Re: [Gnu-arch-users] ArchZoom, initial announce

[Mikhael Goikhman]

On 14 Mar 2004 22:03:31 +0100, Jan Hudec wrote:
> 
> On Sat, Mar 13, 2004 at 22:37:30 +0000, Mikhael Goikhman wrote:
> > Module::Build is out of the question for archzoom and other end-user
> > projects, since it is not bundled with Perl. As for arch-perllib,
> > it will probably use ExtUtils::MakeMaker for the same reason.
> > 
> > I have experience with autoconf/automake, so this is not a problem, they
> > are perlish too, but in a different way. :) However I am open here too.
> > 
> > I will be glad if you help, we probably should chat outside of this list.
> > If you can, please install perl-5.6.x, perl-5.8.x and optionally
> > perl5.005. I really want everything to work on these versions too
> > (probably less effectivelly, but still work well). Currently there are
> > small technical problems with 5.005* that will be probably solved with
> > autoconf; if someone needs it, I may send a simple 3 line patch.
> > Depending on the feedback I may choose to only support perl >= 5.6.0.
> 
> You should be able to do everything with ExtUtils::MakeMaker. Especialy if
> you don't depend on external software (other than perl modules and perl
> itself). I have already done the dirty tricks like adding/fixing
> MakeMaker's make rules, so I could help here if needed.

Maybe, but I fail to see how ExtUtils::MakeMaker may help for archzoom.
It may be psychologically bad too; some people here seem to have
strong prejudges, they would rather run "./configure options" than
"perl Makefile.PL options".

We don't really need to install any perl modules globally, they are only
needed for archzoom.cgi, we don't really need to install any bin/
programs globally. I think it should perform the following things:

  * determine perl location and tla location
  * autodetect web server's DocumentRoot, use it as default $prefix
  * provide --enable-symlinks option (to ./configure)
  * provide --prefix and --datadir options (ignore $bindir, default
    $datadir to $prefix/archzoom-data)
  * autodetect (and an option to set) web server's config file; suggest
    "AddHandler cgi-script .cgi" line if missing
  * autodetect (and an option to set) web server's user, set $HOME
    appropriately
  * do general @VAR@ substitution in *.in files
  * other things

These may be solved well by autoconf/automake. If you are strongly
convinced that ExtUtils::MakeMaker may do all these tasks better, then
please implement it. However, please consider the autoconf option too.

With any method, the installation should be as transparent as possible.
Mostly, download, issue 3 commands, the last of which is "make install".
Load the url suggested by "make" into any browser and follow archzoom.cgi
instructions if needed, for example: "no archives found, register some".

Regards,
Mikhael.