counters($level)

When called in list context, this function returns a number of closures that each generate a different type of TAP output. It takes an optional $level that determines the indentation level (e.g. for subtests). These coderefs are all closed over the same counter variable that keeps track of how many test have been run so far; this allows them to always output the correct test number.

    my ($_ok, $_nok, $_skip, $_plan, $_todo, $_freeform) = counters();
    $_ok->('whee');                    # returns "ok 1 - whee"
    $_nok->('boo');                    # returns "not ok 2 - boo"
    $_skip->('baz');                   # returns "ok 3 # skip baz"
    $_todo->($_ok->('bip'), 'daleks'); # returns "ok 4 - bip # TODO daleks"
    $_plan->();                        # returns "1..4"
    $_freeform->('yay');               # returns "yay"

Alternatively, when called in scalar context this function returns a hashref of coderefs:

    my $tap = counters();
    $tap->{ok}->('whee');                          # returns "ok 1 - whee"
    $tap->{nok}->('boo');                          # returns "not ok 2 - boo"
    $tap->{skip}->('baz');                         # returns "ok 3 # skip baz"
    $tap->{todo}->($tap->{ok}->('bip'), 'daleks'); # returns "ok 4 - bip # TODO daleks"
    $tap->{plan}->();                              # returns "1..4"
    $tap->{freeform}->('yay');                     # returns "yay"

Note that calling the $_plan coderef only returns an intelligible response when called after all the output has been generated; this is analogous to using Test::More without a declared plan and "done_testing()" at the end. If you need or want to specify the plan prior to running tests, you'll need to do that manually.

subtests

When "counter()" is passed an integer, the generated closures all indent themselves appropriately to indicate to the test harness / TAP parser that a subtest is being run. (Namely, each statement returned is prefaced with "$level * 4" spaces.) It's recommended that you use distinct lexical scopes for subtests to allow the usage of the same variable names (why make things difficult?) without clobbering any existing ones and to ensure that the subtest closures are not inadvertently used at an upper level.

    my ($_ok, $_nok) = counters();
    $_ok->('yay!');
    $_nok->('boo :(');
    do {
        my ($_ok, $_nok, $_skip, $_plan) = counters(1);
        $_ok->('thing 1 good');
        $_ok->('thing 2 good');
        $_ok->('thing 3 good');
        $_skip->('over there');
        $_plan->();
    };
    $_ok->('subtest passed');
    # returns
    ok 1 - yay!
    not ok 2 - boo :(
        ok 1 - thing 1 good
        ok 2 - thing 2 good
        ok 3 - thing 3 good
        ok 4 # skip over there
        1..4
    ok 3 - subtest passed

counters_as_hashref

Same as counters(), except that we return a hashref rather than a list, where the keys are "ok", "nok", "skip", "plan", "todo", and "freeform", and the values are the corresponding coderefs.

counters_and_levelset($level)

Acts as counters(), except returns an additional coderef that can be used to adjust the level of the counters.

This is not something you're likely to need.

subtest_header_needed()

Returns true if the level of Test::More available will output a subtest header.

Note that this function will attempt to load Test::More and Perl::Version. If either of these packages are unavailable, it will "croak" in Carp.

subtest_header()

Given an output coderef (e.g. the 'freeform' from counters() or counters_as_hashref()) and a subtest name (that is, a string), we return a subtest header appropriately indented for the level of Test::More available.

e.g.

    my $out = counters_as_hashref();
    say subtest_header $out->{freeform} => 'Our subtest name!';
    # given a hashref, look for the coderef in the 'freeform' slot
    say subtest_header $out => 'Our subtest name!';
    # or with the reviled Test::Builder::Tester:
    test_out subtest_header($out => 'Our subtest name!')
        if subtest_header_needed;

Returns true if the level of Test::More available will output a subtest header.

Note that this function will attempt to load Test::More and Perl::Version. If either of these packages are unavailable, it will "croak" in Carp.

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