


AutoSplit(3p)    Perl Programmers Reference Guide   AutoSplit(3p)


NAME
       AutoSplit - split a package for autoloading

SYNOPSIS
        autosplit($file, $dir, $keep, $check, $modtime);

        autosplit_lib_modules(@modules);

DESCRIPTION
       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.

       $keep
         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.

       $check
         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.

       $modtime
         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



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       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.

   Multiple packages
       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 { ... }

DIAGNOSTICS
       "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.



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AUTHOR
       "AutoSplit" is maintained by the perl5-porters. Please
       direct any questions to the canonical mailing list.
       Anything that is applicable to the CPAN release can be
       sent to its maintainer, though.

       Author and Maintainer: The Perl5-Porters
       <perl5-porters@perl.org>

       Maintainer of the CPAN release: Steffen Mueller
       <smueller@cpan.org>

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
       This package has been part of the perl core since the
       first release of perl5. It has been released separately to
       CPAN so older installations can benefit from bug fixes.

       This package has the same copyright and license as the
       perl core:

                    Copyright (C) 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
               2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
               by Larry Wall and others

                                   All rights reserved.

           This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
           it under the terms of either:

               a) the GNU General Public License as published by the Free
               Software Foundation; either version 1, or (at your option) any
               later version, or

               b) the "Artistic License" which comes with this Kit.

           This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
           but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
           MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See either
           the GNU General Public License or the Artistic License for more details.

           You should have received a copy of the Artistic License with this
           Kit, in the file named "Artistic".  If not, I'll be glad to provide one.

           You should also have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
           along with this program in the file named "Copying". If not, write to the
           Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA
           02111-1307, USA or visit their web page on the internet at
           http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html.

           For those of you that choose to use the GNU General Public License,
           my interpretation of the GNU General Public License is that no Perl
           script falls under the terms of the GPL unless you explicitly put
           said script under the terms of the GPL yourself.  Furthermore, any
           object code linked with perl does not automatically fall under the



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           terms of the GPL, provided such object code only adds definitions
           of subroutines and variables, and does not otherwise impair the
           resulting interpreter from executing any standard Perl script.  I
           consider linking in C subroutines in this manner to be the moral
           equivalent of defining subroutines in the Perl language itself.  You
           may sell such an object file as proprietary provided that you provide
           or offer to provide the Perl source, as specified by the GNU General
           Public License.  (This is merely an alternate way of specifying input
           to the program.)  You may also sell a binary produced by the dumping of
           a running Perl script that belongs to you, provided that you provide or
           offer to provide the Perl source as specified by the GPL.  (The
           fact that a Perl interpreter and your code are in the same binary file
           is, in this case, a form of mere aggregation.)  This is my interpretation
           of the GPL.  If you still have concerns or difficulties understanding
           my intent, feel free to contact me.  Of course, the Artistic License
           spells all this out for your protection, so you may prefer to use that.









































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