PERLMODINSTALL(1) Perl Programmers Reference Guide PERLMODINSTALL(1)
NAME
perlmodinstall - Installing CPAN Modules
DESCRIPTION
You can think of a module as the fundamental unit of reusable Perl code; see perlmod for details.
Whenever anyone creates a chunk of Perl code that they think will be useful to the world, they regis-ter register
ter as a Perl developer at http://www.cpan.org/modules/04pause.html so that they can then upload
their code to the CPAN. The CPAN is the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network and can be accessed at
http://www.cpan.org/ , and searched at http://search.cpan.org/ .
This documentation is for people who want to download CPAN modules and install them on their own com-
puter.
PREAMBLE
First, are you sure that the module isn't already on your system? Try "perl -MFoo -e 1". (Replace
"Foo" with the name of the module; for instance, "perl -MCGI::Carp -e 1".
If you don't see an error message, you have the module. (If you do see an error message, it's still
possible you have the module, but that it's not in your path, which you can display with "perl -e
"print qq(@INC)"".) For the remainder of this document, we'll assume that you really honestly truly
lack an installed module, but have found it on the CPAN.
So now you have a file ending in .tar.gz (or, less often, .zip). You know there's a tasty module
inside. There are four steps you must now take:
DECOMPRESS the file
UNPACK the file into a directory
BUILD the module (sometimes unnecessary)
INSTALL the module.
Here's how to perform each step for each operating system. This is <not> a substitute for reading
the README and INSTALL files that might have come with your module!
Also note that these instructions are tailored for installing the module into your system's reposi-
tory of Perl modules -- but you can install modules into any directory you wish. For instance, where
I say "perl Makefile.PL", you can substitute "perl Makefile.PL PREFIX=/my/perl_directory" to install
the modules into "/my/perl_directory". Then you can use the modules from your Perl programs with
"use lib "/my/perl_directory/lib/site_perl";" or sometimes just "use "/my/perl_directory";". If
you're on a system that requires superuser/root access to install modules into the directories you
see when you type "perl -e "print qq(@INC)"", you'll want to install them into a local directory
(such as your home directory) and use this approach.
If you're on a Unix or Unix-like system,
You can use Andreas Koenig's CPAN module ( http://www.cpan.org/modules/by-module/CPAN ) to auto-
mate the following steps, from DECOMPRESS through INSTALL.
A. DECOMPRESS
Decompress the file with "gzip -d yourmodule.tar.gz"
You can get gzip from ftp://prep.ai.mit.edu/pub/gnu/
Or, you can combine this step with the next to save disk space:
gzip -dc yourmodule.tar.gz | tar -xof -
B. UNPACK
Unpack the result with "tar -xof yourmodule.tar"
C. BUILD
Go into the newly-created directory and type:
perl Makefile.PL
make test
or
perl Makefile.PL PREFIX=/my/perl_directory
to install it locally. (Remember that if you do this, you'll have to put "use lib
"/my/perl_directory";" near the top of the program that is to use this module.
D. INSTALL
While still in that directory, type:
make install
Make sure you have the appropriate permissions to install the module in your Perl 5 library
directory. Often, you'll need to be root.
That's all you need to do on Unix systems with dynamic linking. Most Unix systems have dynamic
linking -- if yours doesn't, or if for another reason you have a statically-linked perl, and the
module requires compilation, you'll need to build a new Perl binary that includes the module.
Again, you'll probably need to be root.
If you're running ActivePerl (Win95/98/2K/NT/XP, Linux, Solaris)
First, type "ppm" from a shell and see whether ActiveState's PPM repository has your module. If
so, you can install it with "ppm" and you won't have to bother with any of the other steps here.
You might be able to use the CPAN instructions from the "Unix or Linux" section above as well;
give it a try. Otherwise, you'll have to follow the steps below.
A. DECOMPRESS
You can use the shareware Winzip ( http://www.winzip.com ) to decompress and unpack modules.
B. UNPACK
If you used WinZip, this was already done for you.
C. BUILD
You'll need the "nmake" utility, available at http://download.microsoft.com/down-
load/vc15/Patch/1.52/W95/EN-US/nmake15.exe or dmake, available on CPAN.
http://search.cpan.org/dist/dmake/
Does the module require compilation (i.e. does it have files that end in .xs, .c, .h, .y, .cc,
.cxx, or .C)? If it does, life is now officially tough for you, because you have to compile the
module yourself -- no easy feat on Windows. You'll need a compiler such as Visual C++. Alterna-
tively, you can download a pre-built PPM package from ActiveState. http://aspn.actives-
tate.com/ASPN/Downloads/ActivePerl/PPM/
Go into the newly-created directory and type:
perl Makefile.PL
nmake test
D. INSTALL
While still in that directory, type:
nmake install
If you're using a Macintosh with "Classic" MacOS and MacPerl,
A. DECOMPRESS
First, make sure you have the latest cpan-mac distribution ( http://www.cpan.org/authors/id/CNAN-
DOR/ ), which has utilities for doing all of the steps. Read the cpan-mac directions carefully
and install it. If you choose not to use cpan-mac for some reason, there are alternatives listed
here.
After installing cpan-mac, drop the module archive on the untarzipme droplet, which will decom-
press and unpack for you.
Or, you can either use the shareware StuffIt Expander program ( http://www.aladdin-
sys.com/expander/ ) in combination with DropStuff with Expander Enhancer ( http://www.aladdin-
sys.com/dropstuff/ ) or the freeware MacGzip program ( http://persephone.cps.unizar.es/gen-
eral/gente/spd/gzip/gzip.html ).
B. UNPACK
If you're using untarzipme or StuffIt, the archive should be extracted now. Or, you can use the
freeware suntar or Tar ( http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/HyperArchive/Archive/cmp/ ).
C. BUILD
Check the contents of the distribution. Read the module's documentation, looking for reasons why
you might have trouble using it with MacPerl. Look for .xs and .c files, which normally denote
that the distribution must be compiled, and you cannot install it "out of the box." (See "PORTA-
BILITY".)
If a module does not work on MacPerl but should, or needs to be compiled, see if the module
exists already as a port on the MacPerl Module Porters site ( http://pudge.net/mmp/ ). For more
information on doing XS with MacPerl yourself, see Arved Sandstrom's XS tutorial (
http://macperl.com/depts/Tutorials/ ), and then consider uploading your binary to the CPAN and
registering it on the MMP site.
D. INSTALL
If you are using cpan-mac, just drop the folder on the installme droplet, and use the module.
Or, if you aren't using cpan-mac, do some manual labor.
Make sure the newlines for the modules are in Mac format, not Unix format. If they are not then
you might have decompressed them incorrectly. Check your decompression and unpacking utilities
settings to make sure they are translating text files properly.
As a last resort, you can use the perl one-liner:
perl -i.bak -pe 's/(?:\015)?\012/\015/g' <filenames>
on the source files.
Then move the files (probably just the .pm files, though there may be some additional ones, too;
check the module documentation) to their final destination: This will most likely be in
"$ENV{MACPERL}site_lib:" (i.e., "HD:MacPerl folder:site_lib:"). You can add new paths to the
default @INC in the Preferences menu item in the MacPerl application ("$ENV{MACPERL}site_lib:" is
added automagically). Create whatever directory structures are required (i.e., for "Some::Mod-
ule", create "$ENV{MACPERL}site_lib:Some:" and put "Module.pm" in that directory).
Then run the following script (or something like it):
#!perl -w
use AutoSplit;
my $dir = "${MACPERL}site_perl";
autosplit("$dir:Some:Module.pm", "$dir:auto", 0, 1, 1);
If you're on the DJGPP port of DOS,
A. DECOMPRESS
djtarx ( ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/gnu/djgpp/v2/ ) will both uncompress and unpack.
B. UNPACK
See above.
C. BUILD
Go into the newly-created directory and type:
perl Makefile.PL
make test
You will need the packages mentioned in README.dos in the Perl distribution.
D. INSTALL
While still in that directory, type:
make install
You will need the packages mentioned in README.dos in the Perl distribution.
If you're on OS/2,
Get the EMX development suite and gzip/tar, from either Hobbes ( http://hobbes.nmsu.edu ) or Leo
( http://www.leo.org ), and then follow the instructions for Unix.
If you're on VMS,
When downloading from CPAN, save your file with a ".tgz" extension instead of ".tar.gz". All
other periods in the filename should be replaced with underscores. For example, "Your-Mod-
ule-1.33.tar.gz" should be downloaded as "Your-Module-1_33.tgz".
A. DECOMPRESS
Type
gzip -d Your-Module.tgz
or, for zipped modules, type
unzip Your-Module.zip
Executables for gzip, zip, and VMStar:
http://www.openvms.digital.com/freeware/
http://www.crinoid.com/utils/
and their source code:
http://www.fsf.org/order/ftp.html
Note that GNU's gzip/gunzip is not the same as Info-ZIP's zip/unzip package. The former is a
simple compression tool; the latter permits creation of multi-file archives.
B. UNPACK
If you're using VMStar:
VMStar xf Your-Module.tar
Or, if you're fond of VMS command syntax:
tar/extract/verbose Your_Module.tar
C. BUILD
Make sure you have MMS (from Digital) or the freeware MMK ( available from MadGoat at
http://www.madgoat.com ). Then type this to create the DESCRIP.MMS for the module:
perl Makefile.PL
Now you're ready to build:
mms test
Substitute "mmk" for "mms" above if you're using MMK.
D. INSTALL
Type
mms install
Substitute "mmk" for "mms" above if you're using MMK.
If you're on MVS,
Introduce the .tar.gz file into an HFS as binary; don't translate from ASCII to EBCDIC.
A. DECOMPRESS
Decompress the file with "gzip -d yourmodule.tar.gz"
You can get gzip from http://www.s390.ibm.com/products/oe/bpxqp1.html
B. UNPACK
Unpack the result with
pax -o to=IBM-1047,from=ISO8859-1 -r < yourmodule.tar
The BUILD and INSTALL steps are identical to those for Unix. Some modules generate Makefiles
that work better with GNU make, which is available from http://www.mks.com/s390/gnu/
PORTABILITY
Note that not all modules will work with on all platforms. See perlport for more information on
portability issues. Read the documentation to see if the module will work on your system. There are
basically three categories of modules that will not work "out of the box" with all platforms (with
some possibility of overlap):
Those that should, but don't. These need to be fixed; consider contacting the author and possi-
bly writing a patch.
Those that need to be compiled, where the target platform doesn't have compilers readily avail-
able. (These modules contain .xs or .c files, usually.) You might be able to find existing
binaries on the CPAN or elsewhere, or you might want to try getting compilers and building it
yourself, and then release the binary for other poor souls to use.
Those that are targeted at a specific platform. (Such as the Win32:: modules.) If the module is
targeted specifically at a platform other than yours, you're out of luck, most likely.
Check the CPAN Testers if a module should work with your platform but it doesn't behave as you'd
expect, or you aren't sure whether or not a module will work under your platform. If the module you
want isn't listed there, you can test it yourself and let CPAN Testers know, you can join CPAN
Testers, or you can request it be tested.
http://testers.cpan.org/
HEY
If you have any suggested changes for this page, let me know. Please don't send me mail asking for
help on how to install your modules. There are too many modules, and too few Orwants, for me to be
able to answer or even acknowledge all your questions. Contact the module author instead, or post to
comp.lang.perl.modules, or ask someone familiar with Perl on your operating system.
AUTHOR
Jon Orwant
orwant@medita.mit.edu
with invaluable help from Chris Nandor, and valuable help from Brandon Allbery, Charles Bailey, Gra-
ham Barr, Dominic Dunlop, Jarkko Hietaniemi, Ben Holzman, Tom Horsley, Nick Ing-Simmons, Tuomas J.
Lukka, Laszlo Molnar, Alan Olsen, Peter Prymmer, Gurusamy Sarathy, Christoph Spalinger, Dan Sugalski,
Larry Virden, and Ilya Zakharevich.
First version July 22, 1998; last revised November 21, 2001.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright (C) 1998, 2002, 2003 Jon Orwant. All Rights Reserved.
Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this documentation provided the copy-
right notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies.
Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this documentation under the condi-
tions for verbatim copying, provided also that they are marked clearly as modified versions, that the
authors' names and title are unchanged (though subtitles and additional authors' names may be added),
and that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission notice
identical to this one.
Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this documentation into another lan-
guage, under the above conditions for modified versions.
perl v5.8.8 2006-01-07 PERLMODINSTALL(1)
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