The needed library may be already installed on the system. I don't think Alien::XXX should re-install XXX in another location as that might cause surprising breakage and path problems.
Some functionality needs root or admin priviledges regardless of where in the file system it is installed. --Chris On Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 10:46 AM, Joel Berger <[email protected]> wrote: > My concept for Alien::Base is to never install to system. If library > is installed in system, then use it. If not then install to a > File::ShareDir location. Config/Build information can be stored in > Module::Build::ConfigData-type pseudo-modules. > > This plays better with perlbrew/local::lib and it safer for the user's > system. I am trying to think of the best way to require a version of > the lib, because my Math::GSLx::ODEIV2 needs GSL >= 1.15 > > > > On Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 9:42 AM, Chris Marshall <[email protected]> > wrote: >> Hi Joel- >> >> As I'm sure you are aware, the availability of the >> needed Alien modules for PDL would be a home run >> as far as improving the installability. I plan to work >> on an Alien::OpenGL module to support the perl >> OpenGL development. >> >> One thing that comes up is how to handle the case >> that the desired feature is not installed. I think the >> Alien module should still install a stub that will fail >> in the usual 'use Alien::XXX' sense *but* if called with >> an import argument 'use Alien::XXX qw()' then it >> would instead allow one access to the results of >> the configuration testing,... >> >> The specific example I'm thinking of is Alien::OpenGL >> where I believe the correct approach would *not* be >> to try to install OpenGL if missing since it could >> result in breaking the users system and may >> require root/admin priviledges. However, it would >> be useful to report what is there, and what is >> needed and maybe some info on where to get... >> >> --Chris >> >> On Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 10:33 AM, Joel Berger <[email protected]> >> wrote: >>> Yeah, I touched base with kmx as I worked on Alien::GSL. As I mention >>> in the proposal almost all the code had nothing to do with GSL, so I >>> am trying to fork that code out. Alien::Base is born. >>> >>> On Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 9:30 AM, Chris Marshall <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>>> Joel- >>>> >>>> That is great to hear! I had some discussions with kmx on >>>> this topic along the same lines. He has a number of Alien >>>> modules that actually work cross-platform as contrasted >>>> with others that are there but only work on a limited set of >>>> platforms... Here is the link to the ticket/discussion: >>>> >>>> https://rt.cpan.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=67568 >>>> >>>> I've cc'd kmx as well. >>>> >>>> --Chris >>>> >>>> On Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 10:25 AM, Joel Berger <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>>> Chris et al. >>>>> >>>>> I am working on a generic Alien:: framework called Alien::Base, hosted >>>>> at my gh: >>>>> >>>>> https://github.com/jberger/Alien-Base . >>>>> >>>>> I submitted a proposal to tpf a small grant, here is the text for the >>>>> concept: >>>>> >>>>> https://gist.github.com/1616923 >>>>> >>>>> Once this works, it should make Alien:: modules much easier to write. >>>>> >>>>> Joel >>>>> >>>>> On Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 9:12 AM, Chris Marshall <[email protected]> >>>>> wrote: >>>>>> On Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 4:52 PM, Clifford Sobchuk >>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ...don't fully understand what they need to do? Even installing on >>>>>>> Linux. I >>>>>>> have tried to build PDL from CPAN and I never get it right. The best >>>>>>> way for >>>>>>> me is to do the apt-get install pdl and then go into cpan and do the >>>>>>> upgrade >>>>>>> /PDL/. All of the dependencies are accounted when I do it this way. >>>>>>> When I >>>>>>> install from cpan I always end up missing dependencies. >>>>>> >>>>>> Hi Cliff- >>>>>> >>>>>> Yes, the large number of external dependencies >>>>>> used by PDL to provide "full" functionality is an >>>>>> ongoing problem. >>>>>> >>>>>> The simplest way to install PDL on linux-ish >>>>>> systems having some sort of package manager >>>>>> is to use that to install PDL which should pull >>>>>> in packages for the needed external library >>>>>> and program dependencies. Then use CPAN >>>>>> to upgrade to the latest PDL. >>>>>> >>>>>> There has already been discussion and decision >>>>>> on using the Alien module approach to address >>>>>> this problem---just no one volunteering to write >>>>>> the needed Alien::NetPBM, Alien::PROJ4,... >>>>>> modules. >>>>>> >>>>>>> So am I the minority of target users (people who use PDL and don't have >>>>>>> a >>>>>>> clue at how to create their own PP modules) in not being able to get it >>>>>>> to >>>>>>> install from cpan directly? When I use R/scilab/matlab - I use modules >>>>>>> when >>>>>>> ever I can because it would take me weeks more time to develop a >>>>>>> script. On >>>>>>> the other hand if your target user is a C++/Perl expert, then please >>>>>>> disregard the above as it doesn't apply. >>>>>> >>>>>> I don't think PDL has a chance of surviving as an >>>>>> active and growing project unless we can make >>>>>> it possible for anyone to "just use" PDL. Without >>>>>> a 1-click install, easy interoperability, and good >>>>>> documentation all the non-C/Perl programmer >>>>>> scientists will be using Matlab/Octave, or NumPy, >>>>>> or ... instead. >>>>>> >>>>>> Cheers, >>>>>> Chris >>>>>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> Perldl mailing list >>>>>> [email protected] >>>>>> http://mailman.jach.hawaii.edu/mailman/listinfo/perldl _______________________________________________ Perldl mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.jach.hawaii.edu/mailman/listinfo/perldl
