=encoding utf8

=head1 NAME

Log::Report::Message - a piece of text to be translated

=head1 INHERITANCE

 Log::Report::Message is extended by
   Dancer2::Plugin::LogReport::Message

=head1 SYNOPSIS

  # Objects created by Log::Report's __ functions
  # Full feature description in the DETAILS section

  # no interpolation
  __"Hello, World";

  # with interpolation
  __x"age {years}", years => 12;

  # interpolation for one or many
  my $nr_files = @files;
  __nx"one file", "{_count} files", $nr_files;
  __nx"one file", "{_count} files", \@files;

  # interpolation of arrays
  __x"price-list: {prices%.2f}", prices => \@prices, _join => ', ';

  # white-spacing on msgid preserved
  print __"\tCongratulations,\n";
  print "\t", __("Congratulations,"), "\n";  # same

  # Object serialization support
  my $clone = Log::Report::Message->thaw($msg->freeze);

=head1 DESCRIPTION

Any use of a constructor function exported by L<Log::Report|Log::Report>, like
C<__()> (the function is named underscore-underscore) or C<__x()>
(underscore-underscore-x) will result in this Message object.  It will capture
some environmental information as well.

The optional translation is delayed until it is really needed.
Creating an object first and translating it later, might be slower than
translating it immediately.  However (by design decissions of L<Log::Report|Log::Report>)
on the location where the message is produced, we do not yet know in
what language to translate it to: that depends on the actual log dispatcher
configurations in the main program.

=head1 OVERLOADED

=over 4

=item overload: B<'""'> stringification

When the object is used in string context, it will get translated.
Implemented as L<toString()|Log::Report::Message/"Processing">.

=item overload: B<'&{}'> used as function

When the object is called as function, a new object is created with
the data from the original one but updated with the new parameters.
Implemented in C<clone()>.

=item overload: B<'.'> concatenation

An (accidental) use of concatenation (a dot where a comma should be
used) would immediately stringify the object.  This is avoided by
overloading that operation.

=back

=head1 METHODS

=head2 Constructors

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<clone>(%options, $variables)

Returns a new object which copies info from original, and updates it
with the specified C<%options> and C<$variables>.  The advantage is that the
cached translations are shared between the objects.

» example: use of clone()

  my $s = __x "found {nr} files", nr => 5;
  my $t = $s->clone(nr => 3);
  my $t = $s->(nr => 3);      # equivalent
  print $s;     # found 5 files
  print $t;     # found 3 files

=item $class-E<gt>B<new>(%options)

B<End-users: do not use this method directly>, but use
L<Log::Report::__()|Log::Report/"Messages (optionally translatable)">, L<Log::Report::__x()|Log::Report/"Messages (optionally translatable)"> and friends.  The C<%options>
is a mixed list of object initiation parameters (all with a leading
underscore) and variables to be filled in into the translated C<_msgid>
string.

 -Option   --Default
  _append    undef
  _category  undef
  _class     undef
  _classes   undef
  _context   undef
  _count     undef
  _domain    <from "use Log::Report">
  _expand    false
  _join      $" $LIST_SEPARATOR
  _lang      <from locale>
  _msgctxt   undef
  _msgid     undef
  _plural    undef
  _prepend   undef
  _tag       []
  _tags      []
  _to        undef

=over 2

=item _append => $text|$message

Some C<$text> or other C<$message> object which need to be pasted after this
message object.

=item _category => INTEGER

The category when the real gettext library is used, for instance
LC_MESSAGES.

=item _class => $tags|\@tags

Deprecated alternative for C<_tag>.

=item _classes => $tags|\@tags

Deprecated alternative for C<_tag>.

=item _context => $keyword|\@keywords

[1.00] Set the C<@keywords> which can be used to select alternatives
between translations.  Read the DETAILS section in
L<Log::Report::Translator::Context|Log::Report::Translator::Context>

=item _count => INTEGER|ARRAY|HASH

When defined, the C<_plural> need to be defined as well.  When an
ARRAY is provided, the length of the ARRAY is taken.  When a HASH
is given, the number of keys in the HASH is used.

=item _domain => $name|$object

The text-domain (translation table) to which this C<_msgid> belongs.

With this parameter, your can "borrow" translations from other textdomains.
Be very careful with this (although there are good use-cases)  The xgettext
msgid extractor may add the used msgid to this namespace as well.  To
avoid that, add a harmless '+':

  print __x(+"errors", _domain => 'global');

The extractor will not take the msgid when it is an expression.  The '+'
has no effect on the string at runtime.

=item _expand => BOOLEAN

Indicates whether variables are to be filled-in; whether C<__x> or C<__> was
used to define the message.

=item _join => $separator

Which C<$separator> string to be used then an ARRAY is being filled-in.

=item _lang => ISO

[1.00] Override language setting from locale, for instance because that
is not configured correctly (yet).  This does not extend to prepended
or appended translated message object.

=item _msgctxt => $context

[1.22] Message C<$context> in the translation file, the traditional use.  Cannot
be combined with C<_context> on the same msgids.

=item _msgid => $msgid

The message label, which refers to some translation information.
Usually a string which is close the English version of the message.
This will also be used if there is no translation possible/known.

Leading white-space C<\s> will be added to C<_prepend>.  Trailing
white-space will be added before C<_append>.

=item _plural => $msgid

Can be used together with C<_count>.  This plural form of the C<_msgid>
text is used to simplify the work of translators, and as fallback when
no translation is possible: therefore, this can best resemble an
English message.

White-space at the beginning and end of the string are stripped off.
The white-space provided by the C<_msgid> will be used.

=item _prepend => $text|$message

Some C<$text> or other C<$message> object which need to be glued before this
message object.

=item _tag => $tags|\@tags

When messages are used for exception based programming, you add a
C<_tag> parameter to the argument list.  Later, with for instance
L<Log::Report::Dispatcher::Try::wasFatal(tag)|Log::Report::Dispatcher::Try/"Status">, you can check the
category (group, class) of the exception.

The C<$tags> is interpreted as comma- and/or blank separated list of class
tokens (barewords), the ARRAY lists all tags separately. See L<tags()|Log::Report::Message/"Attributes">.

=item _tags => $tags|\@tags

Alternative name for C<_tag>

=item _to => $dispatcher

Specify the C<$dispatcher> as destination explicitly. Short
for  C<< report {to => NAME}, ... >>  See L<to()|Log::Report::Message/"Attributes">

=back

=back

=head2 Attributes

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<addTags>(@tags)

[1.45] Add zero or more tags to this message.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<append>()

Returns the string or L<Log::Report::Message|Log::Report::Message> object which is appended
after this one.  Usually C<undef>.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<classes>()

Deprecated alternative for L<tags()|Log::Report::Message/"Attributes">.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<context>()

Returns an HASH if there is a context defined for this message.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<count>()

Returns the count, which is used to select the translation
alternatives.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<domain>()

Returns the domain of the first translatable string in the structure.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<errno>( [$errno] )

[1.38] Returns the value of the C<_errno> key, to indicate the error
number (to be returned from your script).  Usually, this method will
return C<undef>.  For FAILURE, FAULT, and ALERT, the errno is by default
taken from C<$!> and C<$?>.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<msgctxt>()

The message context for the translation table lookup.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<msgid>()

Returns the msgid which will later be translated.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<prepend>()

Returns the string which is prepended to this one.  Usually C<undef>.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<tags>()

[1.44] Returns the LIST of tags which are defined for this message; message
group indicators, as often found in exception-based programming.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<to>( [$name] )

Returns the C<$name> of a dispatcher if explicitly specified with
the '_to' key. Can also be used to set it.  Usually, this will
return C<undef>, because usually all dispatchers get all messages.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<valueOf>($parameter)

Lookup the named C<$parameter> for the message.  All pre-defined names
have their own method which should be used with preference.

» example: 

When the message was produced with

  my @files = qw/one two three/;
  my $msg = __xn
     "found one file: {file}",
     "found {nrfiles} files: {files}",
     scalar @files,
     file    => $files[0],
     files   => \@files,
     nrfiles => @files+0,  # or scalar(@files)
     _tags   => [ 'IO', 'files' ],
     _join   => ', ';

then the values can be takes from the produced message as

  my $files = $msg->valueOf('files');  # returns ARRAY reference
  print @$files;                 # 3
  my $count = $msg->count;       # 3
  my @tags  = $msg->tags;        # 'IO', 'files'
  if($msg->taggedWith('files'))  # true

Simplified, the above example can also be written as:

  local $" = ', ';  # Perl default
  my $msg  = __xn
     "found one file: {files}",
     "found {_count} files: {files}",
     @files,      # has scalar context
     files   => \@files,
     _tags   => 'IO, files';

=back

=head2 Processing

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<concat>( $text|$message, [$prepend] )

This method implements the overloading of concatenation, which is used
to delay translations even longer.  When C<$prepend> is C<true>, the C<$text>
or C<$message> (another C<Log::Report::Message>) will be prepended, otherwise
it is appended in the final display.

» example: of concatenation

  print __"Hello" . ' ' . __"World!\n";
  print __("Hello")->concat(' ')->concat(__"World!")->concat("\n");

=item $obj-E<gt>B<freeze>(%options)

Convert the data of this message into a (nested) HASH which optimally
preserves its content.  Pass this to L<thaw()|Log::Report::Message/"Processing"> to get the object back.

The returned HASH can be serialized safely with (for instance) YAML
or JSON.  Then, it can be reconstructed from the de-serialized data.
At the moment, all facts can be preserved.

» example: to thaw a frozen

  my $clone = Log::Report::Message->thaw($msg->freeze);

=item $obj-E<gt>B<inClass>($tag|Regexp)

Deprecated alternative for L<taggedWith()|Log::Report::Message/"Processing">.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<taggedWith>($tag|Regexp)

[1.44] Returns C<true> if the message carries the specified C<$tag> (string) or
matches the Regexp.  The trueth value is the (first matching) tag.

=item $class-E<gt>B<thaw>(\%data, %options)

Z<>

=item $obj-E<gt>B<toHTML>( [$locale] )

[1.11] Translate the message, and then entity encode HTML volatile characters.

[1.20] When used in combination with a templating system, you may want to
use C<<content_for => 'HTML'>> in L<Log::Report::Domain::configure(formatter)|Log::Report::Minimal::Domain/"Attributes">.

» example: 

  print $msg->toHTML('NL');

=item $obj-E<gt>B<toString>( [$locale] )

Translate a message.  If not specified, the default locale is used.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<untranslated>()

Return the concatenation of the prepend, msgid, and append strings.  Variable
expansions within the msgid is not performed.

=back

=head1 DETAILS

The message cast by the L<Log::Report|Log::Report> exception framework can be
plain strings.  This is sufficient for some cases, for instance:
which would you bother much about the content of C<trace> messages?
Message which are destined for end-users or log-files however, need
more care; require a higher quality.  In this case, you can better
use cast message objects which support interpolation.

=head2 Message-IDs

An exception message as a string is pretty inflexible.  It cannot
be translated anymore, and it cannot contain related information
like an error code.  An exception message as an object (as this
module implements) is able to contain additional information.

The easiest way to create L<Log::Report::Message|Log::Report::Message> objects, is via the
C<__x()> (and friends) functions which are exported by L<Log::Report|Log::Report>.
These are nearly equivalent:

  my $msg = Log::Report::Message->new(_msgid => "Hello, World!");
  my $msg = __"Hello, World!";

The name C<msgid> is used, because this object can do translations.
In the GNU gettext library for translations, the term C<msgid> is
used to describe the string which has to be looked-up in translation
tables.  When there are no tables, or the C<msgid> is not found,
then the output string is equivalent to the C<msgid>.

So, without any translation configuration, this happens:

  my $msg = __"Hello, World!";
  print "$msg\n";      # Hello, World!⏎

The C<__()> function can be used with a static string, although you
could do this:

  my $msg = __"Hello $name!";      #XXX Don't do this!
  print "$msg\n";      # Hello Mark!⏎

With the C<__x()> or C<__nx()>, interpolation will take place on the
(optionally) translated C<msgid> string.  This is how to write above:

  my $msg = __x"Hello {name}!", name => $name;

So: the C<msgid> is usually a I<format string>.  Only when you use
formats correctly, you will be able to introduce translation later.

=head2 Why use format strings?

Simple perl scripts will use C<print()> with variables in the string.
However, when the content of the variable gets more unpredictable or
needs some pre-processing, then it gets tricky.  When you do want to
introduce translations (in the far future of your successful project)
it gets impossible.  Let me give you some examples:

  print "product: $name\n";    # simple perl

  # Will not work because "$name" is interpolated too early
  print translate("product: $name"), "\n";

  # This is the gettext solution, with formats
  printf translate("product: %s\n"), $name;

  # With named in stead of positional parameters
  print translate("product: {p}\n", p => $name);

  # With Log::Report, the translate() is hidden in __x()
  print __x"product: {p}\n", p => $name;

Besides making translation possible, interpolation via format strings
is much cleaner than in the simpelest perl way.  For instance, these
cases:

  # Safety measures while interpolation
  my $name = undef;
  print "product: $name\n";   # uninitialized warning
  print __x"product: {p}\n", p => $name;  # --> product: undef

  # Interpolation of more complex data
  my @names = qw/a b c/;
  print "products: ", join(', ', @names), "\n";
  print __x"products: {p}\n", p => \@names;

  # Padded values hard to do without format strings
  print "padded counter: ", ' ' x (6-length $c), "$c\n";
  printf "padded counter: %6d\n", $counter;
  print __x"padded counter: {c%6d}\n", c => $counter;

So: using formats has many advantages.  Advice: use simple perl only in
C<trace> and C<assert> messages, maybe also with panics.  For serious output
of your program, use formatted output.

=head2 Messages with plural forms

The L<Log::Report::__xn()|Log::Report/"Messages (optionally translatable)"> message constructor is used when you need
a different translation based on the count of one of the inserted
fields.

  fault __x"cannot read {file}", file => $fn;
  # --> FAULT: cannot read /etc/shadow: Permission denied\n

  print __xn"directory {dir} contains one file",
            "directory {dir} contains {nr_files} files",
            scalar(@files),            # (1) (2) (3)
            nr_files => scalar @files, # (4)
            dir      => $dir;

(1) this required third parameter is used to switch between the different
plural forms.  English has only two forms, but some languages have many
more.

(2) the "scalar" keyword is not needed, because the third parameter is
in SCALAR context.  You may also pass C< \@files > there, because ARRAYs
will be converted into their length.  A HASH will be converted into the
number of keys in the HASH.

(3) you could also simply pass a reference to the ARRAY: it will take
the length as counter.  With a HASH, it will count the number of keys.

(4) the C<scalar> keyword is required here, because it is LIST context:
otherwise all filenames will be filled-in as parameters to C<__xn()>.
See below for the available C<_count> value, to see how the C<nr_files>
parameter can disappear.

  print __xn"directory {dir} contains one file",
            "directory {dir} contains {_count} files",
            \@files, dir => $dir;

Some languages need more than two translations based on the counter.
This is solved by the translation table definition.  The two msgids
give here are simply the fallback, when there is not translation table
active.

=head3 Interpolation with String::Print

There is no way of checking beforehand whether you have provided all
required values, to be interpolated in the translated string.

This L<Log::Report::Message|Log::Report::Message> uses L<String::Print|String::Print> to handle formatted strings.
On object of that module is hidden in the logic of C<__x()> and friends.

L<String::Print|String::Print> is a very capable format string processor, and you should
really B<read its manual> page to see how it can help you.  It would be
possible to support an other formatter (pretty simple even), but this is
not (yet) supported.

=head4 » Example: using format features

  # This tries to display the $param as useful and safe as possible,
  # where you have totally no idea what its contents is.
  error __x"illegal parameter {p UNKNOWN}.", p => $param;
  # ---> "illegal parameter 'accidentally passed text'."
  # ---> "illegal parameter Unexpected::Object::Type."

  # fault() adds ": $!", with $! translated when configured.
  open my($fh), "<:encoding(utf-8)", $filename
  	 or fault __x"cannot read {file}", file => $filename;

  # Auto-abbreviation
  trace __x"first lines: '{text EL}'\n", text => $t;
  # ---> "first lines: 'This text is long, we sho⋯'.\n"

  trace __x"first lines: {text CHOP}\n", text => $t;
  # ---> "This text is long, we [+3712 chars]\n"

  info __x"file {file} size {size BYTES}\n", file => $fn, size => -s $fn;
  # --> "/etc/passwd size 23kB\n"

  # HASH or object values
  print __x"Name: {user.first} {user.surname}\n", user => $login;

There are more nice standard interpolation modifiers, and you can add
your own.  Besides, you can add serializers which determine how
objects are inlined.

=head2 Automatic parameters

Besides the parameters which you specify yourself, L<Log::Report|Log::Report> will add
a few which can also be interpolated.  The all start with an underscore
(C<_>).  These are collected when this Message object is instantiated,
see the C<%options> of L<new()|Log::Report::Message/"Constructors">.  These parameters have a purpose, but
you are also permitted tp interpolate them in your message.  This may
simplify your coding.

The useful names are:

=over 4

=item _msgid

The MSGID as provided with L<Log::Report::__()|Log::Report/"Messages (optionally translatable)"> and L<Log::Report::__x()|Log::Report/"Messages (optionally translatable)">

=item _plural, _count

The plural (second) msgid, respectively the counter value as used with
L<Log::Report::__n()|Log::Report/"Messages (optionally translatable)"> and L<Log::Report::__nx()|Log::Report/"Messages (optionally translatable)">

=item _textdomain

The label of the textdomain in which the translation takes place.

=item _join

The string which is used between elements of an ARRAY, when it gets
interpolated in a single field.

=item _tags

[1.44] Tags are to be used to group exceptions, and can be queried with L<taggedWith()|Log::Report::Message/"Processing">,
L<Log::Report::Exception::taggedWith()|Log::Report::Exception/"Processing">, or
L<Log::Report::Dispatcher::Try::wasFatal(tag)|Log::Report::Dispatcher::Try/"Status">.

=back

=head4 » Example: using the _count

With Locale::TextDomain, you have to do

  use Locale::TextDomain;
  print __nx(
     "One file has been deleted.\n",
     "{num} files have been deleted.\n",
     $num_files,
     num => $num_files,
  );

With C<Log::Report>, you can do

  use Log::Report;
  print __nx(
     "One file has been deleted.\n",
     "{_count} files have been deleted.\n",
     $num_files,
  );

Of course, you need to be aware that the name used to reference the
counter is fixed to C<_count>.  The first example works as well, but
is more verbose.

=head3 Handling white-spaces

In above examples, the msgid and plural form have a trailing new-line.
In general, it is much easier to write

  print __x"Hello, World!\n";

than

  print __x("Hello, World!") . "\n";

For the translation tables, however, that trailing new-line is "ignorable
information"; it is an layout issue, not a translation issue.

Therefore, the first form will automatically be translated into the
second.  All leading and trailing white-space (blanks, new-lines, tabs,
...) are removed from the msgid before the look-up, and then added to
the translated string.

Leading and trailing white-space on the plural form will also be
removed.  However, after translation the spacing of the msgid will
be used.

=head3 Avoiding repetative translations

This way of translating is somewhat expensive, because an object to
handle the C<Log::Report::__x()> is created each time.

  for my $i (1..100_000)
  {   print __x "Hello World {i}\n", i => $i;
  }

The suggestion that Locale::TextDomain makes to improve performance,
is to get the translation outside the loop, which only works without
interpolation:

  use Locale::TextDomain;
  my $i = 42;
  my $s = __x("Hello World {i}\n", i => $i);
  foreach $i (1..100_000)
  {   print $s;
  }

B<Oops,> not what you mean because the first value of C<$i> is captured
in the initial message object.  With L<Log::Report|Log::Report>, you can do it (except
when you use contexts)

  use Log::Report;
  my $i;
  my $s = __x("Hello World {i}\n", i => \$i);
  foreach $i (1..100_000)
  {   print $s;
  }

Mind you not to write: C<for my $i> in above case!!!!

You can also write an incomplete translation:

  use Log::Report;
  my $s = __x "Hello World {i}\n";
  foreach my $i (1..100_000)
  {   print $s->(i => $i);
  }

In either case, the translation will be looked-up only once.

=head1 SEE ALSO

This module is part of Log-Report version 1.45,
built on April 10, 2026. Website: F<http://perl.overmeer.net/CPAN/>

=head1 LICENSE

For contributors see file ChangeLog.

This software is copyright (c) 2007-2026 by Mark Overmeer.

This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.

