NAME

Module::Install::External - Specify dependencies on external non-Perl things

DESCRIPTION

Module::Install::External provides command that allow you to declaratively specify a dependency on a program or system that is not Perl.

The commands it provides are similar to those in Module::Install::Can, except that they implement an explicit dependency, in addition to just working out if the particular thing is available.

COMMANDS

requires_external_cc

  requires_external_cc;

The requires_external_cc command explicitly specifies that a C compiler is required in order to build (at make-time) the distribution.

It does not take any params, and aborts the Makefile.PL execution in a way that an automated installation or testing system will interpret as a NA ("not applicable to this platform") result.

This maybe be changed to an alternative abort result at a later time.

Returns true as a convenience.

requires_external_bin

  requires_external_bin 'cvs';

The requires_external_bin command takes the name of a system command or program, similar to the can_run command, except that requires_external_bin checks in a way that is a declarative explicit dependency.

The takes a single param of the command/program name, and aborts the Makefile.PL execution in a way that an automated installation or testing system will interpret as a NA ("not applicable to this platform") result.

Returns true as a convenience.

TO DO

Work out how to save the external dependency metadata, in agreement with the larger Perl community.

Implement the agreed external dependency metadata solution.

AUTHORS

Adam Kennedy <adamk@cpan.org>

SEE ALSO

Module::Install

COPYRIGHT

Copyright 2006 Adam Kennedy.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

See http://www.perl.com/perl/misc/Artistic.html