlib that provides 'stringify'
        support for the 'Test::Tech' module.

    Text-Column-0.05
        The lastest build of Test::STDmaker expects the test library in the
        same directory as the test script. Coordiated with the lastest
        Test::STDmaker by moving the test library from "tlib" to "t/Text",
        the same directory as the test script and deleting the test library
        File::TestPath program module. CPAN software does not expect "tlib"
        and does not properly process it.

        Minor clean-up on the POD.

  3.4 Adaptation data.

    This installation requires that the installation site has the Perl
    programming language installed. There are no other additional
    requirements or tailoring needed of configurations files, adaptation
    data or other software needed for this installation particular to any
    installation site.

  3.5 Related documents.

    There are no related documents needed for the installation and test of
    this release.

  3.6 Installation instructions.

    Instructions for installation, installation tests and installation
    support are as follows:

    Installation Instructions.
        To installed the release file, use the CPAN module pr PPM module in
        the Perl release or the INSTALL.PL script at the following web site:

         http://packages.SoftwareDiamonds.com

        Follow the instructions for the the chosen installation software.

        If all else fails, the file may be manually installed. Enter one of
        the following repositories in a web browser:

          http://www.softwarediamonds/packages/
          http://www.perl.com/CPAN/authors/id/S/SO/SOFTDIA/

        Right click on 'Text-Column-0.05.tar.gz' and download to a temporary
        installation directory. Enter the following where $make is 'nmake'
        for microsoft windows; otherwise 'make'.

         gunzip Text-Column-0.05.tar.gz
         tar -xf Text-Column-0.05.tar
         perl Makefile.PL
         $make test
         $make install

        On Microsoft operating system, nmake, tar, and gunzip must be in the
        exeuction path. If tar and gunzip are not install, download and
        install unxutils from

         http://packages.softwarediamonds.com

    Prerequistes.
         None.

    Security, privacy, or safety precautions.
        None.

    Installation Tests.
        Most Perl installation software will run the following test
        script(s) as part of the installation:

         t/Text/Column.t

    Installation support.
        If there are installation problems or questions with the
        installation contact

         603 882-0846 E<lt>support@SoftwareDiamonds.comE<gt>

  3.7 Possible problems and known errors

    There is still much work needed to ensure the quality of this module as
    follows:

    *   State the functional requirements for each method including not only
        the GO paths but also what to expect for the NOGO paths

    *   All the tests are GO path tests. Should add NOGO tests.

    *   Add the requirements addressed as *# R: * comment to the tests

    *   Write a program to build a matrix to trace test step to the
        requirements and vice versa by parsing the *# R: * comments.
        Automatically insert the matrix in the Test::TestUtil POD.

4.0 NOTES
    The following are useful acronyms:

    .d  extension for a Perl demo script file

    .pm extension for a Perl Library Module

    .t  extension for a Perl test script file

2.0 SEE ALSO
    Text::Column
    Docs::US_DOD::SVD