NAME
    WWW::Comic - Retrieve comic strip images

SYNOPSIS
     use strict;
     use WWW::Comic qw();
     
 # Create a WWW::Comic object
     my $wc = new WWW::Comic;
     
 # Get a list of supported comics
     my @comics = $wc->comics;
     
 # Allow HTTP requests to retrieve a full list of supported
     # comics if necessary (some plugins may not know what comics
     # they support until they make an HTTP request)
     my @comics = $wc->comics(probe => 1);
     
 for my $comic (@comics) {
         # Get the most recent comic strip URL for $comic
         my $url = $comic->strip_url(comic => $comic);
          
     # Download the most recent comic strip
         # for $comic in to $blob
         my $blob = $comic->get_strip(comic => $comic);
          
     # Write the most recent comic strip for
         # $comic to disk
         my $filename = $comic->mirror_strip(comic => $comic);
     }

DESCRIPTION
    This module will download cartoon comic strip images from various
    websites and return a binary blob of the image, or write it to disk.
    Multiple comic strips can be supported through subclassed plugin
    modules.

    A number of plugin modules are bundled as part of this distrubution. You
    may want to refer to their documentation for any additional custom
    methods and features. Specifically, WWW::Comic::Plugin::UFS and
    WWW::Comic::Plugin::uComics require use of the "probe" paramater with
    the "comics" method on order to retrieve a list of supported commics.

    To find out what plugin modules you currently have installed and
    available, run the following:

     perl -MWWW::Comic -MData::Dumper -e"print Dumper([WWW::Comic->new->plugins]);"

METHODS
  new
     my $wc = new WWW::Comic;

    Creates a new WWW::Comic object.

  comics
     my @comics = $wc->comics(probe => 1);

    Returns a list of available comics. The "probe" paramater is optional.
    (See below).

    probe
        This paramater is an optional boolean value supported by a few
        plugins that do not automatically know what comics they support.
        Specifying a boolean true value for this paramater will tell those
        plugins that they should make HTTP requests to find out what comics
        they can make available. Plugins should cache this information in
        memory once they have performed an initial probe.

  strip_url
     # Get the URL of the most recent "mycomic" comic image
     my $url = $wc->strip_url(comic => "mycomic");
     
 # Get the URl of a specific "mycomic" comic image
     my $specificStripUrl = $wc->strip_url(
                                 comic => "mycomic",
                                 id => 990317
                             );

    Returns the URL of a comic strip. The "comic" paramater is mandatory and
    must be a valid supported comic as listed by the "comics()" method. The
    most recent comic strip image URL will be returned unless otherwise
    specified (see the "id" paramater below).

    This method will return an "undef" value upon failure.

    The "id" paramater is optional and can be used to specify a specific
    comic (if supported by the plugin in question). Comic IDs are typically
    date based in some way, but this is unique to each comic and follows no
    special format for the purposes of this module. See each plugin module's
    documentation for further information.

    comic
        This paramater is mandatory. It specifies the comic that this method
        should process. See the "comics()" method.

    id  This paramater is optional. It specifies a specfic comic that should
        be processed.

  get_strip
     # Retrieve the most recent "mycomic" comic strip image
     my $imageBlob = $wc->get_strip(comic => "mycomic");
     
 # Retrieve a specific "mycomic" comic strip image
     my $image2 = $wc->get_strip(
                            comic => "mycomic",
                            id => "0042304973"
                        );

    Downloads a copy of a comic strip image and returns the binary data as a
    scalar. The "comic" paramater is mandatory and must be a valid supported
    comic as listed by the "comics()" method. The most recent comic strip
    image will be returned unless otherwise specified.

    This method will return an "undef" value upon failure.

    comic
        This paramater is mandatory. It specifies the comic that this method
        should process. See the "comics()" method.

    id  This paramater is optional. It specifies a specfic comic that should
        be processed.

    url This paramater is optional. It specifies a specific comic that
        should be processed. If specified it must be a fully qualified and
        valid absolute HTTP URL. This paramater is typically only used when
        being called indirectly by the "mirror_strip()" method.

  mirror_strip
     # Write the most recent "mycomic" comic strip to disk
     # and return the name of the file that was written
     my $filename = $wc->mirror_strip(comic => "mycomic");
     
 # Write the "mycomic" comic strip image (reference 132)
     # to disk, specifcally to mycomic.gif, and return the
     # actual filename that was written to disk in to $file2
     my $file2 = $wc->mirror_strip(
                           comic => "mycomic",
                           id => "132",
                           filename => "mycomic.gif"
                      );

    Download a copy of a comic strip image and write it to disk, returning
    the name of the file that was actually written. This method accepts the
    same paramaters as the "get_strip()" method, with the addition of the
    "filename" paramater.

    This method will return an "undef" value upon failure.

    comic
        This paramater is mandatory. It specifies the comic that this method
        should process. See the "comics()" method.

    id  This paramater is optional. It specifies a specfic comic that should
        be processed.

    url This paramater is optional. It specifies a specific comic that
        should be processed. If specified it must be a fully qualified and
        valid absolute HTTP URL.

    filename
        This paramater is optional. It specifiec the target filename that
        you would like to be written to disk. If you do not supply an image
        file extension, one will be added for you automatically. If you
        specify an image file extension that differs to the file format of
        the file that is to ultimately be written disk, it will be altered
        for you automatically.

  plugins
     my @plugins = $wc->plugins;

    Return a list of loaded plugins.

PLUGINS
    Support for different comics is handled through the WWW::Comic::Plugin
    superclass. See the POD for WWW::Comic::Plugin on how to create a new
    plugin.

SEE ALSO
    WWW::Comic::Plugin, WWW::Dilbert, WWW::VenusEnvy

VERSION
    $Id: Comic.pm,v 1.5 2006/01/10 15:45:44 nicolaw Exp $

AUTHOR
    Nicola Worthington <nicolaw@cpan.org>

    <http://perlgirl.org.uk>

COPYRIGHT
    Copyright 2006 Nicola Worthington.

    This software is licensed under The Apache Software License, Version
    2.0.

    <http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0>

