[Swig-devel] Perl's Module::Build and SWIG, etc.

[R. B. <ro...@pa...>]

Jason Stewart reports:
 > Ok, I'm curious to know more about Module::Build. 

The information is right here on the Internet. There's plenty of
information freely available.

 > I've never liked
 > MakeMaker, but well it's the standard. If Module::Build can support
 > SWIG out of the box, that would be nice.

Module::Build is object oriented and therefore you can subclass what
needs to be changed. This is even described in the
Module::Build::Cookbook.

However the Module::Build author did express interest in getting this
code into core support rather than having people subclass and/or cut
and paste. However right now Module::Build is undergoing preparation
for a 0.28 release; after the release would be the proper time for
adding SWIG support. Check the Module::Build mailing list for the full
details.

 > Ok, thanks for that. I looked at it, and would like a little more
 > information about what the 'swig programs' are in swig_source. Are
 > they interface files that will be wrapped?

Mm. I could see this might be a confusion if this were the
Module::Build forum, but this *is* the SWIG mailing list, right? The
swig_source is whatever you have to do in SWIG to get what you need
accomplished. It's the files that SWIG runs its eyes over. SWIG has an
%include mechanism; therefore one lists a "main" file (the thing you
tell SWIG to work on), and a number of SWIG files that the "main" file
pulls in (transitively). Should one of those include files change,
SWIG gets run on the main file again.

 > 
 > > Probably something should probably should be put in the SWIG
 > > manual in the Perl section. Either the code itself and/or the
 > > comments in the WIKI could be used.
 > >
 > > Having fresh experience with the Perl SWIG I would be willing to go
 > > over the Perl section to describe how to do a full Perl CPAN setup and
 > > revise to make the Perl section more complete as the Python section
 > > is.
 > >
 > > Also I'd be willing say to try to get %autodoc so it emits POD and
 > > perhaps document %perlcode better.
 > >
 > 
 > Those would all be really great contributions. Please let me know how
 > I can assist you.

Well, if you want to do any of this yourself, I wouldn't mind. :-)
Although I haven't looked at, I don't think adding %autodoc to emit
pod is all that difficult. Also, improving the documentation along the
lines of the python section isn't exactly rocket-science either. Or
lastly, I suppose if or whenever I get around to this, perhaps you can
do whatever it takes to follow up on getting this in. I don't sense
all that much enthusiasm here and I'd rather devote my spare time and
energy to projects where I can more easily move forward.

[Sorry about the non-thread reply. I get swig-devel as digest mail.]