NAME DBIx::Class::DynamicSubclass - Convenient way to use dynamic subclassing. SYNOPSIS package My::Schema::Game; __PACKAGE__->load_components(qw/DynamicSubclass Core/); __PACKAGE__->add_column(qw/id name data type/); __PACKAGE__->typecast_map(type => { 1 => 'My::Schema::Game::Online', 2 => 'My::Schema::Game::Shareware', 3 => 'My::Schema::Game::PDA', }); $game = $schema->resultset('Game')->new({..., type => 1}); # ref $game = 'My::Schema::Game::Online' @games = $game->search({type => 2}); # @games are all of class My::Schema::Game::Shareware $game->type(3); # game is now of class My::Schema::Game::PDA $game = $schema->resultset('Game')->new({}); # or $game->type(undef); # game is now of type My::Schema::Game #Dynamic properties with DBIx::Class::FrozenColumns package My::Schema::Game; __PACKAGE__->load_components(qw/... FrozenColumns .../); package My::Schema::Game::Online; use base 'My::Schema::Game'; __PACKAGE__->add_frozen_columns(data => qw/flash server_host server_port/); package My::Schema::Game::Shareware; use base 'My::Schema::Game'; __PACKAGE__->add_frozen_columns(data => qw/price download_url/); ... $game->type(1); #game would have now additional columns 'flash', 'server_host', etc. $game->server_host('...'); #(stored in 'data') $game->type(2); $game->server_host; #error $game->price('$3.00'); #ok $game = $rs->new({ type => 1, flash => 'game.swf', }); #ok #More flexible way package My::Schema::Game; __PACKAGE__->typecast_column('type'); sub classify { #called each time the object gets or losses its 'type' my $self = shift; #decide which class do you want bless $self, $class; } DESCRIPTION This plugin implements methodics described here "Dynamic_Sub-classing_DBIx::Class_proxy_classes_(AKA_multi-class_object_ inflation_from_one_table)" in DBIx::Class::Manual::Cookbook. DynamicSubclass has 2 ways to work: static defining and dynamic defining. Static defining is used in most cases. This is when you define __PACKAGE__->typecast_map(defining_column => {column_value => 'subclass', ...}); The plugin preloads all of the subclasses and changes the class of the row object when you are creating new object or fetching it from a database or changing 'defining_column' value. If the value is not exists in the 'typecast_map' then object is blessed into the base class and losses all of its additional methods/columns/etc. Dynamic defining is when you only say __PACKAGE__->typecast_column('defining_column'); and define a method 'classify' that would bless a row object into proper class. This method is called when object is created, fetched or have its 'defining_column' value changed. METHODS typecast_map Arguments: $column, %typecast_hash %typecast_hash is a hash with keys equal to possible $column values and with subclasses as values. classify A standart method for static subclassing. You should redefine this method in your result source in order to use dynamic subclassing (second way). OVERLOADED METHODS new, inflate_result, store_column SEE ALSO DBIx::Class, DBIx::Class::FrozenColumns. AUTHOR Pronin Oleg LICENSE You may distribute this code under the same terms as Perl itself.