=head1 NAME
-perlmod - Perl modules (packages)
+perlmod - Perl modules (packages and symbol tables)
=head1 DESCRIPTION
Perl provides a mechanism for alternative namespaces to protect packages
from stomping on each other's variables. In fact, apart from certain
-magical variables, there's really no such thing as a global variable in
-Perl. The package statement declares the compilation unit as being in the
-given namespace. The scope of the package declaration is from the
-declaration itself through the end of the enclosing block (the same scope
-as the local() operator). All further unqualified dynamic identifiers
-will be in this namespace. A package statement affects only dynamic
-variables--including those you've used local() on--but I<not> lexical
-variables created with my(). Typically it would be the first declaration
-in a file to be included by the C<require> or C<use> operator. You can
-switch into a package in more than one place; it influences merely which
-symbol table is used by the compiler for the rest of that block. You can
-refer to variables and filehandles in other packages by prefixing the
-identifier with the package name and a double colon:
-C<$Package::Variable>. If the package name is null, the C<main> package
-is assumed. That is, C<$::sail> is equivalent to C<$main::sail>.
+magical variables, there's really no such thing as a global variable
+in Perl. The package statement declares the compilation unit as
+being in the given namespace. The scope of the package declaration
+is from the declaration itself through the end of the enclosing block,
+C<eval>, C<sub>, or end of file, whichever comes first (the same scope
+as the my() and local() operators). All further unqualified dynamic
+identifiers will be in this namespace. A package statement affects
+only dynamic variables--including those you've used local() on--but
+I<not> lexical variables created with my(). Typically it would be
+the first declaration in a file to be included by the C<require> or
+C<use> operator. You can switch into a package in more than one place;
+it influences merely which symbol table is used by the compiler for the
+rest of that block. You can refer to variables and filehandles in other
+packages by prefixing the identifier with the package name and a double
+colon: C<$Package::Variable>. If the package name is null, the C<main>
+package is assumed. That is, C<$::sail> is equivalent to C<$main::sail>.
(The old package delimiter was a single quote, but double colon
is now the preferred delimiter, in part because it's more readable
expressions in the context of the C<main> package (or wherever you came
from). See L<perldebug>.
+The special symbol C<__PACKAGE__> contains the current package, but cannot
+(easily) be used to construct variables.
+
See L<perlsub> for other scoping issues related to my() and local(),
-or L<perlref> regarding closures.
+and L<perlref> regarding closures.
=head2 Symbol Tables
effect, though the first is more efficient because it does the symbol
table lookups at compile time:
- local(*main::foo) = *main::bar;
- local($main::{'foo'}) = $main::{'bar'};
+ local *main::foo = *main::bar;
+ local $main::{foo} = $main::{bar};
You can use this to print out all the variables in a package, for
instance. Here is F<dumpvar.pl> from the Perl library:
}
Note that even though the subroutine is compiled in package C<dumpvar>,
-the name of the subroutine is qualified so that its name is inserted
-into package C<main>.
+the name of the subroutine is qualified so that its name is inserted into
+package C<main>. While popular many years ago, this is now considered
+very poor style; in general, you should be writing modules and using the
+normal export mechanism instead of hammering someone else's namespace,
+even main's.
Assignment to a typeglob performs an aliasing operation, i.e.,
*PI = \3.14159265358979;
Now you cannot alter $PI, which is probably a good thing all in all.
+This isn't the same as a constant subroutine (one prototyped to
+take no arguments and to return a constant expression), which is
+subject to optimization at compile-time. This isn't. See L<perlsub>
+for details on these.
You can say C<*foo{PACKAGE}> and C<*foo{NAME}> to find out what name and
package the *foo symbol table entry comes from. This may be useful
constructors and destructors. These are the C<BEGIN> and C<END>
routines. The C<sub> is optional for these routines.
-A C<BEGIN> subroutine is executed as soon as possible, that is, the
-moment it is completely defined, even before the rest of the containing
-file is parsed. You may have multiple C<BEGIN> blocks within a
-file--they will execute in order of definition. Because a C<BEGIN>
-block executes immediately, it can pull in definitions of subroutines
-and such from other files in time to be visible to the rest of the
-file.
+A C<BEGIN> subroutine is executed as soon as possible, that is, the moment
+it is completely defined, even before the rest of the containing file
+is parsed. You may have multiple C<BEGIN> blocks within a file--they
+will execute in order of definition. Because a C<BEGIN> block executes
+immediately, it can pull in definitions of subroutines and such from other
+files in time to be visible to the rest of the file. Once a C<BEGIN>
+has run, it is immediately undefined and any code it used is returned to
+Perl's memory pool. This means you can't ever explicitly call a C<BEGIN>.
An C<END> subroutine is executed as late as possible, that is, when the
interpreter is being exited, even if it is exiting as a result of a
Inside an C<END> subroutine C<$?> contains the value that the script is
going to pass to C<exit()>. You can modify C<$?> to change the exit
-value of the script. Beware of changing C<$?> by accident (e.g.,, by
+value of the script. Beware of changing C<$?> by accident (e.g. by
running something via C<system>).
Note that when you use the B<-n> and B<-p> switches to Perl, C<BEGIN>
package may also derive some of its methods from another class package
by listing the other package name in its @ISA array.
-For more on this, see L<perlobj>.
+For more on this, see L<perltoot> and L<perlobj>.
=head2 Perl Modules
Then go on to declare and use your variables in functions
without any qualifications.
-See L<Exporter> and the I<Perl Modules File> for details on
+See L<Exporter> and the L<perlmodlib> for details on
mechanics and style issues in module creation.
Perl modules are included into your program by saying
happens to do both dynamic loading and autoloading, but the user can
say just C<use POSIX> to get it all.
-For more information on writing extension modules, see L<perlxs>
+For more information on writing extension modules, see L<perlxstut>
and L<perlguts>.
-=head1 NOTE
-
-Perl does not enforce private and public parts of its modules as you may
-have been used to in other languages like C++, Ada, or Modula-17. Perl
-doesn't have an infatuation with enforced privacy. It would prefer
-that you stayed out of its living room because you weren't invited, not
-because it has a shotgun.
-
-The module and its user have a contract, part of which is common law,
-and part of which is "written". Part of the common law contract is
-that a module doesn't pollute any namespace it wasn't asked to. The
-written contract for the module (A.K.A. documentation) may make other
-provisions. But then you know when you C<use RedefineTheWorld> that
-you're redefining the world and willing to take the consequences.
-
-=head1 THE PERL MODULE LIBRARY
-
-A number of modules are included the Perl distribution. These are
-described below, and all end in F<.pm>. You may also discover files in
-the library directory that end in either F<.pl> or F<.ph>. These are old
-libraries supplied so that old programs that use them still run. The
-F<.pl> files will all eventually be converted into standard modules, and
-the F<.ph> files made by B<h2ph> will probably end up as extension modules
-made by B<h2xs>. (Some F<.ph> values may already be available through the
-POSIX module.) The B<pl2pm> file in the distribution may help in your
-conversion, but it's just a mechanical process and therefore far from
-bulletproof.
-
-=head2 Pragmatic Modules
-
-They work somewhat like pragmas in that they tend to affect the compilation of
-your program, and thus will usually work well only when used within a
-C<use>, or C<no>. Most of these are locally scoped, so an inner BLOCK
-may countermand any of these by saying:
-
- no integer;
- no strict 'refs';
-
-which lasts until the end of that BLOCK.
-
-Unlike the pragmas that effect the C<$^H> hints variable, the C<use
-vars> and C<use subs> declarations are not BLOCK-scoped. They allow
-you to predeclare a variables or subroutines within a particular
-I<file> rather than just a block. Such declarations are effective
-for the entire file for which they were declared. You cannot rescind
-them with C<no vars> or C<no subs>.
-
-The following pragmas are defined (and have their own documentation).
-
-=over 12
-
-=item blib
-
-manipulate @INC at compile time to use MakeMaker's uninstalled version
-of a package
-
-=item diagnostics
-
-force verbose warning diagnostics
-
-=item integer
-
-compute arithmetic in integer instead of double
-
-=item less
-
-request less of something from the compiler
-
-=item lib
-
-manipulate @INC at compile time
-
-=item locale
-
-use or ignore current locale for builtin operations (see L<perllocale>)
-
-=item ops
-
-restrict named opcodes when compiling or running Perl code
-
-=item overload
-
-overload basic Perl operations
-
-=item sigtrap
-
-enable simple signal handling
-
-=item strict
-
-restrict unsafe constructs
-
-=item subs
-
-predeclare sub names
-
-=item vmsish
-
-adopt certain VMS-specific behaviors
-
-=item vars
-
-predeclare global variable names
-
-=back
-
-=head2 Standard Modules
-
-Standard, bundled modules are all expected to behave in a well-defined
-manner with respect to namespace pollution because they use the
-Exporter module. See their own documentation for details.
-
-=over 12
-
-=item AnyDBM_File
-
-provide framework for multiple DBMs
-
-=item AutoLoader
-
-load functions only on demand
-
-=item AutoSplit
-
-split a package for autoloading
-
-=item Benchmark
-
-benchmark running times of code
-
-=item CPAN
-
-interface to Comprehensive Perl Archive Network
-
-=item CPAN::FirstTime
-
-create a CPAN configuration file
-
-=item CPAN::Nox
-
-run CPAN while avoiding compiled extensions
-
-=item Carp
-
-warn of errors (from perspective of caller)
-
-=item Class::Struct
-
-declare struct-like datatypes
-
-=item Config
-
-access Perl configuration information
-
-=item Cwd
-
-get pathname of current working directory
-
-=item DB_File
-
-access to Berkeley DB
-
-=item Devel::SelfStubber
-
-generate stubs for a SelfLoading module
-
-=item DirHandle
-
-supply object methods for directory handles
-
-=item DynaLoader
-
-dynamically load C libraries into Perl code
-
-=item English
-
-use nice English (or awk) names for ugly punctuation variables
-
-=item Env
-
-import environment variables
-
-=item Exporter
-
-implements default import method for modules
-
-=item ExtUtils::Embed
-
-utilities for embedding Perl in C/C++ applications
-
-=item ExtUtils::Install
-
-install files from here to there
-
-=item ExtUtils::Liblist
-
-determine libraries to use and how to use them
-
-=item ExtUtils::MM_OS2
-
-methods to override Unix behaviour in ExtUtils::MakeMaker
-
-=item ExtUtils::MM_Unix
-
-methods used by ExtUtils::MakeMaker
-
-=item ExtUtils::MM_VMS
-
-methods to override Unix behaviour in ExtUtils::MakeMaker
-
-=item ExtUtils::MakeMaker
-
-create an extension Makefile
-
-=item ExtUtils::Manifest
-
-utilities to write and check a MANIFEST file
-
-=item ExtUtils::Mkbootstrap
-
-make a bootstrap file for use by DynaLoader
-
-=item ExtUtils::Mksymlists
-
-write linker options files for dynamic extension
-
-=item ExtUtils::testlib
-
-add blib/* directories to @INC
-
-=item Fcntl
-
-load the C Fcntl.h defines
-
-=item File::Basename
-
-split a pathname into pieces
-
-=item File::CheckTree
-
-run many filetest checks on a tree
-
-=item File::Compare
-
-compare files or filehandles
-
-=item File::Copy
-
-copy files or filehandles
-
-=item File::Find
-
-traverse a file tree
-
-=item File::Path
-
-create or remove a series of directories
-
-=item File::stat
-
-by-name interface to Perl's builtin stat() functions
-
-=item FileCache
-
-keep more files open than the system permits
-
-=item FileHandle
-
-supply object methods for filehandles
-
-=item FindBin
-
-locate directory of original perl script
-
-=item GDBM_File
-
-access to the gdbm library
-
-=item Getopt::Long
-
-extended processing of command line options
-
-=item Getopt::Std
-
-process single-character switches with switch clustering
-
-=item I18N::Collate
-
-compare 8-bit scalar data according to the current locale
-
-=item IO
-
-load various IO modules
-
-=item IO::File
-
-supply object methods for filehandles
-
-=item IO::Handle
-
-supply object methods for I/O handles
-
-=item IO::Pipe
-
-supply object methods for pipes
-
-=item IO::Seekable
-
-supply seek based methods for I/O objects
-
-=item IO::Select
-
-OO interface to the select system call
-
-=item IO::Socket
-
-object interface to socket communications
-
-=item IPC::Open2
-
-open a process for both reading and writing
-
-=item IPC::Open3
-
-open a process for reading, writing, and error handling
-
-=item Math::BigFloat
-
-arbitrary length float math package
-
-=item Math::BigInt
-
-arbitrary size integer math package
-
-=item Math::Complex
-
-complex numbers and associated mathematical functions
-
-=item NDBM_File
-
-tied access to ndbm files
-
-=item Net::Ping
-
-Hello, anybody home?
-
-=item Net::hostent
-
-by-name interface to Perl's builtin gethost*() functions
-
-=item Net::netent
-
-by-name interface to Perl's builtin getnet*() functions
-
-=item Net::protoent
-
-by-name interface to Perl's builtin getproto*() functions
-
-=item Net::servent
-
-by-name interface to Perl's builtin getserv*() functions
-
-=item Opcode
-
-disable named opcodes when compiling or running perl code
-
-=item Pod::Text
-
-convert POD data to formatted ASCII text
-
-=item POSIX
-
-interface to IEEE Standard 1003.1
-
-=item SDBM_File
-
-tied access to sdbm files
-
-=item Safe
-
-compile and execute code in restricted compartments
-
-=item Search::Dict
-
-search for key in dictionary file
-
-=item SelectSaver
-
-save and restore selected file handle
-
-=item SelfLoader
-
-load functions only on demand
-
-=item Shell
-
-run shell commands transparently within perl
-
-=item Socket
-
-load the C socket.h defines and structure manipulators
-
-=item Symbol
-
-manipulate Perl symbols and their names
-
-=item Sys::Hostname
-
-try every conceivable way to get hostname
-
-=item Sys::Syslog
-
-interface to the Unix syslog(3) calls
-
-=item Term::Cap
-
-termcap interface
-
-=item Term::Complete
-
-word completion module
-
-=item Term::ReadLine
-
-interface to various C<readline> packages
-
-=item Test::Harness
-
-run perl standard test scripts with statistics
-
-=item Text::Abbrev
-
-create an abbreviation table from a list
-
-=item Text::ParseWords
-
-parse text into an array of tokens
-
-=item Text::Soundex
-
-implementation of the Soundex Algorithm as described by Knuth
-
-=item Text::Tabs
-
-expand and unexpand tabs per the Unix expand(1) and unexpand(1)
-
-=item Text::Wrap
-
-line wrapping to form simple paragraphs
-
-=item Tie::Hash
-
-base class definitions for tied hashes
-
-=item Tie::RefHash
-
-base class definitions for tied hashes with references as keys
-
-=item Tie::Scalar
-
-base class definitions for tied scalars
-
-=item Tie::SubstrHash
-
-fixed-table-size, fixed-key-length hashing
-
-=item Time::Local
-
-efficiently compute time from local and GMT time
-
-=item Time::gmtime
-
-by-name interface to Perl's builtin gmtime() function
-
-=item Time::localtime
-
-by-name interface to Perl's builtin localtime() function
-
-=item Time::tm
-
-internal object used by Time::gmtime and Time::localtime
-
-=item UNIVERSAL
-
-base class for ALL classes (blessed references)
-
-=item User::grent
-
-by-name interface to Perl's builtin getgr*() functions
-
-=item User::pwent
-
-by-name interface to Perl's builtin getpw*() functions
-
-=back
-
-To find out I<all> the modules installed on your system, including
-those without documentation or outside the standard release, do this:
-
- find `perl -e 'print "@INC"'` -name '*.pm' -print
-
-They should all have their own documentation installed and accessible via
-your system man(1) command. If that fails, try the I<perldoc> program.
-
-=head2 Extension Modules
-
-Extension modules are written in C (or a mix of Perl and C) and may be
-statically linked or in general are
-dynamically loaded into Perl if and when you need them. Supported
-extension modules include the Socket, Fcntl, and POSIX modules.
-
-Many popular C extension modules do not come bundled (at least, not
-completely) due to their sizes, volatility, or simply lack of time for
-adequate testing and configuration across the multitude of platforms on
-which Perl was beta-tested. You are encouraged to look for them in
-archie(1L), the Perl FAQ or Meta-FAQ, the WWW page, and even with their
-authors before randomly posting asking for their present condition and
-disposition.
-
-=head1 CPAN
-
-CPAN stands for the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network. This is a globally
-replicated collection of all known Perl materials, including hundreds
-of unbundled modules. Here are the major categories of modules:
-
-=over
-
-=item *
-Language Extensions and Documentation Tools
-
-=item *
-Development Support
-
-=item *
-Operating System Interfaces
-
-=item *
-Networking, Device Control (modems) and InterProcess Communication
-
-=item *
-Data Types and Data Type Utilities
-
-=item *
-Database Interfaces
-
-=item *
-User Interfaces
-
-=item *
-Interfaces to / Emulations of Other Programming Languages
-
-=item *
-File Names, File Systems and File Locking (see also File Handles)
-
-=item *
-String Processing, Language Text Processing, Parsing, and Searching
-
-=item *
-Option, Argument, Parameter, and Configuration File Processing
-
-=item *
-Internationalization and Locale
-
-=item *
-Authentication, Security, and Encryption
-
-=item *
-World Wide Web, HTML, HTTP, CGI, MIME
-
-=item *
-Server and Daemon Utilities
-
-=item *
-Archiving and Compression
-
-=item *
-Images, Pixmap and Bitmap Manipulation, Drawing, and Graphing
-
-=item *
-Mail and Usenet News
-
-=item *
-Control Flow Utilities (callbacks and exceptions etc)
-
-=item *
-File Handle and Input/Output Stream Utilities
-
-=item *
-Miscellaneous Modules
-
-=back
-
-The registered CPAN sites as of this writing include the following.
-You should try to choose one close to you:
-
-=over
-
-=item *
-Africa
-
- South Africa ftp://ftp.is.co.za/programming/perl/CPAN/
-
-=item *
-Asia
-
- Hong Kong ftp://ftp.hkstar.com/pub/CPAN/
- Japan ftp://ftp.jaist.ac.jp/pub/lang/perl/CPAN/
- ftp://ftp.lab.kdd.co.jp/lang/perl/CPAN/
- South Korea ftp://ftp.nuri.net/pub/CPAN/
- Taiwan ftp://dongpo.math.ncu.edu.tw/perl/CPAN/
- ftp://ftp.wownet.net/pub2/PERL/
-
-=item *
-Australasia
-
- Australia ftp://ftp.netinfo.com.au/pub/perl/CPAN/
- New Zealand ftp://ftp.tekotago.ac.nz/pub/perl/CPAN/
-
-=item *
-Europe
-
- Austria ftp://ftp.tuwien.ac.at/pub/languages/perl/CPAN/
- Belgium ftp://ftp.kulnet.kuleuven.ac.be/pub/mirror/CPAN/
- Czech Republic ftp://sunsite.mff.cuni.cz/Languages/Perl/CPAN/
- Denmark ftp://sunsite.auc.dk/pub/languages/perl/CPAN/
- Finland ftp://ftp.funet.fi/pub/languages/perl/CPAN/
- France ftp://ftp.ibp.fr/pub/perl/CPAN/
- ftp://ftp.pasteur.fr/pub/computing/unix/perl/CPAN/
- Germany ftp://ftp.gmd.de/packages/CPAN/
- ftp://ftp.leo.org/pub/comp/programming/languages/perl/CPAN/
- ftp://ftp.mpi-sb.mpg.de/pub/perl/CPAN/
- ftp://ftp.rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/pub/CPAN/
- ftp://ftp.uni-erlangen.de/pub/source/Perl/CPAN/
- ftp://ftp.uni-hamburg.de/pub/soft/lang/perl/CPAN/
- Greece ftp://ftp.ntua.gr/pub/lang/perl/
- Hungary ftp://ftp.kfki.hu/pub/packages/perl/CPAN/
- Italy ftp://cis.utovrm.it/CPAN/
- the Netherlands ftp://ftp.cs.ruu.nl/pub/PERL/CPAN/
- ftp://ftp.EU.net/packages/cpan/
- Norway ftp://ftp.uit.no/pub/languages/perl/cpan/
- Poland ftp://ftp.pk.edu.pl/pub/lang/perl/CPAN/
- ftp://sunsite.icm.edu.pl/pub/CPAN/
- Portugal ftp://ftp.ci.uminho.pt/pub/lang/perl/
- ftp://ftp.telepac.pt/pub/CPAN/
- Russia ftp://ftp.sai.msu.su/pub/lang/perl/CPAN/
- Slovenia ftp://ftp.arnes.si/software/perl/CPAN/
- Spain ftp://ftp.etse.urv.es/pub/mirror/perl/
- ftp://ftp.rediris.es/mirror/CPAN/
- Sweden ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/lang/perl/CPAN/
- UK ftp://ftp.demon.co.uk/pub/mirrors/perl/CPAN/
- ftp://sunsite.doc.ic.ac.uk/packages/CPAN/
- ftp://unix.hensa.ac.uk/mirrors/perl-CPAN/
-
-=item *
-North America
-
- Ontario ftp://ftp.utilis.com/public/CPAN/
- ftp://enterprise.ic.gc.ca/pub/perl/CPAN/
- Manitoba ftp://theory.uwinnipeg.ca/pub/CPAN/
- California ftp://ftp.digital.com/pub/plan/perl/CPAN/
- ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/pub/perl/CPAN/
- Colorado ftp://ftp.cs.colorado.edu/pub/perl/CPAN/
- Florida ftp://ftp.cis.ufl.edu/pub/perl/CPAN/
- Illinois ftp://uiarchive.uiuc.edu/pub/lang/perl/CPAN/
- Massachusetts ftp://ftp.iguide.com/pub/mirrors/packages/perl/CPAN/
- New York ftp://ftp.rge.com/pub/languages/perl/
- North Carolina ftp://ftp.duke.edu/pub/perl/
- Oklahoma ftp://ftp.ou.edu/mirrors/CPAN/
- Oregon http://www.perl.org/CPAN/
- ftp://ftp.orst.edu/pub/packages/CPAN/
- Pennsylvania ftp://ftp.epix.net/pub/languages/perl/
- Texas ftp://ftp.sedl.org/pub/mirrors/CPAN/
- ftp://ftp.metronet.com/pub/perl/
-
-=item *
-South America
-
- Chile ftp://sunsite.dcc.uchile.cl/pub/Lang/perl/CPAN/
-
-=back
-
-For an up-to-date listing of CPAN sites,
-see F<http://www.perl.com/perl/CPAN> or F<ftp://ftp.perl.com/perl/>.
-
-=head1 Modules: Creation, Use, and Abuse
-
-(The following section is borrowed directly from Tim Bunce's modules
-file, available at your nearest CPAN site.)
-
-Perl implements a class using a package, but the presence of a
-package doesn't imply the presence of a class. A package is just a
-namespace. A class is a package that provides subroutines that can be
-used as methods. A method is just a subroutine that expects, as its
-first argument, either the name of a package (for "static" methods),
-or a reference to something (for "virtual" methods).
-
-A module is a file that (by convention) provides a class of the same
-name (sans the .pm), plus an import method in that class that can be
-called to fetch exported symbols. This module may implement some of
-its methods by loading dynamic C or C++ objects, but that should be
-totally transparent to the user of the module. Likewise, the module
-might set up an AUTOLOAD function to slurp in subroutine definitions on
-demand, but this is also transparent. Only the .pm file is required to
-exist.
-
-=head2 Guidelines for Module Creation
-
-=over 4
-
-=item Do similar modules already exist in some form?
-
-If so, please try to reuse the existing modules either in whole or
-by inheriting useful features into a new class. If this is not
-practical try to get together with the module authors to work on
-extending or enhancing the functionality of the existing modules.
-A perfect example is the plethora of packages in perl4 for dealing
-with command line options.
-
-If you are writing a module to expand an already existing set of
-modules, please coordinate with the author of the package. It
-helps if you follow the same naming scheme and module interaction
-scheme as the original author.
-
-=item Try to design the new module to be easy to extend and reuse.
-
-Use blessed references. Use the two argument form of bless to bless
-into the class name given as the first parameter of the constructor,
-e.g.,:
-
- sub new {
- my $class = shift;
- return bless {}, $class;
- }
-
-or even this if you'd like it to be used as either a static
-or a virtual method.
-
- sub new {
- my $self = shift;
- my $class = ref($self) || $self;
- return bless {}, $class;
- }
-
-Pass arrays as references so more parameters can be added later
-(it's also faster). Convert functions into methods where
-appropriate. Split large methods into smaller more flexible ones.
-Inherit methods from other modules if appropriate.
-
-Avoid class name tests like: C<die "Invalid" unless ref $ref eq 'FOO'>.
-Generally you can delete the "C<eq 'FOO'>" part with no harm at all.
-Let the objects look after themselves! Generally, avoid hard-wired
-class names as far as possible.
-
-Avoid C<$r-E<gt>Class::func()> where using C<@ISA=qw(... Class ...)> and
-C<$r-E<gt>func()> would work (see L<perlbot> for more details).
-
-Use autosplit so little used or newly added functions won't be a
-burden to programs which don't use them. Add test functions to
-the module after __END__ either using AutoSplit or by saying:
-
- eval join('',<main::DATA>) || die $@ unless caller();
-
-Does your module pass the 'empty subclass' test? If you say
-"C<@SUBCLASS::ISA = qw(YOURCLASS);>" your applications should be able
-to use SUBCLASS in exactly the same way as YOURCLASS. For example,
-does your application still work if you change: C<$obj = new YOURCLASS;>
-into: C<$obj = new SUBCLASS;> ?
-
-Avoid keeping any state information in your packages. It makes it
-difficult for multiple other packages to use yours. Keep state
-information in objects.
-
-Always use B<-w>. Try to C<use strict;> (or C<use strict qw(...);>).
-Remember that you can add C<no strict qw(...);> to individual blocks
-of code which need less strictness. Always use B<-w>. Always use B<-w>!
-Follow the guidelines in the perlstyle(1) manual.
-
-=item Some simple style guidelines
-
-The perlstyle manual supplied with perl has many helpful points.
-
-Coding style is a matter of personal taste. Many people evolve their
-style over several years as they learn what helps them write and
-maintain good code. Here's one set of assorted suggestions that
-seem to be widely used by experienced developers:
-
-Use underscores to separate words. It is generally easier to read
-$var_names_like_this than $VarNamesLikeThis, especially for
-non-native speakers of English. It's also a simple rule that works
-consistently with VAR_NAMES_LIKE_THIS.
-
-Package/Module names are an exception to this rule. Perl informally
-reserves lowercase module names for 'pragma' modules like integer
-and strict. Other modules normally begin with a capital letter and
-use mixed case with no underscores (need to be short and portable).
-
-You may find it helpful to use letter case to indicate the scope
-or nature of a variable. For example:
-
- $ALL_CAPS_HERE constants only (beware clashes with perl vars)
- $Some_Caps_Here package-wide global/static
- $no_caps_here function scope my() or local() variables
-
-Function and method names seem to work best as all lowercase.
-e.g.,, C<$obj-E<gt>as_string()>.
-
-You can use a leading underscore to indicate that a variable or
-function should not be used outside the package that defined it.
-
-=item Select what to export.
-
-Do NOT export method names!
-
-Do NOT export anything else by default without a good reason!
-
-Exports pollute the namespace of the module user. If you must
-export try to use @EXPORT_OK in preference to @EXPORT and avoid
-short or common names to reduce the risk of name clashes.
-
-Generally anything not exported is still accessible from outside the
-module using the ModuleName::item_name (or C<$blessed_ref-E<gt>method>)
-syntax. By convention you can use a leading underscore on names to
-indicate informally that they are 'internal' and not for public use.
-
-(It is actually possible to get private functions by saying:
-C<my $subref = sub { ... }; &$subref;>. But there's no way to call that
-directly as a method, because a method must have a name in the symbol
-table.)
-
-As a general rule, if the module is trying to be object oriented
-then export nothing. If it's just a collection of functions then
-@EXPORT_OK anything but use @EXPORT with caution.
-
-=item Select a name for the module.
-
-This name should be as descriptive, accurate, and complete as
-possible. Avoid any risk of ambiguity. Always try to use two or
-more whole words. Generally the name should reflect what is special
-about what the module does rather than how it does it. Please use
-nested module names to group informally or categorize a module.
-There should be a very good reason for a module not to have a nested name.
-Module names should begin with a capital letter.
-
-Having 57 modules all called Sort will not make life easy for anyone
-(though having 23 called Sort::Quick is only marginally better :-).
-Imagine someone trying to install your module alongside many others.
-If in any doubt ask for suggestions in comp.lang.perl.misc.
-
-If you are developing a suite of related modules/classes it's good
-practice to use nested classes with a common prefix as this will
-avoid namespace clashes. For example: Xyz::Control, Xyz::View,
-Xyz::Model etc. Use the modules in this list as a naming guide.
-
-If adding a new module to a set, follow the original author's
-standards for naming modules and the interface to methods in
-those modules.
-
-To be portable each component of a module name should be limited to
-11 characters. If it might be used on MS-DOS then try to ensure each is
-unique in the first 8 characters. Nested modules make this easier.
-
-=item Have you got it right?
-
-How do you know that you've made the right decisions? Have you
-picked an interface design that will cause problems later? Have
-you picked the most appropriate name? Do you have any questions?
-
-The best way to know for sure, and pick up many helpful suggestions,
-is to ask someone who knows. Comp.lang.perl.misc is read by just about
-all the people who develop modules and it's the best place to ask.
-
-All you need to do is post a short summary of the module, its
-purpose and interfaces. A few lines on each of the main methods is
-probably enough. (If you post the whole module it might be ignored
-by busy people - generally the very people you want to read it!)
-
-Don't worry about posting if you can't say when the module will be
-ready - just say so in the message. It might be worth inviting
-others to help you, they may be able to complete it for you!
-
-=item README and other Additional Files.
-
-It's well known that software developers usually fully document the
-software they write. If, however, the world is in urgent need of
-your software and there is not enough time to write the full
-documentation please at least provide a README file containing:
-
-=over 10
-
-=item *
-A description of the module/package/extension etc.
-
-=item *
-A copyright notice - see below.
-
-=item *
-Prerequisites - what else you may need to have.
-
-=item *
-How to build it - possible changes to Makefile.PL etc.
-
-=item *
-How to install it.
-
-=item *
-Recent changes in this release, especially incompatibilities
-
-=item *
-Changes / enhancements you plan to make in the future.
-
-=back
-
-If the README file seems to be getting too large you may wish to
-split out some of the sections into separate files: INSTALL,
-Copying, ToDo etc.
-
-=over 4
-
-=item Adding a Copyright Notice.
-
-How you choose to license your work is a personal decision.
-The general mechanism is to assert your Copyright and then make
-a declaration of how others may copy/use/modify your work.
-
-Perl, for example, is supplied with two types of licence: The GNU
-GPL and The Artistic Licence (see the files README, Copying, and
-Artistic). Larry has good reasons for NOT just using the GNU GPL.
-
-My personal recommendation, out of respect for Larry, Perl, and the
-perl community at large is to state something simply like:
-
- Copyright (c) 1995 Your Name. All rights reserved.
- This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
- modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.
-
-This statement should at least appear in the README file. You may
-also wish to include it in a Copying file and your source files.
-Remember to include the other words in addition to the Copyright.
-
-=item Give the module a version/issue/release number.
-
-To be fully compatible with the Exporter and MakeMaker modules you
-should store your module's version number in a non-my package
-variable called $VERSION. This should be a floating point
-number with at least two digits after the decimal (i.e., hundredths,
-e.g, C<$VERSION = "0.01">). Don't use a "1.3.2" style version.
-See Exporter.pm in Perl5.001m or later for details.
-
-It may be handy to add a function or method to retrieve the number.
-Use the number in announcements and archive file names when
-releasing the module (ModuleName-1.02.tar.Z).
-See perldoc ExtUtils::MakeMaker.pm for details.
-
-=item How to release and distribute a module.
-
-It's good idea to post an announcement of the availability of your
-module (or the module itself if small) to the comp.lang.perl.announce
-Usenet newsgroup. This will at least ensure very wide once-off
-distribution.
-
-If possible you should place the module into a major ftp archive and
-include details of its location in your announcement.
-
-Some notes about ftp archives: Please use a long descriptive file
-name which includes the version number. Most incoming directories
-will not be readable/listable, i.e., you won't be able to see your
-file after uploading it. Remember to send your email notification
-message as soon as possible after uploading else your file may get
-deleted automatically. Allow time for the file to be processed
-and/or check the file has been processed before announcing its
-location.
-
-FTP Archives for Perl Modules:
-
-Follow the instructions and links on
-
- http://franz.ww.tu-berlin.de/modulelist
-
-or upload to one of these sites:
-
- ftp://franz.ww.tu-berlin.de/incoming
- ftp://ftp.cis.ufl.edu/incoming
-
-and notify <F<upload@franz.ww.tu-berlin.de>>.
-
-By using the WWW interface you can ask the Upload Server to mirror
-your modules from your ftp or WWW site into your own directory on
-CPAN!
-
-Please remember to send me an updated entry for the Module list!
-
-=item Take care when changing a released module.
-
-Always strive to remain compatible with previous released versions
-(see 2.2 above) Otherwise try to add a mechanism to revert to the
-old behaviour if people rely on it. Document incompatible changes.
-
-=back
-
-=back
-
-=head2 Guidelines for Converting Perl 4 Library Scripts into Modules
-
-=over 4
-
-=item There is no requirement to convert anything.
-
-If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Perl 4 library scripts should
-continue to work with no problems. You may need to make some minor
-changes (like escaping non-array @'s in double quoted strings) but
-there is no need to convert a .pl file into a Module for just that.
-
-=item Consider the implications.
-
-All the perl applications which make use of the script will need to
-be changed (slightly) if the script is converted into a module. Is
-it worth it unless you plan to make other changes at the same time?
-
-=item Make the most of the opportunity.
-
-If you are going to convert the script to a module you can use the
-opportunity to redesign the interface. The 'Guidelines for Module
-Creation' above include many of the issues you should consider.
-
-=item The pl2pm utility will get you started.
-
-This utility will read *.pl files (given as parameters) and write
-corresponding *.pm files. The pl2pm utilities does the following:
-
-=over 10
-
-=item *
-Adds the standard Module prologue lines
-
-=item *
-Converts package specifiers from ' to ::
-
-=item *
-Converts die(...) to croak(...)
-
-=item *
-Several other minor changes
-
-=back
-
-Being a mechanical process pl2pm is not bullet proof. The converted
-code will need careful checking, especially any package statements.
-Don't delete the original .pl file till the new .pm one works!
-
-=back
-
-=head2 Guidelines for Reusing Application Code
-
-=over 4
-
-=item Complete applications rarely belong in the Perl Module Library.
-
-=item Many applications contain some perl code which could be reused.
-
-Help save the world! Share your code in a form that makes it easy
-to reuse.
-
-=item Break-out the reusable code into one or more separate module files.
-
-=item Take the opportunity to reconsider and redesign the interfaces.
-
-=item In some cases the 'application' can then be reduced to a small
-
-fragment of code built on top of the reusable modules. In these cases
-the application could invoked as:
-
- perl -e 'use Module::Name; method(@ARGV)' ...
-or
- perl -mModule::Name ... (in perl5.002 or higher)
+=head1 SEE ALSO
-=back
+See L<perlmodlib> for general style issues related to building Perl
+modules and classes as well as descriptions of the standard library and
+CPAN, L<Exporter> for how Perl's standard import/export mechanism works,
+L<perltoot> for an in-depth tutorial on creating classes, L<perlobj>
+for a hard-core reference document on objects, and L<perlsub> for an
+explanation of functions and scoping.
--- /dev/null
+=head1 NAME
+
+perlmodlib - constructing new Perl modules and finding existing ones
+
+=head1 DESCRIPTION
+
+=head1 THE PERL MODULE LIBRARY
+
+A number of modules are included the Perl distribution. These are
+described below, and all end in F<.pm>. You may also discover files in
+the library directory that end in either F<.pl> or F<.ph>. These are old
+libraries supplied so that old programs that use them still run. The
+F<.pl> files will all eventually be converted into standard modules, and
+the F<.ph> files made by B<h2ph> will probably end up as extension modules
+made by B<h2xs>. (Some F<.ph> values may already be available through the
+POSIX module.) The B<pl2pm> file in the distribution may help in your
+conversion, but it's just a mechanical process and therefore far from
+bulletproof.
+
+=head2 Pragmatic Modules
+
+They work somewhat like pragmas in that they tend to affect the compilation of
+your program, and thus will usually work well only when used within a
+C<use>, or C<no>. Most of these are locally scoped, so an inner BLOCK
+may countermand any of these by saying:
+
+ no integer;
+ no strict 'refs';
+
+which lasts until the end of that BLOCK.
+
+Unlike the pragmas that effect the C<$^H> hints variable, the C<use
+vars> and C<use subs> declarations are not BLOCK-scoped. They allow
+you to predeclare a variables or subroutines within a particular
+I<file> rather than just a block. Such declarations are effective
+for the entire file for which they were declared. You cannot rescind
+them with C<no vars> or C<no subs>.
+
+The following pragmas are defined (and have their own documentation).
+
+=over 12
+
+=item use autouse MODULE => qw(sub1 sub2 sub3)
+
+Defers C<require MODULE> until someone calls one of the specified
+subroutines (which must be exported by MODULE). This pragma should be
+used with caution, and only when necessary.
+
+=item blib
+
+manipulate @INC at compile time to use MakeMaker's uninstalled version
+of a package
+
+=item diagnostics
+
+force verbose warning diagnostics
+
+=item integer
+
+compute arithmetic in integer instead of double
+
+=item less
+
+request less of something from the compiler
+
+=item lib
+
+manipulate @INC at compile time
+
+=item locale
+
+use or ignore current locale for builtin operations (see L<perllocale>)
+
+=item ops
+
+restrict named opcodes when compiling or running Perl code
+
+=item overload
+
+overload basic Perl operations
+
+=item sigtrap
+
+enable simple signal handling
+
+=item strict
+
+restrict unsafe constructs
+
+=item subs
+
+predeclare sub names
+
+=item vmsish
+
+adopt certain VMS-specific behaviors
+
+=item vars
+
+predeclare global variable names
+
+=back
+
+=head2 Standard Modules
+
+Standard, bundled modules are all expected to behave in a well-defined
+manner with respect to namespace pollution because they use the
+Exporter module. See their own documentation for details.
+
+=over 12
+
+=item AnyDBM_File
+
+provide framework for multiple DBMs
+
+=item AutoLoader
+
+load functions only on demand
+
+=item AutoSplit
+
+split a package for autoloading
+
+=item Benchmark
+
+benchmark running times of code
+
+=item CPAN
+
+interface to Comprehensive Perl Archive Network
+
+=item CPAN::FirstTime
+
+create a CPAN configuration file
+
+=item CPAN::Nox
+
+run CPAN while avoiding compiled extensions
+
+=item Carp
+
+warn of errors (from perspective of caller)
+
+=item Class::Struct
+
+declare struct-like datatypes
+
+=item Config
+
+access Perl configuration information
+
+=item Cwd
+
+get pathname of current working directory
+
+=item DB_File
+
+access to Berkeley DB
+
+=item Devel::SelfStubber
+
+generate stubs for a SelfLoading module
+
+=item DirHandle
+
+supply object methods for directory handles
+
+=item DynaLoader
+
+dynamically load C libraries into Perl code
+
+=item English
+
+use nice English (or awk) names for ugly punctuation variables
+
+=item Env
+
+import environment variables
+
+=item Exporter
+
+implements default import method for modules
+
+=item ExtUtils::Embed
+
+utilities for embedding Perl in C/C++ applications
+
+=item ExtUtils::Install
+
+install files from here to there
+
+=item ExtUtils::Liblist
+
+determine libraries to use and how to use them
+
+=item ExtUtils::MM_OS2
+
+methods to override Unix behaviour in ExtUtils::MakeMaker
+
+=item ExtUtils::MM_Unix
+
+methods used by ExtUtils::MakeMaker
+
+=item ExtUtils::MM_VMS
+
+methods to override Unix behaviour in ExtUtils::MakeMaker
+
+=item ExtUtils::MakeMaker
+
+create an extension Makefile
+
+=item ExtUtils::Manifest
+
+utilities to write and check a MANIFEST file
+
+=item ExtUtils::Mkbootstrap
+
+make a bootstrap file for use by DynaLoader
+
+=item ExtUtils::Mksymlists
+
+write linker options files for dynamic extension
+
+=item ExtUtils::testlib
+
+add blib/* directories to @INC
+
+=item Fcntl
+
+load the C Fcntl.h defines
+
+=item File::Basename
+
+split a pathname into pieces
+
+=item File::CheckTree
+
+run many filetest checks on a tree
+
+=item File::Compare
+
+compare files or filehandles
+
+=item File::Copy
+
+copy files or filehandles
+
+=item File::Find
+
+traverse a file tree
+
+=item File::Path
+
+create or remove a series of directories
+
+=item File::stat
+
+by-name interface to Perl's builtin stat() functions
+
+=item FileCache
+
+keep more files open than the system permits
+
+=item FileHandle
+
+supply object methods for filehandles
+
+=item FindBin
+
+locate directory of original perl script
+
+=item GDBM_File
+
+access to the gdbm library
+
+=item Getopt::Long
+
+extended processing of command line options
+
+=item Getopt::Std
+
+process single-character switches with switch clustering
+
+=item I18N::Collate
+
+compare 8-bit scalar data according to the current locale
+
+=item IO
+
+load various IO modules
+
+=item IO::File
+
+supply object methods for filehandles
+
+=item IO::Handle
+
+supply object methods for I/O handles
+
+=item IO::Pipe
+
+supply object methods for pipes
+
+=item IO::Seekable
+
+supply seek based methods for I/O objects
+
+=item IO::Select
+
+OO interface to the select system call
+
+=item IO::Socket
+
+object interface to socket communications
+
+=item IPC::Open2
+
+open a process for both reading and writing
+
+=item IPC::Open3
+
+open a process for reading, writing, and error handling
+
+=item Math::BigFloat
+
+arbitrary length float math package
+
+=item Math::BigInt
+
+arbitrary size integer math package
+
+=item Math::Complex
+
+complex numbers and associated mathematical functions
+
+=item NDBM_File
+
+tied access to ndbm files
+
+=item Net::Ping
+
+Hello, anybody home?
+
+=item Net::hostent
+
+by-name interface to Perl's builtin gethost*() functions
+
+=item Net::netent
+
+by-name interface to Perl's builtin getnet*() functions
+
+=item Net::protoent
+
+by-name interface to Perl's builtin getproto*() functions
+
+=item Net::servent
+
+by-name interface to Perl's builtin getserv*() functions
+
+=item Opcode
+
+disable named opcodes when compiling or running perl code
+
+=item Pod::Text
+
+convert POD data to formatted ASCII text
+
+=item POSIX
+
+interface to IEEE Standard 1003.1
+
+=item SDBM_File
+
+tied access to sdbm files
+
+=item Safe
+
+compile and execute code in restricted compartments
+
+=item Search::Dict
+
+search for key in dictionary file
+
+=item SelectSaver
+
+save and restore selected file handle
+
+=item SelfLoader
+
+load functions only on demand
+
+=item Shell
+
+run shell commands transparently within perl
+
+=item Socket
+
+load the C socket.h defines and structure manipulators
+
+=item Symbol
+
+manipulate Perl symbols and their names
+
+=item Sys::Hostname
+
+try every conceivable way to get hostname
+
+=item Sys::Syslog
+
+interface to the Unix syslog(3) calls
+
+=item Term::Cap
+
+termcap interface
+
+=item Term::Complete
+
+word completion module
+
+=item Term::ReadLine
+
+interface to various C<readline> packages
+
+=item Test::Harness
+
+run perl standard test scripts with statistics
+
+=item Text::Abbrev
+
+create an abbreviation table from a list
+
+=item Text::ParseWords
+
+parse text into an array of tokens
+
+=item Text::Soundex
+
+implementation of the Soundex Algorithm as described by Knuth
+
+=item Text::Tabs
+
+expand and unexpand tabs per the Unix expand(1) and unexpand(1)
+
+=item Text::Wrap
+
+line wrapping to form simple paragraphs
+
+=item Tie::Hash
+
+base class definitions for tied hashes
+
+=item Tie::RefHash
+
+base class definitions for tied hashes with references as keys
+
+=item Tie::Scalar
+
+base class definitions for tied scalars
+
+=item Tie::SubstrHash
+
+fixed-table-size, fixed-key-length hashing
+
+=item Time::Local
+
+efficiently compute time from local and GMT time
+
+=item Time::gmtime
+
+by-name interface to Perl's builtin gmtime() function
+
+=item Time::localtime
+
+by-name interface to Perl's builtin localtime() function
+
+=item Time::tm
+
+internal object used by Time::gmtime and Time::localtime
+
+=item UNIVERSAL
+
+base class for ALL classes (blessed references)
+
+=item User::grent
+
+by-name interface to Perl's builtin getgr*() functions
+
+=item User::pwent
+
+by-name interface to Perl's builtin getpw*() functions
+
+=back
+
+To find out I<all> the modules installed on your system, including
+those without documentation or outside the standard release, do this:
+
+ find `perl -e 'print "@INC"'` -name '*.pm' -print
+
+They should all have their own documentation installed and accessible via
+your system man(1) command. If that fails, try the I<perldoc> program.
+
+=head2 Extension Modules
+
+Extension modules are written in C (or a mix of Perl and C) and may be
+statically linked or in general are
+dynamically loaded into Perl if and when you need them. Supported
+extension modules include the Socket, Fcntl, and POSIX modules.
+
+Many popular C extension modules do not come bundled (at least, not
+completely) due to their sizes, volatility, or simply lack of time for
+adequate testing and configuration across the multitude of platforms on
+which Perl was beta-tested. You are encouraged to look for them in
+archie(1L), the Perl FAQ or Meta-FAQ, the WWW page, and even with their
+authors before randomly posting asking for their present condition and
+disposition.
+
+=head1 CPAN
+
+CPAN stands for the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network. This is a globally
+replicated collection of all known Perl materials, including hundreds
+of unbundled modules. Here are the major categories of modules:
+
+=over
+
+=item *
+Language Extensions and Documentation Tools
+
+=item *
+Development Support
+
+=item *
+Operating System Interfaces
+
+=item *
+Networking, Device Control (modems) and InterProcess Communication
+
+=item *
+Data Types and Data Type Utilities
+
+=item *
+Database Interfaces
+
+=item *
+User Interfaces
+
+=item *
+Interfaces to / Emulations of Other Programming Languages
+
+=item *
+File Names, File Systems and File Locking (see also File Handles)
+
+=item *
+String Processing, Language Text Processing, Parsing, and Searching
+
+=item *
+Option, Argument, Parameter, and Configuration File Processing
+
+=item *
+Internationalization and Locale
+
+=item *
+Authentication, Security, and Encryption
+
+=item *
+World Wide Web, HTML, HTTP, CGI, MIME
+
+=item *
+Server and Daemon Utilities
+
+=item *
+Archiving and Compression
+
+=item *
+Images, Pixmap and Bitmap Manipulation, Drawing, and Graphing
+
+=item *
+Mail and Usenet News
+
+=item *
+Control Flow Utilities (callbacks and exceptions etc)
+
+=item *
+File Handle and Input/Output Stream Utilities
+
+=item *
+Miscellaneous Modules
+
+=back
+
+The registered CPAN sites as of this writing include the following.
+You should try to choose one close to you:
+
+=over
+
+=item *
+Africa
+
+ South Africa ftp://ftp.is.co.za/programming/perl/CPAN/
+
+=item *
+Asia
+
+ Hong Kong ftp://ftp.hkstar.com/pub/CPAN/
+ Japan ftp://ftp.jaist.ac.jp/pub/lang/perl/CPAN/
+ ftp://ftp.lab.kdd.co.jp/lang/perl/CPAN/
+ South Korea ftp://ftp.nuri.net/pub/CPAN/
+ Taiwan ftp://dongpo.math.ncu.edu.tw/perl/CPAN/
+ ftp://ftp.wownet.net/pub2/PERL/
+
+=item *
+Australasia
+
+ Australia ftp://ftp.netinfo.com.au/pub/perl/CPAN/
+ New Zealand ftp://ftp.tekotago.ac.nz/pub/perl/CPAN/
+
+=item *
+Europe
+
+ Austria ftp://ftp.tuwien.ac.at/pub/languages/perl/CPAN/
+ Belgium ftp://ftp.kulnet.kuleuven.ac.be/pub/mirror/CPAN/
+ Czech Republic ftp://sunsite.mff.cuni.cz/Languages/Perl/CPAN/
+ Denmark ftp://sunsite.auc.dk/pub/languages/perl/CPAN/
+ Finland ftp://ftp.funet.fi/pub/languages/perl/CPAN/
+ France ftp://ftp.ibp.fr/pub/perl/CPAN/
+ ftp://ftp.pasteur.fr/pub/computing/unix/perl/CPAN/
+ Germany ftp://ftp.gmd.de/packages/CPAN/
+ ftp://ftp.leo.org/pub/comp/programming/languages/perl/CPAN/
+ ftp://ftp.mpi-sb.mpg.de/pub/perl/CPAN/
+ ftp://ftp.rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/pub/CPAN/
+ ftp://ftp.uni-erlangen.de/pub/source/Perl/CPAN/
+ ftp://ftp.uni-hamburg.de/pub/soft/lang/perl/CPAN/
+ Greece ftp://ftp.ntua.gr/pub/lang/perl/
+ Hungary ftp://ftp.kfki.hu/pub/packages/perl/CPAN/
+ Italy ftp://cis.utovrm.it/CPAN/
+ the Netherlands ftp://ftp.cs.ruu.nl/pub/PERL/CPAN/
+ ftp://ftp.EU.net/packages/cpan/
+ Norway ftp://ftp.uit.no/pub/languages/perl/cpan/
+ Poland ftp://ftp.pk.edu.pl/pub/lang/perl/CPAN/
+ ftp://sunsite.icm.edu.pl/pub/CPAN/
+ Portugal ftp://ftp.ci.uminho.pt/pub/lang/perl/
+ ftp://ftp.telepac.pt/pub/CPAN/
+ Russia ftp://ftp.sai.msu.su/pub/lang/perl/CPAN/
+ Slovenia ftp://ftp.arnes.si/software/perl/CPAN/
+ Spain ftp://ftp.etse.urv.es/pub/mirror/perl/
+ ftp://ftp.rediris.es/mirror/CPAN/
+ Sweden ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/lang/perl/CPAN/
+ UK ftp://ftp.demon.co.uk/pub/mirrors/perl/CPAN/
+ ftp://sunsite.doc.ic.ac.uk/packages/CPAN/
+ ftp://unix.hensa.ac.uk/mirrors/perl-CPAN/
+
+=item *
+North America
+
+ Ontario ftp://ftp.utilis.com/public/CPAN/
+ ftp://enterprise.ic.gc.ca/pub/perl/CPAN/
+ Manitoba ftp://theory.uwinnipeg.ca/pub/CPAN/
+ California ftp://ftp.digital.com/pub/plan/perl/CPAN/
+ ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/pub/perl/CPAN/
+ Colorado ftp://ftp.cs.colorado.edu/pub/perl/CPAN/
+ Florida ftp://ftp.cis.ufl.edu/pub/perl/CPAN/
+ Illinois ftp://uiarchive.uiuc.edu/pub/lang/perl/CPAN/
+ Massachusetts ftp://ftp.iguide.com/pub/mirrors/packages/perl/CPAN/
+ New York ftp://ftp.rge.com/pub/languages/perl/
+ North Carolina ftp://ftp.duke.edu/pub/perl/
+ Oklahoma ftp://ftp.ou.edu/mirrors/CPAN/
+ Oregon http://www.perl.org/CPAN/
+ ftp://ftp.orst.edu/pub/packages/CPAN/
+ Pennsylvania ftp://ftp.epix.net/pub/languages/perl/
+ Texas ftp://ftp.sedl.org/pub/mirrors/CPAN/
+ ftp://ftp.metronet.com/pub/perl/
+
+=item *
+South America
+
+ Chile ftp://sunsite.dcc.uchile.cl/pub/Lang/perl/CPAN/
+
+=back
+
+For an up-to-date listing of CPAN sites,
+see F<http://www.perl.com/perl/CPAN> or F<ftp://ftp.perl.com/perl/>.
+
+=head1 Modules: Creation, Use, and Abuse
+
+(The following section is borrowed directly from Tim Bunce's modules
+file, available at your nearest CPAN site.)
+
+Perl implements a class using a package, but the presence of a
+package doesn't imply the presence of a class. A package is just a
+namespace. A class is a package that provides subroutines that can be
+used as methods. A method is just a subroutine that expects, as its
+first argument, either the name of a package (for "static" methods),
+or a reference to something (for "virtual" methods).
+
+A module is a file that (by convention) provides a class of the same
+name (sans the .pm), plus an import method in that class that can be
+called to fetch exported symbols. This module may implement some of
+its methods by loading dynamic C or C++ objects, but that should be
+totally transparent to the user of the module. Likewise, the module
+might set up an AUTOLOAD function to slurp in subroutine definitions on
+demand, but this is also transparent. Only the F<.pm> file is required to
+exist. See L<perlsub>, L<perltoot>, and L<AutoLoader> for details about
+the AUTOLOAD mechanism.
+
+=head2 Guidelines for Module Creation
+
+=over 4
+
+=item Do similar modules already exist in some form?
+
+If so, please try to reuse the existing modules either in whole or
+by inheriting useful features into a new class. If this is not
+practical try to get together with the module authors to work on
+extending or enhancing the functionality of the existing modules.
+A perfect example is the plethora of packages in perl4 for dealing
+with command line options.
+
+If you are writing a module to expand an already existing set of
+modules, please coordinate with the author of the package. It
+helps if you follow the same naming scheme and module interaction
+scheme as the original author.
+
+=item Try to design the new module to be easy to extend and reuse.
+
+Use blessed references. Use the two argument form of bless to bless
+into the class name given as the first parameter of the constructor,
+e.g.,:
+
+ sub new {
+ my $class = shift;
+ return bless {}, $class;
+ }
+
+or even this if you'd like it to be used as either a static
+or a virtual method.
+
+ sub new {
+ my $self = shift;
+ my $class = ref($self) || $self;
+ return bless {}, $class;
+ }
+
+Pass arrays as references so more parameters can be added later
+(it's also faster). Convert functions into methods where
+appropriate. Split large methods into smaller more flexible ones.
+Inherit methods from other modules if appropriate.
+
+Avoid class name tests like: C<die "Invalid" unless ref $ref eq 'FOO'>.
+Generally you can delete the "C<eq 'FOO'>" part with no harm at all.
+Let the objects look after themselves! Generally, avoid hard-wired
+class names as far as possible.
+
+Avoid C<$r-E<gt>Class::func()> where using C<@ISA=qw(... Class ...)> and
+C<$r-E<gt>func()> would work (see L<perlbot> for more details).
+
+Use autosplit so little used or newly added functions won't be a
+burden to programs which don't use them. Add test functions to
+the module after __END__ either using AutoSplit or by saying:
+
+ eval join('',<main::DATA>) || die $@ unless caller();
+
+Does your module pass the 'empty subclass' test? If you say
+"C<@SUBCLASS::ISA = qw(YOURCLASS);>" your applications should be able
+to use SUBCLASS in exactly the same way as YOURCLASS. For example,
+does your application still work if you change: C<$obj = new YOURCLASS;>
+into: C<$obj = new SUBCLASS;> ?
+
+Avoid keeping any state information in your packages. It makes it
+difficult for multiple other packages to use yours. Keep state
+information in objects.
+
+Always use B<-w>. Try to C<use strict;> (or C<use strict qw(...);>).
+Remember that you can add C<no strict qw(...);> to individual blocks
+of code which need less strictness. Always use B<-w>. Always use B<-w>!
+Follow the guidelines in the perlstyle(1) manual.
+
+=item Some simple style guidelines
+
+The perlstyle manual supplied with perl has many helpful points.
+
+Coding style is a matter of personal taste. Many people evolve their
+style over several years as they learn what helps them write and
+maintain good code. Here's one set of assorted suggestions that
+seem to be widely used by experienced developers:
+
+Use underscores to separate words. It is generally easier to read
+$var_names_like_this than $VarNamesLikeThis, especially for
+non-native speakers of English. It's also a simple rule that works
+consistently with VAR_NAMES_LIKE_THIS.
+
+Package/Module names are an exception to this rule. Perl informally
+reserves lowercase module names for 'pragma' modules like integer
+and strict. Other modules normally begin with a capital letter and
+use mixed case with no underscores (need to be short and portable).
+
+You may find it helpful to use letter case to indicate the scope
+or nature of a variable. For example:
+
+ $ALL_CAPS_HERE constants only (beware clashes with perl vars)
+ $Some_Caps_Here package-wide global/static
+ $no_caps_here function scope my() or local() variables
+
+Function and method names seem to work best as all lowercase.
+e.g., C<$obj-E<gt>as_string()>.
+
+You can use a leading underscore to indicate that a variable or
+function should not be used outside the package that defined it.
+
+=item Select what to export.
+
+Do NOT export method names!
+
+Do NOT export anything else by default without a good reason!
+
+Exports pollute the namespace of the module user. If you must
+export try to use @EXPORT_OK in preference to @EXPORT and avoid
+short or common names to reduce the risk of name clashes.
+
+Generally anything not exported is still accessible from outside the
+module using the ModuleName::item_name (or C<$blessed_ref-E<gt>method>)
+syntax. By convention you can use a leading underscore on names to
+indicate informally that they are 'internal' and not for public use.
+
+(It is actually possible to get private functions by saying:
+C<my $subref = sub { ... }; &$subref;>. But there's no way to call that
+directly as a method, because a method must have a name in the symbol
+table.)
+
+As a general rule, if the module is trying to be object oriented
+then export nothing. If it's just a collection of functions then
+@EXPORT_OK anything but use @EXPORT with caution.
+
+=item Select a name for the module.
+
+This name should be as descriptive, accurate, and complete as
+possible. Avoid any risk of ambiguity. Always try to use two or
+more whole words. Generally the name should reflect what is special
+about what the module does rather than how it does it. Please use
+nested module names to group informally or categorize a module.
+There should be a very good reason for a module not to have a nested name.
+Module names should begin with a capital letter.
+
+Having 57 modules all called Sort will not make life easy for anyone
+(though having 23 called Sort::Quick is only marginally better :-).
+Imagine someone trying to install your module alongside many others.
+If in any doubt ask for suggestions in comp.lang.perl.misc.
+
+If you are developing a suite of related modules/classes it's good
+practice to use nested classes with a common prefix as this will
+avoid namespace clashes. For example: Xyz::Control, Xyz::View,
+Xyz::Model etc. Use the modules in this list as a naming guide.
+
+If adding a new module to a set, follow the original author's
+standards for naming modules and the interface to methods in
+those modules.
+
+To be portable each component of a module name should be limited to
+11 characters. If it might be used on MS-DOS then try to ensure each is
+unique in the first 8 characters. Nested modules make this easier.
+
+=item Have you got it right?
+
+How do you know that you've made the right decisions? Have you
+picked an interface design that will cause problems later? Have
+you picked the most appropriate name? Do you have any questions?
+
+The best way to know for sure, and pick up many helpful suggestions,
+is to ask someone who knows. Comp.lang.perl.misc is read by just about
+all the people who develop modules and it's the best place to ask.
+
+All you need to do is post a short summary of the module, its
+purpose and interfaces. A few lines on each of the main methods is
+probably enough. (If you post the whole module it might be ignored
+by busy people - generally the very people you want to read it!)
+
+Don't worry about posting if you can't say when the module will be
+ready - just say so in the message. It might be worth inviting
+others to help you, they may be able to complete it for you!
+
+=item README and other Additional Files.
+
+It's well known that software developers usually fully document the
+software they write. If, however, the world is in urgent need of
+your software and there is not enough time to write the full
+documentation please at least provide a README file containing:
+
+=over 10
+
+=item *
+A description of the module/package/extension etc.
+
+=item *
+A copyright notice - see below.
+
+=item *
+Prerequisites - what else you may need to have.
+
+=item *
+How to build it - possible changes to Makefile.PL etc.
+
+=item *
+How to install it.
+
+=item *
+Recent changes in this release, especially incompatibilities
+
+=item *
+Changes / enhancements you plan to make in the future.
+
+=back
+
+If the README file seems to be getting too large you may wish to
+split out some of the sections into separate files: INSTALL,
+Copying, ToDo etc.
+
+=over 4
+
+=item Adding a Copyright Notice.
+
+How you choose to license your work is a personal decision.
+The general mechanism is to assert your Copyright and then make
+a declaration of how others may copy/use/modify your work.
+
+Perl, for example, is supplied with two types of licence: The GNU
+GPL and The Artistic Licence (see the files README, Copying, and
+Artistic). Larry has good reasons for NOT just using the GNU GPL.
+
+My personal recommendation, out of respect for Larry, Perl, and the
+perl community at large is to state something simply like:
+
+ Copyright (c) 1995 Your Name. All rights reserved.
+ This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.
+
+This statement should at least appear in the README file. You may
+also wish to include it in a Copying file and your source files.
+Remember to include the other words in addition to the Copyright.
+
+=item Give the module a version/issue/release number.
+
+To be fully compatible with the Exporter and MakeMaker modules you
+should store your module's version number in a non-my package
+variable called $VERSION. This should be a floating point
+number with at least two digits after the decimal (i.e., hundredths,
+e.g, C<$VERSION = "0.01">). Don't use a "1.3.2" style version.
+See Exporter.pm in Perl5.001m or later for details.
+
+It may be handy to add a function or method to retrieve the number.
+Use the number in announcements and archive file names when
+releasing the module (ModuleName-1.02.tar.Z).
+See perldoc ExtUtils::MakeMaker.pm for details.
+
+=item How to release and distribute a module.
+
+It's good idea to post an announcement of the availability of your
+module (or the module itself if small) to the comp.lang.perl.announce
+Usenet newsgroup. This will at least ensure very wide once-off
+distribution.
+
+If possible you should place the module into a major ftp archive and
+include details of its location in your announcement.
+
+Some notes about ftp archives: Please use a long descriptive file
+name which includes the version number. Most incoming directories
+will not be readable/listable, i.e., you won't be able to see your
+file after uploading it. Remember to send your email notification
+message as soon as possible after uploading else your file may get
+deleted automatically. Allow time for the file to be processed
+and/or check the file has been processed before announcing its
+location.
+
+FTP Archives for Perl Modules:
+
+Follow the instructions and links on
+
+ http://franz.ww.tu-berlin.de/modulelist
+
+or upload to one of these sites:
+
+ ftp://franz.ww.tu-berlin.de/incoming
+ ftp://ftp.cis.ufl.edu/incoming
+
+and notify <F<upload@franz.ww.tu-berlin.de>>.
+
+By using the WWW interface you can ask the Upload Server to mirror
+your modules from your ftp or WWW site into your own directory on
+CPAN!
+
+Please remember to send me an updated entry for the Module list!
+
+=item Take care when changing a released module.
+
+Always strive to remain compatible with previous released versions
+(see 2.2 above) Otherwise try to add a mechanism to revert to the
+old behaviour if people rely on it. Document incompatible changes.
+
+=back
+
+=back
+
+=head2 Guidelines for Converting Perl 4 Library Scripts into Modules
+
+=over 4
+
+=item There is no requirement to convert anything.
+
+If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Perl 4 library scripts should
+continue to work with no problems. You may need to make some minor
+changes (like escaping non-array @'s in double quoted strings) but
+there is no need to convert a .pl file into a Module for just that.
+
+=item Consider the implications.
+
+All the perl applications which make use of the script will need to
+be changed (slightly) if the script is converted into a module. Is
+it worth it unless you plan to make other changes at the same time?
+
+=item Make the most of the opportunity.
+
+If you are going to convert the script to a module you can use the
+opportunity to redesign the interface. The 'Guidelines for Module
+Creation' above include many of the issues you should consider.
+
+=item The pl2pm utility will get you started.
+
+This utility will read *.pl files (given as parameters) and write
+corresponding *.pm files. The pl2pm utilities does the following:
+
+=over 10
+
+=item *
+Adds the standard Module prologue lines
+
+=item *
+Converts package specifiers from ' to ::
+
+=item *
+Converts die(...) to croak(...)
+
+=item *
+Several other minor changes
+
+=back
+
+Being a mechanical process pl2pm is not bullet proof. The converted
+code will need careful checking, especially any package statements.
+Don't delete the original .pl file till the new .pm one works!
+
+=back
+
+=head2 Guidelines for Reusing Application Code
+
+=over 4
+
+=item Complete applications rarely belong in the Perl Module Library.
+
+=item Many applications contain some perl code which could be reused.
+
+Help save the world! Share your code in a form that makes it easy
+to reuse.
+
+=item Break-out the reusable code into one or more separate module files.
+
+=item Take the opportunity to reconsider and redesign the interfaces.
+
+=item In some cases the 'application' can then be reduced to a small
+
+fragment of code built on top of the reusable modules. In these cases
+the application could invoked as:
+
+ perl -e 'use Module::Name; method(@ARGV)' ...
+or
+ perl -mModule::Name ... (in perl5.002 or higher)
+
+=back
+
+=head1 NOTE
+
+Perl does not enforce private and public parts of its modules as you may
+have been used to in other languages like C++, Ada, or Modula-17. Perl
+doesn't have an infatuation with enforced privacy. It would prefer
+that you stayed out of its living room because you weren't invited, not
+because it has a shotgun.
+
+The module and its user have a contract, part of which is common law,
+and part of which is "written". Part of the common law contract is
+that a module doesn't pollute any namespace it wasn't asked to. The
+written contract for the module (A.K.A. documentation) may make other
+provisions. But then you know when you C<use RedefineTheWorld> that
+you're redefining the world and willing to take the consequences.
projects / p5sagit/p5-mst-13.2.git / commitdiff