PerlIO::gzip version 0.09
=========================

A layer for the PerlIO system to transparently gzip/gunzip files.
Alpha at the moment, does now (well, since 0.06, oops) gzip and gunzip.
**DON'T** trust it with your data.

YOU NEED PERL later than 5.7.1
                              yes. this only works on UNSTABLE DEVELOPMENT PERL

Warning >>>Moving Goalposts

Nick I-S has changed the API for perlio. patchelevel 9333 worked for 0.01-0.08
This version needs 5.7.1, but vanilla 5.7.1 has bugs in open() that mean that
a layer failing to push currently doesn't cause the entire open to fail (as
it should). Currently tests 13, 93, 97 and 98 fail because of this.
The API may change again.

INSTALLATION

To install this module type the following:

   perl Makefile.PL
   make
   make test
   echo I know that this is alpha quality and I am using it at my own risk
   make install

That echo statement is particularly important.

DEPENDENCIES

This module requires perl 5.7.1 or later compiler with PerlIO.
(which is now the default), and the zlib compression library.

BUGS

Threads - I doubt this module is threadsafe.
flush() doesn't really flush, just empty the buffer

TODO

Lots:

Add an open method so that things we don't like (read/write opens) are faulted
early (ie before a file is created on disk) and so that we add "b" flag to
the open for the layer below.
Test more
Rewrite flush to really flush, and write a PerlIOGzip_write() rather than
rely on PerlIOBuf_write, which calls flush() to empty the buffer each time.
Test more
Cope with crlf systems. Should this layer turn off crlf on the layer below
and turn it on on itself?
Cope with utf8. Should the utf8 flag be hiked above us?
Test more
Worry about threads.
Writing headers with fancy stuff (filename, comment, extra info, header crc)
What to about the "TEXT" flag in the gzip header
Test more


COPYRIGHT AND LICENCE

You may distribute this work under the terms of either the GNU General
Public License or the Artistic License, as specified in perl's README
file.

Copyright © 2001 Nicholas Clark