perl-ExtUtils-Depends

This module tries to make it easy to build Perl extensions that use functions and typemaps provided by other perl extensions. This means that a perl extension is treated like a shared library that provides also a C and an XS interface besides the perl one. This works as long as the base (or "producing") extension is loaded with the 'RTLD_GLOBAL' flag (usually done with a sub dl_load_flags {0x01} in the main _.pm_ file) if you need to use functions defined in the module. That "producing" extension will also need to tell ExtUtils::MakeMaker the specific functions to export, with arguments to 'WriteMakefile' like: FUNCLIST => [qw(function_name)], DL_FUNCS => { 'Extension::Name' => [] }, The basic scheme of operation is to collect information about a module in the instance, and then store that data in the Perl library where it may be retrieved later. The object can also reformat this information into the data structures required by ExtUtils::MakeMaker's WriteMakefile function. For information on how to make your module fit into this scheme, see "hashref = ExtUtils::Depends::load (name)". When creating a new Depends object, you give it a name, which is the name of the module you are building. You can also specify the names of modules on which this module depends. These dependencies will be loaded automatically, and their typemaps, header files, etc merged with your new object's stuff. When you store the data for your object, the list of dependencies are stored with it, so that another module depending on your needn't know on exactly which modules yours depends. For example: Gtk2 depends on Glib Gnome2::Canvas depends on Gtk2 ExtUtils::Depends->new ('Gnome2::Canvas', 'Gtk2'); this command automatically brings in all the stuff needed for Glib, since Gtk2 depends on it. When the configuration information is saved, it also includes a class method called 'Inline', inheritable by your module. This allows you in your module to simply say at the top: package Mymod; use parent 'Mymod::Install::Files'; # to inherit 'Inline' method And users of 'Mymod' who want to write inline code (using Inline) will simply be able to write: use Inline with => 'Mymod'; And all the necessary header files, defines, and libraries will be added for them. The 'Mymod::Install::Files' will also implement a 'deps' method, which will return a list of any modules that 'Mymod' depends on - you will not normally need to use this: require Mymod::Install::Files; @deps = Mymod::Install::Files->deps;