---
name: "TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory"
section: "3perl"
platform: "linux"
package: "perl"
version: "5.44.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory/3perl"
---

# TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory(3perl)

Figures out which SourceHandler objects to use for a given Source

## NAME

TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory - Figures out which SourceHandler objects to use for a given Source

## VERSION

Version 3.52

## SYNOPSIS

```
  use TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory;
  my $factory = TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory->new({ %config });
  my $iterator  = $factory->make_iterator( $filename );
```

## DESCRIPTION

This is a factory class that takes a TAP::Parser::Source and runs it through all the registered TAP::Parser::SourceHandlers to see which one should handle the source.

If you're a plugin author, you'll be interested in how to "register\_handler"s, how "detect\_source" works.

## METHODS

### Class Methods

*"new"*

Creates a new factory class:

```
  my $sf = TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory->new( $config );
```

`$config` is optional.  If given, sets "config" and calls "load\_handlers".

*"register\_handler"*

Registers a new TAP::Parser::SourceHandler with this factory.

```
  __PACKAGE__->register_handler( $handler_class );
```

*"handlers"*

List of handlers that have been registered.

### Instance Methods

*"config"*

```
 my $cfg = $sf->config;
 $sf->config({ Perl => { %config } });
```

Chaining getter/setter for the configuration of the available source handlers. This is a hashref keyed on handler class whose values contain config to be passed onto the handlers during detection & creation.  Class names may be fully qualified or abbreviated, eg:

```
  # these are equivalent
  $sf->config({ 'TAP::Parser::SourceHandler::Perl' => { %config } });
  $sf->config({ 'Perl' => { %config } });
```

*"load\_handlers"*

```
 $sf->load_handlers;
```

Loads the handler classes defined in "config".  For example, given a config:

```
  $sf->config({
    MySourceHandler => { some => 'config' },
  });
```

`"load_handlers"` will attempt to load the `"MySourceHandler"` class by looking in `@INC` for it in this order:

```
  TAP::Parser::SourceHandler::MySourceHandler
  MySourceHandler
```

`"croak"`s on error.

*"make\_iterator"*

```
  my $iterator = $src_factory->make_iterator( $source );
```

Given a TAP::Parser::Source, finds the most suitable TAP::Parser::SourceHandler to use to create a TAP::Parser::Iterator (see "detect\_source").  Dies on error.

*"detect\_source"*

Given a TAP::Parser::Source, detects what kind of source it is and returns *one* TAP::Parser::SourceHandler (the most confident one).  Dies on error.

The detection algorithm works something like this:

```
  for (@registered_handlers) {
    # ask them how confident they are about handling this source
    $confidence{$handler} = $handler->can_handle( $source )
  }
  # choose the most confident handler
```

Ties are handled by choosing the first handler.

## SUBCLASSING

Please see "SUBCLASSING" in TAP::Parser for a subclassing overview.

### Example

If we've done things right, you'll probably want to write a new source, rather than sub-classing this (see TAP::Parser::SourceHandler for that).

But in case you find the need to...

```
  package MyIteratorFactory;
  use strict;
  use base 'TAP::Parser::IteratorFactory';
  # override source detection algorithm
  sub detect_source {
    my ($self, $raw_source_ref, $meta) = @_;
    # do detective work, using $meta and whatever else...
  }
  1;
```

## AUTHORS

Steve Purkis

## ATTRIBUTION

Originally ripped off from Test::Harness.

Moved out of TAP::Parser & converted to a factory class to support extensible TAP source detective work by Steve Purkis.

## SEE ALSO

TAP::Object, TAP::Parser, TAP::Parser::SourceHandler, TAP::Parser::SourceHandler::File, TAP::Parser::SourceHandler::Perl, TAP::Parser::SourceHandler::RawTAP, TAP::Parser::SourceHandler::Handle, TAP::Parser::SourceHandler::Executable