DlfConverter(3pm)

NAME
Lire::DlfConverter - Base interface of all DLF converters.

SYNOPSIS
  use base qw/ Lire::DlfConverter /;

DESCRIPTION
This package defines the interface that must be implemented by all DLF Converters. All the methods defined in this package will throw a 'method not implemented' exception if they are called.

META INFORMATION METHODS
These methods provides information to the Lire framework about the DLF converter.

  name()
Returns the name of the DLF converter, i.e. the service's (aka log format) name.

E.g. "combined"

  title()
Returns a more human friendly name for the DLF Converter.

E.g. "Combined Log Format DLF Converter"

  description()
Returns a DocBook XML based documentation of the DLF Converter.

E.g. <para>This DLF converter can be used to process log file in the Combined Log Format to the www DLF schema.</para>

  schemas()
Returns a list of DLF schemas for which DLF records can be written from the data contained in the log file.

E.g. For the combined DLF converters, that would be 'www'.

For the 'nms' converter that could be "qw/daemon email/" which means that the DLF converter writes DLF records in the hypothetical "daemon" schema (server start, stops, restarts, etc.) and the email schema.

This should only contains 'base' (aka superservice) schemas. No extended or derived schema's name should appear in that list. (Those are reserved for the analyzers).

  handle_log_lines()
This method should returns true if the DlfConverter processes line-oriented log file. This is the default. If this method returns false, only the process_log_file() method will be called, otherwise the process_log_line() method is used for every input lines.

Implementation methods
These are the methods where the DLF converter work is done. The init_dlf_converter() method will be called once before any processing occurs. Afterwards, process_log_line() will be called once for every line that was marked for log continuation and for every line contained in the log file. The finish_conversion() method will be called once all lines are processed. Any exceptions (uncaught die) that occur during any of the methods will abort the conversion process.

  init_dlf_converter( $process, [$config] )
This method will be called by the framework before processing the log file. This method should be used by the converter to initialize its state.

The $process parameter contains the Lire::DlfConverterProcess object which is controlling the conversion process.

The $config parameter contains configuration data that was specified in the ImportJob for that converter. To register configuration specification for you DlfConverter, you just need to define a configuraiton specification under the name converter_name_properties. This should be either a RecordSpec or ObjectSpec.

  process_log_file( $process, $fd )
This method is called so that the converter can convert the data contained in the $fd file handle to DLF. This method is only used when the handle_log_lines() method returned false.

$process contains a reference to the Lire::DlfConverterProcess object which controls the conversion process and defines the API to write DLF and report errors.

  process_log_line( $process, $line )
This method is called by the framework once for each log line present in the log file. This method is only called if the handles_log_lines() method returnes true.

$process is a reference to the Lire::DlfConverterProcess object. This object defines a method to report errors, save lines for continuation purposes and writes DLF records.

$line contains the log line which should be processed with the end of line removed.

  finish_conversion( $dlf_store )
This method is called once by the framework once all log lines were processed. It can be use by the converter to write any DLF records that could be remaining because of a stateful analysis.

SEE ALSO
Lire::DlfConverterProcess(3pm), Lire::DlfStore(3pm), Lire::ImportJob(3pm), Lire::PluginManager(3pm)

AUTHOR
  Francis J. Lacoste <flacoste@logreport.org>

VERSION
$Id: DlfConverter.pm,v 1.12 2006/07/23 13:16:28 vanbaal Exp $

COPYRIGHT
Copyright (C) 2002, 2003, 2004 Stichting LogReport Foundation LogReport@LogReport.org

This file is part of Lire.

Lire is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program (see COPYING); if not, check with http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html.