NAME

Bio::Phylo::IO - Input and output of phylogenetic data.

SYNOPSIS

 use Bio::Phylo::IO;

 # parsing a tree from a newick string
 my $tree_string = '(((A,B),C),D);';
 my $tree = Bio::Phylo::IO->parse(
    '-string' => $tree_string,

    # old parser, always adds node labels
    '-format' => 'newick',
 )->first;

 # note: newick parsers return 
 # 'Bio::Phylo::Forest'! Call 
 # ->first to retrieve the first 
 # tree of the forest.

 # prints 'Bio::Phylo::Forest::Tree'
 print ref $tree, "\n";

 # parsing a table
 my $table_string = qq(A,1,2|B,1,2|C,2,2|D,2,1);
 my $matrix = Bio::Phylo::IO->parse(
    '-string'   => $table_string,
    '-format'   => 'table',

    # Data type, see Bio::Phylo::Parsers::Table
    '-type'     => 'STANDARD',

    # field separator  
    '-fieldsep' => ',',

    # line separator
    '-linesep'  => '|'          
 );

 # prints 'Bio::Phylo::Matrices::Matrix'
 print ref $matrix, "\n"; 

 # parsing a list of taxa
 my $taxa_string = 'A:B:C:D';
 my $taxa = Bio::Phylo::IO->parse(
    '-string'   => $taxa_string,
    '-format'   => 'taxlist',
    '-fieldsep' => ':'
 );

 # prints 'Bio::Phylo::Taxa'
 print ref $taxa, "\n";

 # matches taxon names in tree to $taxa object
 $tree->cross_reference($taxa);  

 # likewise for matrix  
 $matrix->cross_reference($taxa);

 print Bio::Phylo::IO->unparse(

    # pass the tree object, 
    # crossreferenced to taxa, which
    # are crossreferenced to the matrix
    '-phylo' => $tree,                         
    '-format' => 'pagel'
 );

 # prints a pagel data file:
 #4 2
 #A,n1,0.000000,1,2
 #B,n1,0.000000,1,2
 #n1,n2,0.000000
 #C,n2,0.000000,2,2
 #n2,n3,0.000000
 #D,n3,0.000000,2,1

DESCRIPTION

The IO module is the unified front end for parsing and unparsing phylogenetic data objects. It is a non-OO module that optionally exports the 'parse' and 'unparse' subroutines into the caller's namespace, using the use Bio::Phylo::IO qw(parse unparse); directive. Alternatively, you can call the subroutines as class methods, as in the synopsis. The parse and unparse subroutines load and dispatch the appropriate sub-modules at runtime, depending on the '-format' argument.

CLASS METHODS

parse()

Parses a file or string.

 Type    : Class method
 Title   : parse
 Usage   : my $obj = Bio::Phylo::IO->parse(%options);
 Function: Creates (file) handle, 
           instantiates appropriate parser.
 Returns : A Bio::Phylo::* object
 Args    : -file    => (path),
            or
           -string  => (scalar),
           -format  => (description format),
           -(other) => (parser specific options)
 Comments: The parse method makes assumptions about 
                   the capabilities of Bio::Phylo::Parsers::* 
                   modules: i) their names match those of the
                   -format => (blah) arguments, insofar that 
                   ucfirst(blah) . '.pm' is an existing module; 
                   ii) the modules implement a _from_handle, 
                   or a _from_string method. Exceptions are 
                   thrown if either assumption is violated. 
                   
                   If @ARGV contains even key/value pairs such
                   as "format newick file <filename>" (note: no
                   dashes) these will be prepended to @_, for
                   one-liners.          

unparse()

Unparses object(s) to a string.

 Type    : Class method
 Title   : unparse
 Usage   : my $string = Bio::Phylo::IO->unparse(
               %options
           );
 Function: Turns Bio::Phylo object into a 
           string according to specified format.
 Returns : SCALAR
 Args    : -phylo   => (Bio::Phylo object),
           -format  => (description format),
           -(other) => (parser specific options)

SEE ALSO

Bio::Phylo::Parsers::Newick

Bio::Phylo::Parsers::Nexus

Bio::Phylo::Parsers::Table

Bio::Phylo::Parsers::Taxlist

Bio::Phylo::Unparsers::Mrp

Bio::Phylo::Unparsers::Newick

Bio::Phylo::Unparsers::Nexus

Bio::Phylo::Unparsers::Pagel

Bio::Phylo::Manual

Also see the manual: Bio::Phylo::Manual

REVISION

 $Id: IO.pm 4265 2007-07-20 14:14:44Z rvosa $