---
name: "Dpkg::Interface::Storable"
section: "3perl"
platform: "linux"
package: "dpkg"
version: "1.23.11-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Dpkg::Interface::Storable/3perl"
---

# Dpkg::Interface::Storable(3perl)

common methods related to object serialization

## NAME

Dpkg::Interface::Storable - common methods related to object serialization

## DESCRIPTION

Dpkg::Interface::Storable is only meant to be used as parent class for other classes. It provides common methods that are all implemented on top of two basic methods **parse()** and **output()**.

## BASE METHODS

Those methods must be provided by the class that wish to inherit from Dpkg::Interface::Storable so that the methods provided can work.

- $obj-\>parse($fh\[, $desc\])

  This methods initialize the object with the data stored in the filehandle. `$desc` is optional and is a textual description of the filehandle used in error messages.

- $string = $obj-\>output(\[$fh\])

  This method returns a string representation of the object in `$string` and it writes the same string to `$fh` (if it's defined).

## PROVIDED METHODS

- $obj-\>load($filename, %opts)

  Initialize the object with the data stored in the file. The file can be compressed, it will be decompressed on the fly by using a Dpkg::Compression::FileHandle object. If `$opts`{compression} is false the decompression support will be disabled. If `$filename` is "-", then the standard input is read (no compression is allowed in that case).

- $obj-\>save($filename, %opts)

  Store the object in the file. If the filename ends with a known compression extension, it will be compressed on the fly by using a Dpkg::Compression::FileHandle object. If `$opts`{compression} is false the compression support will be disabled. If `$filename` is "-", then the standard output is used (data are written uncompressed in that case).

- $string = "$obj"

  Return a string representation of the object.

## CHANGES

### Version 1.01 (dpkg 1.19.0)

New options: The `$obj`-\>**load()** and `$obj`-\>**save()** methods support a new compression option.

### Version 1.00 (dpkg 1.15.6)

Mark the module as public.