Astro::SIMBAD::Client

This module provides an object-oriented interface to SIMBAD 4. The new
SOAP queries are supported, with the object carrying default output type
and output format, as well as server name on the assumption that mirrors
will be forthcoming.

There are also methods to submit scripts, both verbatim and from files,
and to execute the 'url queries'.

Both queries and scripts have hooks for parsing the output. A couple
parse routines are included, as well as formats to produce output
parsable by the parse routines. The contents of the eg directory provide
examples of the use of both. But the primary focus of this package is
data acquisition, not parsing or presentation.

Also included is 'simbadc', a simple script for using the class
interactively. The 'simbadc' script can also be used as a Unix filter,
that is, you can redirect commands into it from a file, or pipe them
in from another program.

This module is installable by the usual incantation:

    gunzip Astro-SIMBAD-Client-9.999.tar.gz
    tar -xf Astro-SIMBAD-Client-9.999.tar
    perl Makefile.PL
    make
    make test
    make install

Of course, since it's pure Perl, you can just expand the kit and drop
Client.pm in the Astro/SIMBAD directory in the appropriate place in your
@INC directories.

Tom Wyant