use lib "$ENV{HOME}/perl/libs";
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Exactly right. I only have FTP access to my user directory on a webserver. I am writing a web app and rather than commit the sin of writing my own database handling routines, I wanted to use DBI and specifically DBD::CSV as I wanted to use text files on the same server. BUt neither of the servers I have tested on have DBD::CSV installed (Both have DBI) So I am wondering if I can like you suggest copy DBD::CSV into my user directory and then have DBD::CSV available for this application. Anyone actually done this before?

Exactly right. I only have FTP access to my user directory on a webserver.

I am writing a web app and rather than commit the sin of writing my own database handling routines, I wanted to use DBI and specifically DBD::CSV as I wanted to use text files on the same server. BUt neither of the servers I have tested on have DBD::CSV installed (Both have DBI)

So I am wondering if I can like you suggest copy DBD::CSV into my user directory and then have DBD::CSV available for this application.

Anyone actually done this before?

Or, you can install DBD::AnyData instead. It does not require any XS modules and has a CSV mode that behaves identically to DBD::CSV (except for 1. speed and 2. ability to handle embedded newlines). You will need to install its prerequisites - AnyData (in addition to DBD::AnyData), DBD::File and SQL::Statement, all of which are also pure perl so can just be FTP'd onto the server.

Many thanks for the replies, I shall have a shot with AnyData.

Sadly never used it, so is anyone here able to help me through the process of installing via FTP and getting it working.?

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Kia Kaha, Kia Toa, Kia Manawanui!
Be Strong, Be Brave, Be perservering!

For the installation:

1. download the module from CPAN

2. have a look at the included Makefile.PL for module dependencies (they are in the hashReference with the key PREREQ_PM in the form Modulename => version, and have a look if these prerequisites are installed. If no, start over with that module and so on. If yes, continue with the next step

3. upload the module via FTP and unpack it to a temporary directory

4. If you've got acces to a make, you can install the module to your own directory by calling

perl Makefile.PL PREFIX=/path/to/your/private/modulelib
make
make test
make install
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5. If you have to install more modules, set the environmentvariable PERL5LIB to your /path/to/your/private/modulelib, e.g. in bash: export PERL5LIB=/path/to/your/private/modulelib and start over with step 3.

6. use your module-lib from your perl-scripts with use lib qw(/path/to/your/private/modulelib/) or the like (sometimes the StandardModule Findbin might also be interesting for you)

If you don't have access to make, you could try to copy the files to your directories, but that will only work if they are pure perl-modules. If not, you could try to set up a system as similar as your webserver and compile it there, but it is very difficult to get a nearly identical environment; there you better look around for other (already installed) modules that can do the job of persistance, too (e.g. DB_File, Tie::File, ...) or rely on Data::Dumper for persistance. You could also rely to Storable with is a very fast and compact solution, but if this module is updated, it sometimes can't read the data from it's older version

BTW: if you don't have shell access like telnet or ssh, you could also fire these commands by a cgi-script (or write it to a bash-script and execute it from your cgi. But better care for errors and failure or you will get troubles when using these modules

Best regards,
perl -e "s>>*F>e=>y)\*martinF)stronat)=>print,print v8.8.8.32.11.32"

I've packed everything you'll need for DBD::AnyData (except DBI) into AnyData-Standalone It will allow you to install all of the pre-required modules (all maintained by me, BTW) with only FTP access. Here's the README for AnyData-Standalone:

AnyData::Standalone -- install AnyData without make or compile

WHAT IT IS (AND ISN'T)

 This package includes all of the files needed to install AnyData
 and DBD::AnyData.  It is *only* for extreme cases where you can't
 use CPAN or PPM or manual install (for example if you only have
 FTP access to a server or you are installing onto a PDA or other
 limited environment).  If you are using this package to avoid
 learning how to install modules, please don't do that.  Learn to
 install modules, it will really, really help you in the long run.

HOW TO INSTALL

 Unpack this package in the desired location (or unpack it locally and
 then FTP the resulting MyLib directory to the final location).  In
 scripts that call the modules put this at the top:

     use lib 'path/MyLib';   # path = wherever you unpacked MyLib

 This package does not include DBI.  If you want to use DBD::AnyData,
 you'll need to install DBI separately.  DBI also has a Pure Perl
 version that can be installed without compile or make, see the DBI
 and DBI::PurePerl docs for further info.

WHAT VERSIONS ARE INCLUDED

     AnyData        0.08
     DBD::AnyData   0.06
     DBD::File      0.22
     SQL::Statement 1.005

=head1 DOCUMENTATION
 
 The documentation for each module is included with the module, use
 perldoc <module_name> or just read the pod section in a text viewer
 or look up the docs online at http://search.cpan.org/~jzucker/.

Yes, you can use FTP to copy the files to your home directory.

If you only have ftp access, how will you invoke your scripts?

I have FTP access to upload files and standard web access to view the output.

You can always add module directly to your programs - it's enough to past it to your program and then you can use it.

You can always do something like this: ftp modules to the destination. in your script:

 
use lib '/path/to/ftp/directory'
use DBD::CSV
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Besides DBD::CSV there are cute modules like DBD::SQLite...