NAME
   UUID - DCE compatible Universally Unique Identifier library for Perl

SYNOPSIS
       use UUID 'uuid';

       $string = uuid();   # generate stringified UUID

       UUID::generate($uuid);               # new binary UUID; prefer random
       UUID::generate_random($uuid);        # new binary UUID; use random
       UUID::generate_time($uuid);          # new binary UUID; use time

       UUID::unparse($uuid, $string);       # stringify $uuid; system casing
       UUID::unparse_lower($uuid, $string); # force lowercase stringify
       UUID::unparse_upper($uuid, $string); # force uppercase stringify

       $rc = UUID::parse($string, $uuid);   # map string to UUID; -1 on error

       UUID::copy($dst, $src);              # copy binary UUID from $src to $dst
       UUID::compare($uuid1, $uuid2);       # compare binary UUIDs

       UUID::clear( $uuid );                # set binary UUID to NULL
       UUID::is_null( $uuid );              # compare binary UUID to NULL

DESCRIPTION
   The UUID library is used to generate unique identifiers for objects that
   may be accessible beyond the local system. For instance, they could be
   used to generate unique HTTP cookies across multiple web servers without
   communication between the servers, and without fear of a name clash.

   The generated UUIDs can be reasonably expected to be unique within a
   system, and unique across all systems, and are compatible with those
   created by the Open Software Foundation (OSF) Distributed Computing
   Environment (DCE) utility uuidgen.

FUNCTIONS
   Most of the UUID functions expose the underlying libuuid C interface
   rather directly. That is, many return their values in their parameters
   and nothing else.

   Not very Perlish, is it? It's been like that for a long time though, so
   not very likely to change any time soon.

   All take or return UUIDs in either binary or string format. The string
   format resembles the following:

       1b4e28ba-2fa1-11d2-883f-0016d3cca427

   Or, in terms of printf(3) format:

       "%08x-%04x-%04x-%04x-%012x"

   The binary format is simply a packed 16 byte binary value.

 generate( $uuid )
   Generates a new binary UUID based on high quality randomness from
   /dev/urandom, if available.

   Alternately, the current time, the local ethernet MAC address (if
   available), and random data generated using a pseudo-random generator
   are used.

   The previous content of $uuid, if any, is lost.

 generate_random( $uuid )
   Generates a new binary UUID but forces the use of the all-random
   algorithm, even if a high-quality random number generator (i.e.,
   /dev/urandom) is not available, in which case a pseudo-random
   generator is used.

   Note that the use of a pseudo-random generator may compromise the
   uniqueness of UUIDs generated in this fashion.

 generate_time( $uuid )
   Generates a new binary UUID but forces the use of the alternative
   algorithm which uses the current time and the local ethernet MAC address
   (if available).

   This algorithm used to be the default one used to generate UUIDs, but
   because of the use of the ethernet MAC address, it can leak information
   about when and where the UUID was generated.

   This can cause privacy problems in some applications, so the generate()
   function only uses this algorithm if a high-quality source of randomness
   is not available.

 unparse( $uuid, $string )
   Converts the binary UUID in $uuid to string format and returns in
   $string. The previous content of $string, if any, is lost.

   The case of the hex digits returned may be upper or lower case, and is
   dependent on the system-dependent local default.

 unparse_lower( $uuid, $string )
   Same as unparse() but $string is forced to lower case.

 unparse_upper( $uuid, $string )
   Same as unparse() but $string is forced to upper case.

 $rc = parse( $string, $uuid )
   Converts the string format UUID in $string to binary and returns in
   $uuid. The previous content of $uuid, if any, is lost.

   Returns 0 on success and -1 on failure. Additionally on failure, the
   content of $uuid is unchanged.

 clear( $uuid )
   Sets $uuid equal to the value of the NULL UUID.

 is_null( $uuid )
   Compares the value of $uuid to the NULL UUID.

   Returns 1 if NULL, and 0 otherwise.

 copy( $dst, $src )
   Copies the binary $src UUID to $dst.

   If $src isn't a UUID, $dst is set to the NULL UUID.

 compare( $uuid1, $uuid2 )
   Compares two binary UUIDs.

   Returns an integer less than, equal to, or greater than zero if $uuid1
   is less than, equal to, or greater than $uuid2.

   However, if either operand is not a UUID, falls back to a simple string
   comparison returning similar values.

 $string = uuid()
   Creates a new string format UUID and returns it in a more Perlish way.

   Functionally the equivalent of calling generate() and then unparse(),
   but throwing away the intermediate binary UUID.

UUID LIBRARY
   On some systems external packages will need to be installed first.
   Notably, uuid-dev, libuuid-devel, or uuid-devel, depending on your
   platform.

   Some may also have more than one package available. It should be safe to
   install all variations. The UUID installer will then opt towards the
   older, faster library.

EXPORTS
   None by default. All functions may be imported in the usual manner,
   either individually or all at once using the ":all" tag.

TODO
   Need more tests and sanity checks.

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
   This software is Copyright (c) 2014-2016 by Rick Myers.

   This is free software, licensed under:

     The Artistic License 2.0 (GPL Compatible)

   Details of this license can be found within the 'License' text file.

AUTHOR
   Current maintainer:

     Rick Myers <[email protected]>.

   Authors and/or previous maintainers:

     Lukas Zapletal <[email protected]>

     Joseph N. Hall <[email protected]>

     Colin Faber <[email protected]>

     Peter J. Braam <[email protected]>

CONTRIBUTORS
   David E. Wheeler

   William Faulk

   gregor herrmann

   Slaven Rezic

SEE ALSO
   uuid(3), uuid_clear(3), uuid_compare(3), uuid_copy(3), uuid_generate(3),
   uuid_is_null(3), uuid_parse(3), uuid_unparse(3), perl(1).