What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script?

taint has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? by Anonymous Monk on Nov 24, 2013 at 23:01 UTC
modulinos / modulinos , distributions / distributions Does it make any sense to even attempt a typical install? Yes, absolutely, its what its for or does it simply make more sense to make the install sub simply emit a message: "install sub"? pointless busywork ... and annoying too (stupid computer program here, you've asked me dance, but I want YOU to dance monkey) If in the "traditional" sense of a distribution; how might I best determine what system (OS) I'm on, in order to copy the script to a proper "bindir". In the traditional sense of a distribution, its none of your business; let ExtUtils::MakeMaker, or Module::Install handle it for you, cause thats its job; If you still want to know, you know where to look :) I'm guessing to the Perl dir is probably the best choice. But thought I'd ask. To get thoughts on the matter, I hadn't already considered. You've got enthusiasm, FANTASTIC, now leverage that enthusiasm to employ less guessing, more RTFM, more super search, more try it to see ... before you burn out and the enthusiasm wanes modulinos / modulinos , distributions / distributions	[reply]
Re^2: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? by taint (Chaplain) on Nov 24, 2013 at 23:17 UTC
Points well taken. Fact is, it's quiet here today, and while I'm aware of documentation. I see very little (nearly none) specific information regarding such an endevour. I actually spent a great deal of time on this (looking). As I thought it might be a great "how-to" Module/FAQ for aspiring Authors. There's volumes of information on the creation/maintaining of "typical" Module creation, but precious little on simple script authoring/maintenance. So hence initiating this thread here on PerlMonks for input/feedback. --Chris #!/usr/bin/perl -Tw use Perl::Always or die; my $perl_version = (5.12.5); print $perl_version;	[reply]
Re^3: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? by Anonymous Monk on Nov 24, 2013 at 23:43 UTC
...but precious little on simple script authoring/maintenance. yawn taint true `[install script] , [distribute script],[href://?node_id=3989;HIT=install%20script;re=N]` install script , distribute script,?node_id=3989;HIT=install%20script;re=N Installing a script Creating installable scripts Distribute script with dependencies https://metacpan.org/pod/ExtUtils::MakeMaker Ctrl-F "script" antique scripts	[reply] [d/l]
Re^4: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? by taint (Chaplain) on Nov 25, 2013 at 00:09 UTC
Re^5: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? by davido (Cardinal) on Nov 25, 2013 at 00:53 UTC
Re^5: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? (modulinos) by Anonymous Monk on Nov 25, 2013 at 02:05 UTC
Re: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? by Laurent_R (Canon) on Nov 24, 2013 at 23:09 UTC
Thank you for asking the question, Chris, I'll watch the answers carefully. I have a similar problem. I have written about a dozen modules in the recent past, but all of them were too specific to our company's needs to justify the idea of publishing them on the CPAN or elsewhere. But I wrote relatively recently a module for comparing large data files which I think may be useful to other users. This module can remove duplicate records, find and remove "orphans" (records in one file and not the other) and then compare the data. I have used that module in two different contexts, and it does what is needed and I think it works well. And I wrote it at home on my free time, so that I can really make it public domain or free software or whatever other adequate free access license. My main problem, though, is that I do not know how to do a CPAN distri. Especially, I do not know how to provide test cases that will work with Unix files, Windows files, VMS files and so on.	[reply]
Re^2: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? by taint (Chaplain) on Nov 24, 2013 at 23:47 UTC
Merci pour tes mots gentils, Laurent_R. I hope I stated that properly. :) My current thoughts on this is (given the script contains POD), is to copy all of the documentation from it into a Perl Module. Then simply following the normal course of creating, and distributing a Perl Module. So the final results being: `somescript.pl` `SomeScript.pm` I already have a `Makefile.PL` to do that. But thought I'd wait to post it. To see what other thoughts, ideas, implementations others had, first. Merci encore. --Chris #!/usr/bin/perl -Tw use Perl::Always or die; my $perl_version = (5.12.5); print $perl_version;	[reply]
Re^3: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? by taint (Chaplain) on Nov 25, 2013 at 04:58 UTC
While there indeed are Modules that can perform the task of automating the task of creating a Dist for CPAN. Those that are specific to single utility type Perl scripts are somewhat few, by comparison. Those that do exist, are largely unfinished. In anticipation of releasing a full fledged, and complete Module for the automation of creating, and distributing of either a standard Perl Module, or Perl script(s). I initiated this endevour ~month ago. Searching for documentation, while available. Wasn't where I anticipated it's being, and was a bit chopped up. I then embarked on a search for Modules that either were "how-to's" (POD's, and such), or were complete Automation dists, for the sake of completely automating the task of creating, and pushing your dist to CPAN. As noted earlier, they existed. Those that worked best, were intended for a typical Perl Module. Those for scripts, while could work. Were best suited for those already comfortable using CPAN, and were already relatively seasoned authors. So I thought my idea a worthy cause. It was my intention, after completion of the Module, to post an RFC in Meditations. Given that. I'll end much further discussion of it here. In order to keep things in context. Given that my original intent was to elicit comments from others on how they would choose to create a dist on CPAN that was meerly a utility type script. I'll post the one I use (`Makefile.PL`). Hopefully, my submission might elicit the dialog I had hoped for. :) use 5.008_005; use strict; use warnings FATAL => 'all'; use ExtUtils::MakeMaker; WriteMakefile( NAME => 'examplescript', AUTHOR => q{Judy Garland <judygarland@wizard.oz>}, VERSION_FROM => 'lib/examplescript.pm', EXE_FILES => ['examplescript'], ABSTRACT_FROM => 'lib/examplescript.pm', LICENSE => 'artistic', PL_FILES => { # examplescript.pl }, MIN_PERL_VERSION => 5.008_005, CONFIGURE_REQUIRES => { 'ExtUtils::MakeMaker' => 0, }, BUILD_REQUIRES => { 'Test::More' => 0, }, PREREQ_PM => { 'File::Spec' => 0, 'Term::ReadLine' => 0, }, dist => { COMPRESS => 'gzip -9f', SUFFIX => 'gz', }, clean => { FILES => 'examplescript-' }, ); [download] While I didn't* need to also create a `examplescript.pm`, I chose to, only to provide an additional "help file" (it only contains what would be dumped to the man files -- man.1, and man.3). It also contains a little bonus -- `samplescript.pm exports nothing. Perhaps you're looking for the script examplescript(.pl) try perldoc examplescript for more information.` [download] Anyway, it does the job quite adequately, and will/would pass the "smoke" test(s) on cpantesters. That's all for now. :) --Chris #!/usr/bin/perl -Tw use Perl::Always or die; my $perl_version = (5.12.5); print $perl_version;	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? by Utilitarian (Vicar) on Nov 24, 2013 at 22:24 UTC
The $^O variable ($OSNAME if you "use English;") contains an indication of the name of the operating system (not its release number) that the perl binary was built for. `print "Good ",qw(night morning afternoon evening)[(localtime)[2]/6]," fellow monks."`	[reply] [d/l]
Re^2: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? by Utilitarian (Vicar) on Nov 24, 2013 at 22:35 UTC
I would caution that there is always the possibility that a future release of your utility may require its own modules and so a standard release may be advisible but for simple releases dropping a script which requires a minimum Perl version in a directory on the standard path should suffice. `print "Good ",qw(night morning afternoon evening)[(localtime)[2]/6]," fellow monks."`	[reply] [d/l]
Re: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? ( Where can I find Perl scripts? How do I contribute scripts to CPAN? naming modules, names to avoid, Guidelines for Reusing Application Code, What sho by Anonymous Monk on Nov 25, 2013 at 02:42 UTC
IMHO, modulinos are the most useful, real modulinos not fake modulinos http://www.cpan.org/misc/cpan-faq.html#Where_find_Perl_scripts http://www.cpan.org/misc/cpan-faq.html#How_contribute_scripts http://pause.perl.org/pause/query?ACTION=pause_namingmodules#NAMES_TO_AVOID http://perldoc.perl.org/perlmodlib.html#Guidelines-for-Reusing-Application-Code Your duties, the basics, traps PrePAN - Social Reviewing for Perl Modules http://perldoc.perl.org/perlnewmod.html#What-should-I-make-into-a-module%3f Regrettable module names Naming of modules that are mean to be inherited only? Naming convention for variables, subroutines, modules, etc.. and variable declaration Advice please on variable naming style in modules Module naming problems, or time ill spent. Module naming issues Module Naming Conventions Perl Naming Conventions Module Naming Advice Naming a Mail Action Module CPAN Module Naming Suggestions. Module naming advice ?node_id=3989;HIT=name%20mod;re=N Module name suggestion RFC: Best name for this module? Namespace for local/internal modules? Should I register a namespace in PAUSE before every cpan module upload? Module's name and file's name Names and ideas for new CPAN modules Simplifying CPAN module namespace Top Level Module Namespace Table Hmmm, how should I name this new module/library ? What's the general rule for naming modules with that extra 'x' in the namespace? appropriate name/place for module which does JIT loading of modules Registering CPAN module namespace RFC: Name that Module module name: Algorithm::RectanglesContainingDot? RFC: Module namespace suggestion Help with module name Module Name Help! Correct namespace of module I wrote Namespaces and module suggestions again, OBDII CamelCase in module names What should I name my module? Funniest Module Name Changing a module's namespace on CPAN Suggestion for module namespace assignment What to name a module?	[reply]
Re^2: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? by Anonymous Monk on Sep 19, 2022 at 20:55 UTC
I was wrong say no modulinos, an evil gimmick	[reply]
Re: What's the best way to handle the installation and or distribution of a Perl script? by mrider (Beadle) on Nov 25, 2013 at 17:28 UTC
I was in a similar situation to yours some little while ago. I had a rather poorly written module which I would move into the correct directory by hand for use on my own computer. One day I decided that I should really learn how to do this properly. I went the full route. I added tests. I added taint mode testing. I put in all the various bits and bobs that make this very CPAN like. I've since had to remove and re-install Perl on my Win32 machine several times, and let me tell you, the convenience of being able to just change into the source directory and install cannot be overstated. It was also worthwhile since I learned so much. I don't work in a Perl shop, nor have I ever worked with anyone else that uses Perl. Which makes my Perl skills dubious at best. Frankly, going through the work to create a quality (at least by my standards) build of my module was well worth it! I would suggest reading How to make a CPAN Module Distribution in the tutorials. Also, while "Super Search" is awesome, you would be well served just following the tutorial link and reading the stuff there. The additional skills you acquire doing this will serve you well in other code writing, and it's well worthwhile IMHO.	[reply]