# Event::generic - phpMan

## NAME
    [Event::generic] - generic event handling

## SYNOPSIS
     use [Event::generic];

     $source = [Event::generic::Source]->new;

     $w = Event->generic(source => $source, ...);
     $w = $source->watch(...);

     $source = $w->source;
     $w->source($source);

     $source->event;
     $source->event($data);

     $data = $event->data;

## DESCRIPTION
    This module provides a watcher type within the "Event" framework. You
    must understand the architecture of the "Event" system in order to
    understand this document.

    This module provides a system of reified event sources and watchers
    watching those sources. Events are generated solely by a method on the
    event source object. The events may carry arbitrary data to the event
    handler callbacks. This module is intended for situations where the
    events of interest are best determined by Perl code.

## CLASSES
    [Event::generic::Source]
        A reified event source.

    [Event::generic]
        A watcher that can watch "[Event::generic::Source]" event sources.

    [Event::Event::Dataful]
        A (target) event that can carry arbitrary data.

## EVENT SOURCE CLASS
  Constructor
    [Event::generic::Source]->new
        Creates and returns a new event source.

  Methods
    $source->event
    $source->event(DATA)
        The invocation of this method is a source event for watchers of the
        event source. When this method is called, each active watcher of the
        event source generates a target event. The *DATA*, if supplied, is
        copied into the target event objects, from which it can be retrieved
        using the "data()" method.

    $source->watch(ATTR => VALUE, ...)
        Generates and returns a new watcher, configured to watch this event
        source. The standard watcher attributes may be specified as
        arguments. The watcher returned is an ordinary "[Event::generic]", and
        may be reconfigured to watch a different event source.

## WATCHER CLASS
  Type-specific attributes
    source => $source
        The event source to watch. This must be either an
        "[Event::generic::Source]" object or "undef". When set to "undef", no
        source is being watched, and the watcher cannot be started.

## EVENT CLASS
  Type-specific methods
    $event->data
        Returns the data associated with the event, which may be any scalar.
        This is read-only, and is set by the event source.

## SEE ALSO
    Event