NAME
    Params::Smart - use both positional and named arguments in a subroutine

SYNOPSIS
      use Params::Smart;

      sub my_sub {
        %args = Params(qw( +foo +bar ?bo ?baz ))->args(@_);

        ...
      }

      my_sub( foo=> 1, bar=>2, bo=>3 );  # call with named arguments

      my_sub(1, 2, 3);                   # same, with positional args

DESCRIPTION
    This module allows you to have subroutines which take both named and
    positional arguments without having to use a changed syntax and source
    filters.

    Usage is as follows:

      %values = Params( @template )->( @args );

    @template specifies the names of parameters in the order that they
    should be given in subroutine calls. @args is the list of argument to be
    parsed: usually you just specify the void list @_.

    By default, parameters are assumed to be optional. (You may insert a
    question mark before the name, "?name" to emphasize that it is optional
    for anyone reading the code.)

    If a plus sign is added before the name, "+name" then it will be
    considered a required argument. No required argument can follow an
    optional argument.

    If an asterisk is specified, the parameter will slurp all remaining
    arguments into a list reference.

    The resulting hash contains appropriate values.

    It may also contain additional keys which begin with an underscore.
    These are internal/diagnostic values.

    Because Perl5 treats hashes as lists, this module attempts to interpret
    the arguments as a hash of named parameters first. If one hash key does
    not match, it will assume there is a typo and return an error. If more
    do not match, it will assume these are positional parameters instead.
    The downside is that if your positional parameters coincidentally match
    parameter names, you will have some frustrating bugs. In such cases you
    can check the "_named" parameter.

CAVEATS
    *This is an experimental module, and the interface may change.* More
    likely additional features will be added.

SEE ALSO
      Params::Validate
      Perl6::Subs

AUTHOR
    Robert Rothenberg <rrwo at cpan.org>

  Suggestions and Bug Reporting
    Feedback is always welcome. Please use the CPAN Request Tracker at
    <http://rt.cpan.org> to submit bug reports.

LICENSE
    Copyright (c) 2005 Robert Rothenberg. All rights reserved. This program
    is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
    same terms as Perl itself.