Thread: [Module::Build] http://cpanratings.perl.org/dist/Module-Build

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[Module::Build] http://cpanratings.perl.org/dist/Module-Build

From: <and...@fr...> - 2006-05-03 04:24:21

Patrick,

the following posting on http://cpanratings.perl.org/dist/Module-Build
(which seems to be written by you; apologies if I'm mistaken on this)
caught my attention:

|Module-Build (0.28) *
|
|    All I want to do is to configure the CPAN shell to install all
|    modules under my home directory (not as root), even though the
|    Perl I am using is bundled with my system (installed as root).
|
|    I can figure out how to set PERL5LIB to access the modules. I always have.
|
|    I used to simply set PREFIX. But now that half of the &^##@%!
|    modules on CPAN use MakeMaker and half use Module::Build, I have
|    no idea what to set. I tried setting both PREFIX and install_base
|    in the CPAN shell defaults, but then Module::Build modules refuse
|    to compile at all (they bomb when given PREFIX).
|
|    Nice job breaking something that has worked for years. This sucks
|    even by open source standards... I don't care about stupid
|    religious wars; I just want some setting -- any setting -- to
|    convince all of the modules on CPAN to install themselves under
|    ${HOME}. Is there one? There used to be.
|
|Patrick J. LoPresti - 2006-05-01 17:14:41

Would you mind, giving a complete example that bombs, so that the
Module::Build developers can fix the problem?

Thank you very much,
-- 
andreas

[Module::Build] Re: http://cpanratings.perl.org/dist/Module-Build

From: <and...@fr...> - 2006-05-03 06:05:15

(CC to Module::Build mailinglist, citing you in full length to provide context)

>>>>> On Tue, 2 May 2006 21:45:25 -0700, "Patrick J. LoPresti" <pa...@al...> said:

  > Using the version of CPAN that ships with Perl -- the one on the
  > just-installed Ubuntu system I have -- setting PREFIX does not work.
  > At least it didn't the last time I tried.  I am sorry, but I forget
  > which exact module had the problem....  I believe it was every module
  > that uses Module::Build.

Pity that you do not remember: a single module would help to find the
problem, whereas the assertion that it is every module that uses
Module::Build can easily be falsified, e.g. I just tried

   perl Makefile.PL PREFIX=/tmp

in the Module-Build-0.28 directory and it worked very well.

  > For example, "install version" ends up
  > bombing out with:

  >  Sorry, PREFIX is not supported.  See the Module::Build
  >  documentation for 'destdir' or 'install_base' instead.

As I said above, it worked very well for me. I tried it specifically
with version-0.59.

  > This happens when the CPAN shell (or the user...) runs "perl
  > Makefile.PL PREFIX=${HOME}/perl".

I repeat, it works for me.

  > I ended up downloading the beta version of MakeMaker and using
  > INSTALL_BASE instead of PREFIX.  But I had to compile and install
  > MakeMaker by hand...  And this is documented nowhere except in various
  > messages on various obscure mailing lists.

Interesting, you do give a hint here that maybe it's a problem with an
old MakeMaker.

  > It would be nice if the Module::Build documentation could address this
  > specific issue, telling users exactly what to do if they want their
  > modules installed under a particular path. I don't even care where
  > they end up exactly; I just want to be able to use the CPAN shell and
  > know that everything will wind up under a specific place.

  > Anyway, sorry if my tone was overly hostile, but I lost enough time
  > figuring out PREFIX years ago...  It was frustrating to lose a couple
  > more hours trying to figure out why it broke.

The best way to avoid that is to write concise bugreports to the
developers. Really. Please try to write a diary during the "couple of
hours" next time you encounter a problem, so that you can back up your
findings with one or two facts.

Thanks,
-- 
andreas

[Module::Build] Re: http://cpanratings.perl.org/dist/Module-Build

From: Patrick J. L. <lop...@gm...> - 2006-05-03 12:21:42

First of all, it is extremely rude to quote private messages in public
without asking permission (which I would have granted gladly).

On 5/2/06, Andreas J. Koenig <and...@fr...> wro=
te:
> (CC to Module::Build mailinglist, citing you in full length to provide co=
ntext)
>
> Pity that you do not remember: a single module would help to find the
> problem,

I told you, "all of them".  And then I gave a specific example in the
very next sentence.

>   > For example, "install version" ends up
>   > bombing out with:
>
>   >  Sorry, PREFIX is not supported.  See the Module::Build
>   >  documentation for 'destdir' or 'install_base' instead.
>
> As I said above, it worked very well for me. I tried it specifically
> with version-0.59.
>
>   > This happens when the CPAN shell (or the user...) runs "perl
>   > Makefile.PL PREFIX=3D${HOME}/perl".
>
> I repeat, it works for me.

I repeat, I typed the precise command above about 60 seconds before I
sent you my reply.

>   > I ended up downloading the beta version of MakeMaker and using
>   > INSTALL_BASE instead of PREFIX.  But I had to compile and install
>   > MakeMaker by hand...  And this is documented nowhere except in variou=
s
>   > messages on various obscure mailing lists.
>
> Interesting, you do give a hint here that maybe it's a problem with an
> old MakeMaker.

What the hell are you talking about?

1) It is not an "old MakeMaker", it is the current official release.

2) This has nothing to do with MakeMaker whatsoever, since I already
had a working solution for years which broke, but not because of any
change in MakeMaker.  Lucky for me that the MakeMaker developers saw
fit to provide a workaround for Module::Build's brokenness, isn't it?

> The best way to avoid that is to write concise bugreports to the
> developers. Really. Please try to write a diary during the "couple of
> hours" next time you encounter a problem, so that you can back up your
> findings with one or two facts.

Are you telling me Module::Build "Makefile.PL" scripts do NOT generate
the following message when passed a "PREFIX=3D..." argument?

    Sorry, PREFIX is not supported.  See the Module::Build
    documentation for 'destdir' or 'install_base' instead.

Because in my experience, that is exactly what they do.

As I said in my review, I am completely bored by stupid religious wars
-- and this is my last message on the topic.  Yes, I am annoyed that
some idiotic provincial decision deliberately broke something which I
(and others) have relied upon for years.  And it broke it in a way
that gives no guidance for how to fix it, and even made it impossible
to fix without spending hours grovelling stupid mailing lists,
manually installing beta releases of unrelated software, and changing
a setting that used to work to one that looks pretty much the same but
winds up working slightly differently.  (Yes, MakeMaker is unrelated
to Module::Build.  That is what makes this whole thing so funny.)

But now that I finally have a workaround for Module::Build's
crappiness, I really don't care.  Seriously, it is hard to overstate
just how little interest I have in this topic at this point.

OK I am done.  But I did enjoy your "problem with an old MakeMaker"
analysis.  That was hilarious.

 - Pat

[Module::Build] Re: http://cpanratings.perl.org/dist/Module-Build

From: <and...@fr...> - 2006-05-03 13:11:38

>>>>> On Wed, 3 May 2006 05:21:36 -0700, "Patrick J. LoPresti" <lop...@gm...> said:

  > First of all, it is extremely rude to quote private messages in public
  > without asking permission (which I would have granted gladly).

I apologize. I will try my very best to never quote you again.

  > Are you telling me Module::Build "Makefile.PL" scripts do NOT generate
  > the following message when passed a "PREFIX=..." argument?

  >    Sorry, PREFIX is not supported.  See the Module::Build
  >    documentation for 'destdir' or 'install_base' instead.

  > Because in my experience, that is exactly what they do.

Yes, I'm telling you, it does not for me.

  > Seriously, it is hard to overstate just how little interest I have
  > in this topic at this point.

So have a nice day,
-- 
andreas

Re: [Module::Build] Re: http://cpanratings.perl.org/dist/Module-Build

From: Ken W. <ke...@ma...> - 2006-05-03 13:13:15

On May 3, 2006, at 7:21 AM, Patrick J. LoPresti wrote:

> (Yes, MakeMaker is unrelated
> to Module::Build.  That is what makes this whole thing so funny.)

Patrick: if there's anyone in the world that understands the  
relationship between MakeMaker, CPAN.pm, Module::Build, and  
everything else Perl, it's Andreas.

Sorry you had such a shitty experience, but what you're saying just  
doesn't jibe with the 0.28 release you say you're using.

  -Ken