NAME Sys::Path - supply autoconf style installation directories SYNOPSIS Paths for basic Unix installation when Perl is in /usr/bin: use Sys::Path; print Sys::Path->sysconfdir, "\n"; # /etc print Sys::Path->datadir, "\n"; # /usr/share print Sys::Path->logdir, "\n"; # /var/log print Sys::Path->sharedstatedir, "\n"; # /var/lib Paths for Unix when Perl is in home folder /home/daxim/local/bin: print Sys::Path->sysconfdir, "\n"; # /home/daxim/local/etc print Sys::Path->datadir, "\n"; # /home/daxim/local/share print Sys::Path->logdir, "\n"; # /home/daxim/local/log print Sys::Path->sharedstatedir, "\n"; # /home/daxim/local/lib Paths for MS Windows Strawberry Perl when installed to C:\Strawberry\ print Sys::Path->sysconfdir, "\n"; # C:\Strawberry\etc print Sys::Path->datadir, "\n"; # C:\Strawberry\share print Sys::Path->logdir, "\n"; # C:\Strawberry\log print Sys::Path->sharedstatedir, "\n"; # C:\Strawberry\lib DESCRIPTION The goal is that Sys::Path provides autoconf style system paths. The default paths for file locations are based on http://www.pathname.com/fhs/ (Filesystem Hierarchy Standard) if the Perl was installed in /usr. For all other non-standard Perl installations or systems the default prefix is the prefix of Perl it self. Still those are just defaults and can be changed during `perl Build.PL' prompting. After Sys::Path is configured and installed all programs using it can just read/use the paths. In addition Sys::Path includes some functions that are related to modules build or installation. For now there is only Module::Build based Module::Build::SysPath that uses Sys::Path. BUILD TIME CONFIGURATION PERL_MM_USE_DEFAULT=1 perl Build.PL \ --sp-prefix=/usr/local \ --sp-sysconfdir=/usr/local/etc \ --sp-localstatedir=/var/local NOTE This is an experiment and lot of questions and concerns can come out about the paths configuration. Distributions build systems integration and the naming. And as this is early version things may change. For these purposes there is a mailing list http://lists.meon.sk/mailman/listinfo/sys-path. WHY? The filesystem standard has been designed to be used by Unix distribution developers, package developers, and system implementors. However, it is primarily intended to be a reference and is not a tutorial on how to manage a Unix filesystem or directory hierarchy. Sys::Path follows this standard when it is possible. Or when Perl follows. Perl can be installed in many places. Most Linux distributions place Perl in /usr/bin/perl where FHS suggest. In this case the FHS folders are suggested in prompt when doing ``perl Build.PL'`. In other cases for other folders or home-folder Perl distributions Sys::Path will suggest folders under Perl install prefix. (ex. c:\strawerry\ for the ones using Windows). PATHS Here is the list of paths. First the default FHS path, then (to compare) a suggested path when Perl is not installed in /usr. prefix /usr - `$Config::Config{'prefix'}' Is a helper function and should not be used directly. localstatedir /var - `$Config::Config{'prefix'}' Is a helper function and should not be used directly. sysconfdir /etc - $prefix/etc The /etc hierarchy contains configuration files. See http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#ETCHOSTSPECIFICSYSTEMCONFIG URATION. datadir /usr/share - $prefix/share The /usr/share hierarchy is for all read-only architecture independent data files. See http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#USRSHAREARCHITECTUREINDEPEN DENTDATA. docdir /usr/share/doc - $prefix/share/doc See datadir localedir /usr/share/locale - $prefix/share/locale See datadir cachedir /var/cache - $localstatedir/cache /var/cache is intended for cached data from applications. See http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#VARCACHEAPPLICATIONCACHEDAT A. logdir /var/log - $localstatedir/logdir This directory contains miscellaneous log files. Most logs must be written to this directory or an appropriate subdirectory. See http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#VARLOGLOGFILESANDDIRECTORIE S. spooldir /var/spool - $localstatedir/spool Contains data which is awaiting some kind of later processing. See http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#VARSPOOLAPPLICATIONSPOOLDAT A. rundir /var/run - $localstatedir/rundir This directory contains system information data describing the system since it was booted. See http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#VARRUNRUNTIMEVARIABLEDATA. lockdir /var/lock - $localstatedir/lock Lock files folder. See http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#VARLOCKLOCKFILES. sharedstatedir /var/lib - $localstatedir/lib The directory for installing modifiable architecture-independent data. See http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#VARLIBVARIABLESTATEINFORMAT ION. srvdir /srv - $prefix/srv Data for services provided by system. See http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#SRVDATAFORSERVICESPROVIDEDB YSYSTEM. webdir /var/www - $localstatedir/www Directory where distribution put static web files. HOW IT WORKS The heart of Sys::Path is just: use Config; if ($Config::Config{'prefix'} eq '/usr') { ... do stuff ... } The idea is that if the Perl was installed to /usr it is FHS type installation and all path defaults are made based on FHS. For the rest of the installations `prefix' and `localstatedir' is set exactly to `$Config::Config{'prefix'}' which is the prefix of Perl that was used to install. In this case `sysconfdir' is set to `prefix+'etc''. See Sys::Path::SPc for the implementation. METHODS prefix localstatedir sysconfdir datadir docdir localedir cachedir logdir spooldir rundir lockdir sharedstatedir webdir srvdir BUILDERS/INSTALLERS helper methods find_distribution_root(__PACKAGE__) Find the root folder of a modules distribution by going up the folder structure. prompt_cfg_file_changed($src_file, $dst_file, $prompt_function) Will prompt if to overwrite `$dst_file' with `$src_file'. Returns true for "yes" and false for "no". changed_since_install($dest_file, $file) Return if `$dest_file' changed since install. If optional `$file' is set then this one is compared against install `$dest_file' checksum. install_checksums(%filenames_with_checksums) Getter and setter for files checksums recording. SEE ALSO Module::Build::SysPath AUTHOR Jozef Kutej, `' CONTRIBUTORS The following people have contributed to the Sys::Path by committing their code, sending patches, reporting bugs, asking questions, suggesting useful advises, nitpicking, chatting on IRC or commenting on my blog (in no particular order): Lars Dɪᴇᴄᴋᴏᴡ 迪拉斯 Emmanuel Rodriguez Salve J. Nilsen Daniel Perrett COPYRIGHT & LICENSE Copyright 2009 Jozef Kutej, all rights reserved. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.