Re: [Module::Build] notes on notes

[Randy W. S. <Ra...@Th...>]

On 1/1/2004 4:12 AM, Randy W. Sims wrote:

> The obvious extension to this would be to provide for storing answers to 
> non-interactive queries. For example, if you write a Build.PL that does 
> a lot of probing, you might want to store the results of the first probe 
> in order to save time on subsequent runs. But I'll let you play with 
> this and see what Ken thinks before I do anymore.

Here is an extended version:

Example:

?? interactive
?? no_clobber
John Doe
jd...@so...
y
?? force Hello, World!
?? # store these so we don't have to look em up again.
?? set ftp = /usr/local/bin/ncftp
?? set cc = /usr/bin/gcc
?? eof


Answer script format:

Each line represent an answer to a fixed sequence of prompts unless the 
line begins with '??' in which case it is a command or flag.

The flags are:

'interactive' => means the answers in the script are to be used as 
defaults for an interactive session instead of as an automated answer 
script.

'no_clobber' => prevents M::B from overwritting the answer file. 
Normally, in interactive mode M::B records the answers to prompts and 
then saves a new answer file so that on the next run the new answers 
will be used as the new defaults.

The commands are:

'default' => use the default specified to the prompt() or y_n() functions.

'alt <value>' => use the default specified to the prompt() or y_n() 
functions if available, other wise use <value>.

'force <value>' => in interactive mode, skip the prompt using <value> as 
the answer.

'set <key> = <value>' => stores (key, value) pairs that can be retrieved 
with the retrieve_answer() api. see below.

'#' => a comment. ignored.

The api:

store_answer(<key>, <value>) => stores the (key, value) pair to be 
written to the answer file. Can be used to store info that may otherwise 
be time consuming to gather, like a cache.

retrieve_answer(<key>) => retrieves the value stored in <key> from the 
answer file.


Regards,
Randy.