---
name: "IO::Pipe"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "perl-5.004-doc"
version: "5.004.05-6"
release: "Debian 2.2 (Potato)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/IO::Pipe/3pm"
---

# IO::Pipe(3pm)

supply object methods for pipes

## NAME

IO::pipe - supply object methods for pipes

## SYNOPSIS

```
        use IO::Pipe;
```

```
        $pipe = new IO::Pipe;
```

```
        if($pid = fork()) { # Parent
            $pipe->reader();
```

```
            while(<$pipe> {
                ....
            }
```

```
        }
        elsif(defined $pid) { # Child
            $pipe->writer();
```

```
            print $pipe ....
        }
```

```
        or
```

```
        $pipe = new IO::Pipe;
```

```
        $pipe->reader(qw(ls -l));
```

```
        while(<$pipe>) {
            ....
        }
```

## DESCRIPTION

`IO::Pipe` provides an interface to createing pipes between processes.

## CONSTRCUTOR

- new ( \[READER, WRITER\] )

  Creates a `IO::Pipe`, which is a reference to a newly created symbol (see the `Symbol` package). `IO::Pipe::new` optionally takes two arguments, which should be objects blessed into `IO::Handle`, or a subclass thereof. These two objects will be used for the system call to `pipe`. If no arguments are given then method `handles` is called on the new `IO::Pipe` object.

  These two handles are held in the array part of the GLOB until either `reader` or `writer` is called.

## METHODS

- reader (\[ARGS\])

  The object is re-blessed into a sub-class of `IO::Handle`, and becomes a handle at the reading end of the pipe. If `ARGS` are given then `fork` is called and `ARGS` are passed to exec.\

- writer (\[ARGS\])

  The object is re-blessed into a sub-class of `IO::Handle`, and becomes a handle at the writing end of the pipe. If `ARGS` are given then `fork` is called and `ARGS` are passed to exec.\

- handles ()

  This method is called during construction by `IO::Pipe::new` on the newly created `IO::Pipe` object. It returns an array of two objects blessed into `IO::Pipe::End`, or a subclass thereof.

## SEE ALSO

the *IO::Handle* manpage

## AUTHOR

Graham Barr \<bodg@tiuk.ti.com\>

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 1996 Graham Barr. All rights reserved. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.