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ajt (2546)
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UK based. Perl, XML/HTTP, SAP, Debian hacker.
- CPAN: ATRICKETT [cpan.org]
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Build.PL versus Makefile.PL
In the CPAN modules I maintain, three use both ExtUtils::MakeMaker and Module::Build and the most recent only uses Module::Build. I find Module::Build easier to work with and it has advantages that I use. I don't like having to maintain and update both of them, so my most recent module only has Module::Build.
To improve my testing I use several optional modules, and use the build process to probe for and only run tests that can be run - rather than getting the tests to skip.
People doing smoke tests on my modules report false positives because they try to run tests that can't be run. I'll put steps in place to prevent that from happening, but in the mean time I wonder do people think that both build processes will hang around in parallel for ever? will one replace the other? which one will become "standard"?
Or is it a BUG?"
"Let's call it an accidental feature. :-)"
--Larry Wall in <6909@jpl-devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV>
current standard (Score:1)
Why is handling testing dependencies best done in the Makefile.PL/Build.PL? What are the advantages over skipping tests?
Re: (Score:1)
I believe that's so that META.yml can express dependencies required for the build properly.
CPANTS penalizes you for not shipping POD checking tests, but their value to anyone but developers is minimal, for example.
Re: (Score:1)
It's not so much "testing" as "checking".
In multi-platform source packages (like CPAN packages) the dependencies of a package require turing-completeness to determine. That is, a dependency on your platform might be different to the dependencies on some other platform.
Part of the job of the Configure phase (Makefile.PL and Build.PL) is to resolve the Complete Dependencies down to a set of Static Dependencies. That static list ca
Module::Build does not work for me (Score:1)
Having a 'make pure_all' and a 'make pure install' (or something similar) is a requirement for me. Is there a way to do that with Module::Build?
You gotta keep the Makefile.PL (Score:1)
Because at the moment, if you install a fresh version of Perl 5.8.8, and then try to install your module, it will fail. Because Module::Build has a configure-time dependency (a dependency needed just to run Build.PL) which CPAN clients are not currently capable of handling.
Go try it.
Until this situation is fixed, and your module is actually installable on the most common stock production Perl versions, you should keep producing Makefile
ExtUtils::MakeMaker will live forever (Score:1)
ExtUtils::MakeMaker will live forever, at least until you can upgrade all those systems with 5.5_003 (Solaris 8) or 5.8.4 (Solaris 10) deployed, or stop caring about the users of "old" versions of Perl. Whatever the goal of the Module::Build authors is, I hope that people will not use Module::Build where they can just as well use EU:MM.