###################################################################### ## File: $Id: README,v 1.3 2004/09/02 21:09:00 spadkins Exp $ ######################################################################

1. What is the App-Build distribution?

App::Build is a module which extends Module::Build. It is used to install whole applications rather than merely perl modules.

2. What are the features?

FEATURES OF App::Build

• determines PREFIX for installed application (install_base)
• extra_dirs - install other directories full of files to PREFIX
  • don't install RCS and CVS files
  • fix shebang line selectively
• write .packlist
• add a configure() hook which can be overridden in a subclass of App::Build

ASSUMPTIONS OF App::Build

• PREFIX/htdocs is for static, web-viewable files (html, images, css, js)
• PREFIX/cgi-bin is for CGI programs

CORRECTIONS OF MISFEATURES IN Module::Build and CPAN

• unset PREFIX variable if supplied so no warning occurs (Module::Build)
• alias PREFIX to install_base rather than complain about it (Module::Build)
• install bin/* to $PREFIX/bin rather than $PREFIX/scripts
• handle "perl Build.PL Build" (CPAN.pm)

FUTURE FEATURES OF App::Build

• write /usr/local/lib/perl5/<version>/<arch>/perllocal.pod
• download/unpack perl applications not on CPAN
• do better job at detecting DocumentDir rather than PREFIX/htdocs
• do better job at detecting ScriptDir rather than PREFIX/cgi-bin
• pure perl support for downloading external source archives (not on CPAN)
• pure perl support for unpacking external source archives 3. How do I install it?

To install this module, cd to the directory that contains this README file and type the following (as usual).

perl Build.PL
./Build
./Build test
./Build install

Alternatively, you may install in an alternate place by typing:

perl Build.PL install_base=/home/joe ./Build
./Build test
./Build install