1AutoSplit(3pm) Perl Programmers Reference Guide AutoSplit(3pm)
2
6 AutoSplit - split a package for autoloading
7
9 autosplit($file, $dir, $keep, $check, $modtime);
10 autosplit_lib_modules(@modules);
12
14 This function will split up your program into files that the AutoLoader
15 module can handle. It is used by both the standard perl libraries and
16 by the MakeMaker utility, to automatically configure libraries for
17 autoloading.
18 The "autosplit" interface splits the specified file into a hierarchy
20 rooted at the directory $dir. It creates directories as needed to
21 reflect class hierarchy, and creates the file autosplit.ix. This file
22 acts as both forward declaration of all package routines, and as
23 timestamp for the last update of the hierarchy.
24 The remaining three arguments to "autosplit" govern other options to
26 the autosplitter.
27 $keep
29 If the third argument, $keep, is false, then any pre-existing "*.al"
30 files in the autoload directory are removed if they are no longer
31 part of the module (obsoleted functions). $keep defaults to 0.
32 $check
34 The fourth argument, $check, instructs "autosplit" to check the
35 module currently being split to ensure that it includes a "use"
36 specification for the AutoLoader module, and skips the module if
37 AutoLoader is not detected. $check defaults to 1.
38 $modtime
40 Lastly, the $modtime argument specifies that "autosplit" is to check
41 the modification time of the module against that of the
42 "autosplit.ix" file, and only split the module if it is newer.
43 $modtime defaults to 1.
44 Typical use of AutoSplit in the perl MakeMaker utility is via the
46 command-line with:
47 perl -e 'use AutoSplit; autosplit($ARGV[0], $ARGV[1], 0, 1, 1)'
49 Defined as a Make macro, it is invoked with file and directory
51 arguments; "autosplit" will split the specified file into the specified
52 directory and delete obsolete ".al" files, after checking first that
53 the module does use the AutoLoader, and ensuring that the module is not
54 already currently split in its current form (the modtime test).
55 The "autosplit_lib_modules" form is used in the building of perl. It
57 takes as input a list of files (modules) that are assumed to reside in
58 a directory lib relative to the current directory. Each file is sent to
59 the autosplitter one at a time, to be split into the directory
60 lib/auto.
61 In both usages of the autosplitter, only subroutines defined following
63 the perl __END__ token are split out into separate files. Some routines
64 may be placed prior to this marker to force their immediate loading and
65 parsing.
66 Multiple packages
68 As of version 1.01 of the AutoSplit module it is possible to have
69 multiple packages within a single file. Both of the following cases are
70 supported:
71 package NAME;
73 __END__
74 sub AAA { ... }
75 package NAME::option1;
76 sub BBB { ... }
77 package NAME::option2;
78 sub BBB { ... }
79 package NAME;
81 __END__
82 sub AAA { ... }
83 sub NAME::option1::BBB { ... }
84 sub NAME::option2::BBB { ... }
85
87 "AutoSplit" will inform the user if it is necessary to create the top-
88 level directory specified in the invocation. It is preferred that the
89 script or installation process that invokes "AutoSplit" have created
90 the full directory path ahead of time. This warning may indicate that
91 the module is being split into an incorrect path.
92 "AutoSplit" will warn the user of all subroutines whose name causes
94 potential file naming conflicts on machines with drastically limited (8
95 characters or less) file name length. Since the subroutine name is used
96 as the file name, these warnings can aid in portability to such
97 systems.
98 Warnings are issued and the file skipped if "AutoSplit" cannot locate
100 either the __END__ marker or a "package Name;"-style specification.
101 "AutoSplit" will also emit general diagnostics for inability to create
103 directories or files.
104
106 "AutoSplit" is maintained by the perl5-porters. Please direct any
107 questions to the canonical mailing list. Anything that is applicable to
108 the CPAN release can be sent to its maintainer, though.
109 Author and Maintainer: The Perl5-Porters <perl5-porters@perl.org>
111 Maintainer of the CPAN release: Steffen Mueller <smueller@cpan.org>
113
115 This package has been part of the perl core since the first release of
116 perl5. It has been released separately to CPAN so older installations
117 can benefit from bug fixes.
118 This package has the same copyright and license as the perl core:
120 Copyright (C) 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
122 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
123 by Larry Wall and others
124 All rights reserved.
126 This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
128 it under the terms of either:
129 a) the GNU General Public License as published by the Free
131 Software Foundation; either version 1, or (at your option) any
132 later version, or
133 b) the "Artistic License" which comes with this Kit.
135 This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
137 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
138 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See either
139 the GNU General Public License or the Artistic License for more details.
140 You should have received a copy of the Artistic License with this
142 Kit, in the file named "Artistic". If not, I'll be glad to provide one.
143 You should also have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
145 along with this program in the file named "Copying". If not, write to the
146 Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA
147 02111-1307, USA or visit their web page on the internet at
148 http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html.
149 For those of you that choose to use the GNU General Public License,
151 my interpretation of the GNU General Public License is that no Perl
152 script falls under the terms of the GPL unless you explicitly put
153 said script under the terms of the GPL yourself. Furthermore, any
154 object code linked with perl does not automatically fall under the
155 terms of the GPL, provided such object code only adds definitions
156 of subroutines and variables, and does not otherwise impair the
157 resulting interpreter from executing any standard Perl script. I
158 consider linking in C subroutines in this manner to be the moral
159 equivalent of defining subroutines in the Perl language itself. You
160 may sell such an object file as proprietary provided that you provide
161 or offer to provide the Perl source, as specified by the GNU General
162 Public License. (This is merely an alternate way of specifying input
163 to the program.) You may also sell a binary produced by the dumping of
164 a running Perl script that belongs to you, provided that you provide or
165 offer to provide the Perl source as specified by the GPL. (The
166 fact that a Perl interpreter and your code are in the same binary file
167 is, in this case, a form of mere aggregation.) This is my interpretation
168 of the GPL. If you still have concerns or difficulties understanding
169 my intent, feel free to contact me. Of course, the Artistic License
170 spells all this out for your protection, so you may prefer to use that.
171perl v5.36.3 2023-11-30 AutoSplit(3pm)