NAME
Sys::Path - supply autoconf style installation directories
SYNOPSIS
Paths for basic Unix installation when Perl is in /usr/bin:
use Sys::Path;
print Sys::Path->sysconfdir, "\n";
# /etc
print Sys::Path->datadir, "\n";
# /usr/share
print Sys::Path->logdir, "\n";
# /var/log
print Sys::Path->sharedstatedir, "\n";
# /var/lib
Paths for Unix when Perl is in home folder /home/daxim/local/bin:
print Sys::Path->sysconfdir, "\n";
# /home/daxim/local/etc
print Sys::Path->datadir, "\n";
# /home/daxim/local/share
print Sys::Path->logdir, "\n";
# /home/daxim/local/log
print Sys::Path->sharedstatedir, "\n";
# /home/daxim/local/lib
Paths for MS Windows Strawberry Perl when installed to C:\Strawberry\
print Sys::Path->sysconfdir, "\n";
# C:\Strawberry\etc
print Sys::Path->datadir, "\n";
# C:\Strawberry\share
print Sys::Path->logdir, "\n";
# C:\Strawberry\log
print Sys::Path->sharedstatedir, "\n";
# C:\Strawberry\lib
DESCRIPTION
The goal is that Sys::Path provides autoconf style system paths.
The default paths for file locations are based on
(Filesystem Hierarchy Standard) if the
Perl was installed in /usr. For all other non-standard Perl
installations or systems the default prefix is the prefix of Perl it
self. Still those are just defaults and can be changed during "perl
Build.PL" prompting. After Sys::Path is configured and installed all
programs using it can just read/use the paths.
In addition Sys::Path includes some functions that are related to
modules build or installation. For now there is only Module::Build based
Module::Build::SysPath that uses Sys::Path.
BUILD TIME CONFIGURATION
PERL_MM_USE_DEFAULT=1 perl Build.PL \
--sp-prefix=/usr/local \
--sp-sysconfdir=/usr/local/etc \
--sp-localstatedir=/var/local
NOTE
This is an experiment and lot of questions and concerns can come out
about the paths configuration. Distributions build systems integration
and the naming. And as this is early version things may change. For
these purposes there is a mailing list
.
WHY?
The filesystem standard has been designed to be used by Unix
distribution developers, package developers, and system implementors.
However, it is primarily intended to be a reference and is not a
tutorial on how to manage a Unix filesystem or directory hierarchy.
Sys::Path follows this standard when it is possible. Or when Perl
follows. Perl can be installed in many places. Most Linux distributions
place Perl in /usr/bin/perl where FHS suggest. In this case the FHS
folders are suggested in prompt when doing `"perl Build.PL"`. In other
cases for other folders or home-folder Perl distributions Sys::Path will
suggest folders under Perl install prefix. (ex. c:\strawerry\ for the
ones using Windows).
PATHS
Here is the list of paths. First the default FHS path, then (to compare)
a suggested path when Perl is not installed in /usr.
prefix
/usr - $Config::Config{'prefix'}
Is a helper function and should not be used directly.
localstatedir
/var - $Config::Config{'prefix'}
Is a helper function and should not be used directly.
sysconfdir
/etc - $prefix/etc
The /etc hierarchy contains configuration files. See
.
datadir
/usr/share - $prefix/share
The /usr/share hierarchy is for all read-only architecture independent
data files. See
.
docdir
/usr/share/doc - $prefix/share/doc
See "datadir"
localedir
/usr/share/locale - $prefix/share/locale
See "datadir"
cachedir
/var/cache - $localstatedir/cache
/var/cache is intended for cached data from applications. See
.
logdir
/var/log - $localstatedir/logdir
This directory contains miscellaneous log files. Most logs must be
written to this directory or an appropriate subdirectory. See
.
spooldir
/var/spool - $localstatedir/spool
Contains data which is awaiting some kind of later processing. See
.
rundir
/var/run - $localstatedir/rundir
This directory contains system information data describing the system
since it was booted. See
.
lockdir
/var/lock - $localstatedir/lock
Lock files folder. See
.
sharedstatedir
/var/lib - $localstatedir/lib
The directory for installing modifiable architecture-independent data.
See
.
srvdir
/srv - $prefix/srv
Data for services provided by system. See
.
webdir
/var/www - $localstatedir/www
Directory where distribution put static web files.
HOW IT WORKS
The heart of Sys::Path is just:
use Config;
if ($Config::Config{'prefix'} eq '/usr') { ... do stuff ... }
The idea is that if the Perl was installed to /usr it is FHS type
installation and all path defaults are made based on FHS. For the rest
of the installations "prefix" and "localstatedir" is set exactly to
$Config::Config{'prefix'} which is the prefix of Perl that was used to
install. In this case "sysconfdir" is set to "prefix+'etc'". See
Sys::Path::SPc for the implementation.
METHODS
prefix
localstatedir
sysconfdir
datadir
docdir
localedir
cachedir
logdir
spooldir
rundir
lockdir
sharedstatedir
webdir
srvdir
BUILDERS/INSTALLERS helper methods
find_distribution_root(__PACKAGE__)
Find the root folder of a modules distribution by going up the folder
structure.
prompt_cfg_file_changed($src_file, $dst_file, $prompt_function)
Will prompt if to overwrite $dst_file with $src_file. Returns true for
"yes" and false for "no".
changed_since_install($dest_file, $file)
Return if $dest_file changed since install. If optional $file is set
then this one is compared against install $dest_file checksum.
install_checksums(%filenames_with_checksums)
Getter and setter for files checksums recording.
SEE ALSO
Module::Build::SysPath
AUTHOR
Jozef Kutej, ""
CONTRIBUTORS
The following people have contributed to the Sys::Path by committing
their code, sending patches, reporting bugs, asking questions,
suggesting useful advises, nitpicking, chatting on IRC or commenting on
my blog (in no particular order):
Lars Dɪᴇᴄᴋᴏᴡ 迪拉斯
Emmanuel Rodriguez
Salve J. Nilsen
Daniel Perrett
COPYRIGHT & LICENSE
Copyright 2009 Jozef Kutej, all rights reserved.
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the same terms as Perl itself.