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AutoSplit

Section: Perl Programmers Reference Guide (3)
Updated: perl 5.004, patch 04
Index

NAME

AutoSplit - split a package for autoloading

SYNOPSIS

 perl -e 'use AutoSplit; autosplit_lib_modules(@ARGV)' ...

 use AutoSplit; autosplit($file, $dir, $keep, $check, $modtime);

for perl versions 5.002 and later:

 perl -MAutoSplit -e 'autosplit($ARGV[0], $ARGV[1], $k, $chk, $modtime)' ...

DESCRIPTION

This function will split up your program into files that the AutoLoadermodule can handle. It is used by both the standard perl libraries and bythe 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 reflectclass hierarchy, and creates the file autosplit.ix. This file acts asboth forward declaration of all package routines, and as timestamp for thelast update of the hierarchy.

The remaining three arguments to autosplit govern other options to theautosplitter. If the third argument, $keep, is false, then any pre-existing*.al files in the autoload directory are removed if they are no longerpart of the module (obsoleted functions). The fourth argument, $check,instructs autosplit to check the module currently being split to ensurethat it does include a use specification for the AutoLoader module, andskips the module if AutoLoader is not detected. Lastly, the $modtimeargument specifies that autosplit is to check the modification time of themodule against that of the autosplit.ix file, and only split the moduleif it is newer.

Typical use of AutoSplit in the perl MakeMaker utility is via the command-linewith:

 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 anddelete obsolete .al files, after checking first that the module does usethe AutoLoader, and ensuring that the module is not already currently splitin its current form (the modtime test).

The autosplit_lib_modules form is used in the building of perl. It takesas input a list of files (modules) that are assumed to reside in a directorylib 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 theperl special marker __END__ are split out into separate files. Someroutines may be placed prior to this marker to force their immediate loadingand parsing.

CAVEATS

Currently, AutoSplit cannot handle multiple package specificationswithin one file.

DIAGNOSTICS

AutoSplit will inform the user if it is necessary to create the top-leveldirectory specified in the invocation. It is preferred that the script orinstallation process that invokes AutoSplit have created the full directorypath ahead of time. This warning may indicate that the module is being splitinto an incorrect path.

AutoSplit will warn the user of all subroutines whose name causes potentialfile naming conflicts on machines with drastically limited (8 characters orless) 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 eitherthe __END__ marker or a ``package Name;''-style specification.

AutoSplit will also emit general diagnostics for inability to createdirectories or files.

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