=head1 NAME

XML::LibXML::Text - XML::LibXML Class for Text Nodes

=head1 SYNOPSIS



  use XML::LibXML;
  # Only methods specific to Text nodes are listed here,
  # see XML::LibXML::Node manpage for other methods

  $text = XML::LibXML::Text->new( $content );
  $nodedata = $text->data;
  $text->setData( $text_content );
  $text->substringData($offset, $length);
  $text->appendData( $somedata );
  $text->insertData($offset, $string);
  $text->deleteData($offset, $length);
  $text->deleteDataString($remstring, $all);
  $text->replaceData($offset, $length, $string);
  $text->replaceDataString($old, $new, $flag);
  $text->replaceDataRegEx( $search_cond, $replace_cond, $reflags );

=head1 DESCRIPTION

Unlike the DOM specification, XML::LibXML implements the text node as the base
class of all character data node. Therefore there exists no CharacterData
class. This allows one to apply methods of text nodes also to Comments and
CDATA-sections.


=head1 METHODS

The class inherits from L<<<<<< XML::LibXML::Node >>>>>>. The documentation for Inherited methods is not listed here.

Many functions listed here are extensively documented in the DOM Level 3 specification (L<<<<<< http://www.w3.org/TR/DOM-Level-3-Core/ >>>>>>). Please refer to the specification for extensive documentation.

=over 4

=item new

  $text = XML::LibXML::Text->new( $content );

The constructor of the class. It creates an unbound text node.


=item data

  $nodedata = $text->data;

Although there exists the C<<<<<< nodeValue >>>>>> attribute in the Node class, the DOM specification defines data as a separate
attribute. C<<<<<< XML::LibXML >>>>>> implements these two attributes not as different attributes, but as aliases,
such as C<<<<<< libxml2 >>>>>> does. Therefore



  $text->data;

and



  $text->nodeValue;

will have the same result and are not different entities.


=item setData($string)

  $text->setData( $text_content );

This function sets or replaces text content to a node. The node has to be of
the type "text", "cdata" or "comment".


=item substringData($offset,$length)

  $text->substringData($offset, $length);

Extracts a range of data from the node. (DOM Spec) This function takes the two
parameters $offset and $length and returns the sub-string, if available.

If the node contains no data or $offset refers to an non-existing string index,
this function will return I<<<<<< undef >>>>>>. If $length is out of range C<<<<<< substringData >>>>>> will return the data starting at $offset instead of causing an error.


=item appendData($string)

  $text->appendData( $somedata );

Appends a string to the end of the existing data. If the current text node
contains no data, this function has the same effect as C<<<<<< setData >>>>>>.


=item insertData($offset,$string)

  $text->insertData($offset, $string);

Inserts the parameter $string at the given $offset of the existing data of the
node. This operation will not remove existing data, but change the order of the
existing data.

The $offset has to be a positive value. If $offset is out of range, C<<<<<< insertData >>>>>> will have the same behaviour as C<<<<<< appendData >>>>>>.


=item deleteData($offset, $length)

  $text->deleteData($offset, $length);

This method removes a chunk from the existing node data at the given offset.
The $length parameter tells, how many characters should be removed from the
string.


=item deleteDataString($string, [$all])

  $text->deleteDataString($remstring, $all);

This method removes a chunk from the existing node data. Since the DOM spec is
quite unhandy if you already know C<<<<<< which >>>>>> string to remove from a text node, this method allows more perlish code :)

The functions takes two parameters: I<<<<<< $string >>>>>> and optional the I<<<<<< $all >>>>>> flag. If $all is not set, I<<<<<< undef >>>>>> or I<<<<<< 0 >>>>>>, C<<<<<< deleteDataString >>>>>> will remove only the first occurrence of $string. If $all is I<<<<<< TRUE >>>>>>C<<<<<< deleteDataString >>>>>> will remove all occurrences of I<<<<<< $string >>>>>> from the node data.


=item replaceData($offset, $length, $string)

  $text->replaceData($offset, $length, $string);

The DOM style version to replace node data.


=item replaceDataString($oldstring, $newstring, [$all])

  $text->replaceDataString($old, $new, $flag);

The more programmer friendly version of replaceData() :)

Instead of giving offsets and length one can specify the exact string (I<<<<<< $oldstring >>>>>>) to be replaced. Additionally the I<<<<<< $all >>>>>> flag allows to replace all occurrences of I<<<<<< $oldstring >>>>>>.


=item replaceDataRegEx( $search_cond, $replace_cond, $reflags )

  $text->replaceDataRegEx( $search_cond, $replace_cond, $reflags );

This method replaces the node's data by a C<<<<<< simple >>>>>> regular expression. Optional, this function allows to pass some flags that will
be added as flag to the replace statement.

I<<<<<< NOTE: >>>>>> This is a shortcut for



  my $datastr = $node->getData();
   $datastr =~ s/somecond/replacement/g; # 'g' is just an example for any flag
   $node->setData( $datastr );

This function can make things easier to read for simple replacements. For more
complex variants it is recommended to use the code snippet above.



=back

=head1 AUTHORS

Matt Sergeant,
Christian Glahn,
Petr Pajas


=head1 VERSION

2.0018

=head1 COPYRIGHT

2001-2007, AxKit.com Ltd.

2002-2006, Christian Glahn.

2006-2009, Petr Pajas.

=cut
