Re: [Module::Build] [RFC] [PATCH] Action plugins

[Ken W. <ke...@ma...>]

On Tuesday, December 2, 2003, at 06:18  PM, Randy W. Sims wrote:

> On 11/30/2003 9:15 AM, Randy W. Sims wrote:
>> This is a prototype and contains some no no's, but it hopefully 
>> provides enough to comment on. This is about as far as I can go 
>> without being invasive, and I wanted to get feedback before before 
>> proceeding. It is a prototype, so if you think it should be thrown 
>> out, that's fine. Otherwise, I'll start cleaning it up and either 
>> turn it over to you if you want, or continue (I'm a little reluctant 
>> to do something as invasive as this will be and create the plugin 
>> API, but I'm more than willing to help:).
>> Hope this is helpfull.
>> Randy.
>
>
> Well, no one is commenting. That's not good.

Hi Randy,

I'm not trying to ignore you, I swear - I just keep wanting to make a 
little prototype of what I had in mind for a plugin architecture too, 
and I thought it might be better to do it independently first and then 
we can compare advantages & disadvantages of each.

Several of the points below are advantages of any plugin scheme we 
settle on, and I'm still quite keen on getting *something* done.  If I 
can't get off (or on, I guess) my butt and write some code of my own, 
my default action will be to just apply your patches.  I do very much 
appreciate the time you've spent.

Also, have you had a chance to take a look at ExtUtils::CBuilder?  How 
do you see it fitting in with a plugin scheme?  My goal with it was to 
make something that would be generically useful, not just as a plugin 
for Module::Build.


> Perhaps I should list
> some of the benefits of this plugin architecture:
>
> * Users can write and distribute their own custom actions.
>
> * Module authors can simplify their Build.PL files by writing their
>   custom actions as plugins, placing them in
>   'inc/Module/Build/Action/' and adding a 'use lib qw(inc);' before 
> they
>   'use Module::Build'.
>
> * Sites can customize installs in a similar manner as above by setting
>   the PERL5LIB environment variable to point to their custom overrides
>   of builtin actions.
>
> * Action builders can make it extremely easy to create simple
>   actions.
>
> * Allows for an elegant solution to the current architectural issues
>   regarding compiling/linking in Module::Build. (This is my primary
>   goal in creating this prototype.)
>
> * Simplifies Module::Build, providing better encapsulation for its
>   different functional areas.
>
> Ken, should I drop this? I would like to help where I can. M::B is a
> project I believe very strongly in, but someone needs to tell me where
> (or if) I can help.
>
> I've got a short list of things I'd like to contribute: plugins,
> compiler stuff, adding trace info (like make --debug), nested builds,
> h2xs M::B support, support for building modules outside the source
> directory. But this is your project, and I don't want to get in the
> way. Just tell me where to go. ;)
>
> Regards,
> Randy.
>