> > .. from Makefile.pl > > While we're at it, let me inform you of my quest to make Makefile.PLs > Just Work. When I'm installing a module, I just want it to install > straight from the CPAN shell. No interative questions. No asking me > about installing documentation which could be done at a later time. > > What do you reckon?
I haven't posted to this list before but I'm the Debian developer who is in the process of packaging TT for Debian. The going has been slow largely because of the interactive Makefile.PL. Since packages need to be able to be generated by automatic builders, the interactive Makefile is a problem and barrier to Debianization (and I imagine making other packages for other distros as well). But it's certainly not the end of the world either. This isn't the first time this has happened with a module and the answer is to have the patch with the debian/ subdir also hack up the Makefile.PL to make it non-interactive (and make it put everything in the right places). I've done all this (and am not struggling in separating splash into a separate package). If you'd be interested in my patch, you're more than welcome to it. What do I reckon? It would be convenient and might make packaging easier but the current situation serves a purpose to and for non-automated building (the vast majority of it) and it works great. If there is a reasonable set of defaults (you want docs, etc) you can have it output a message at the explaining what it going to be installed with a normal `perl Makefile.PL` and then have we suggest that deviations be made explicitly with 'DOCS=no' style. Still, that looses the ability TO be interactive. I'd be willing to submit a patch for Makefile.PL that would do something make something like perl Makefile.PL --noninteractive --docs=yes or some version of that work if that sounds reasonable. It sounds like a decent compromise unless people have a better idea. I've essentially done that already. Better ideas? -- Mako Hill [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://people.debian.org/~mako/ Standing up to an evil system is exhilarating. --Richard Stallman
