[Chicago-talk] CPAN prerequisite

[James Keenan]

On Oct 28, 2005, at 8:52 AM, Jay Strauss wrote:

> Hi, (my 1st posting didn't seem to make it to the list)
>
> I'm building my first CPAN module.  Is there a way to learn all the
> dependences of a module, or do I need to build a clean box, and do 
> trial
> by error, till I get the prerequisite list?
>

I don't quite understand the question.  Are you asking, "How do I find 
out all the dependencies of the modules which I am 'use'-ing or 
'require'-ing in my packages?

If so, and if you don't have many prerequisites, you can inspect the 
Makefile.PLs of the modules you are requiring to see what they, in turn 
require.

I'm sure there's a more thorough way that someone on the list will 
suggest, but I myself am averse to CPAN modules that sit on a mountain 
of dependencies.  Personally, I try to require only (a) modules 
distributed with core; (b) modules that are verifiably pure Perl; 
and/or (c) modules I myself have written.  But that's a matter of 
taste.

On Andy L's recommendation, I have installed Module::Corelist and its 
associated utility, 'corelist', which tells when a core module became 
core.  This has been helpful in identifying which modules might work on 
Perls older than 5.6 and which will not.


> Also, I need to check if the user is installing on a threaded Perl.

Haven't had to do it, so I defer to more experienced hands in answering 
that question.

HTH

jimk