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AutoSplit - split a package for autoloading
autosplit($file, $dir, $keep, $check, $modtime);
autosplit_lib_modules(@modules);
This function will split up your program into files that the AutoLoader module can handle. It is used by both the standard perl libraries and by the MakeMaker utility, to automatically configure libraries for autoloading.
The autosplit interface splits the specified file into a hierarchy
rooted at the directory $dir. It creates directories as needed to reflect
class hierarchy, and creates the file autosplit.ix. This file acts as
both forward declaration of all package routines, and as timestamp for the
last update of the hierarchy.
The remaining three arguments to autosplit govern other options to
the autosplitter.
If the third argument, $keep, is false, then any
pre-existing *.al files in the autoload directory are removed if
they are no longer part of the module (obsoleted functions).
$keep defaults to 0.
The
fourth argument, $check, instructs autosplit to check the module
currently being split to ensure that it includes a use
specification for the AutoLoader module, and skips the module if
AutoLoader is not detected.
$check defaults to 1.
Lastly, the $modtime argument specifies
that autosplit is to check the modification time of the module
against that of the autosplit.ix file, and only split the module if
it is newer.
$modtime defaults to 1.
Typical use of AutoSplit in the perl MakeMaker utility is via the command-line with:
perl -e 'use AutoSplit; autosplit($ARGV[0], $ARGV[1], 0, 1, 1)'
Defined as a Make macro, it is invoked with file and directory arguments;
autosplit will split the specified file into the specified directory and
delete obsolete .al files, after checking first that the module does use
the AutoLoader, and ensuring that the module is not already currently split
in its current form (the modtime test).
The autosplit_lib_modules form is used in the building of perl. It takes
as input a list of files (modules) that are assumed to reside in a directory
lib relative to the current directory. Each file is sent to the
autosplitter one at a time, to be split into the directory lib/auto.
In both usages of the autosplitter, only subroutines defined following the perl __END__ token are split out into separate files. Some routines may be placed prior to this marker to force their immediate loading and parsing.
As of version 1.01 of the AutoSplit module it is possible to have multiple packages within a single file. Both of the following cases are supported:
package NAME;
__END__
sub AAA { ... }
package NAME::option1;
sub BBB { ... }
package NAME::option2;
sub BBB { ... }
package NAME;
__END__
sub AAA { ... }
sub NAME::option1::BBB { ... }
sub NAME::option2::BBB { ... }
AutoSplit will inform the user if it is necessary to create the
top-level directory specified in the invocation. It is preferred that
the script or installation process that invokes AutoSplit have
created the full directory path ahead of time. This warning may
indicate that the module is being split into an incorrect path.
AutoSplit will warn the user of all subroutines whose name causes
potential file naming conflicts on machines with drastically limited
(8 characters or less) file name length. Since the subroutine name is
used as the file name, these warnings can aid in portability to such
systems.
Warnings are issued and the file skipped if AutoSplit cannot locate
either the __END__ marker or a ``package Name;''-style specification.
AutoSplit will also emit general diagnostics for inability to
create directories or files.