Re: more META.*.yml files

# from Shlomi Fish
# on Monday 04 August 2008 04:14:

>> But a patch demonstrating what you want would probably be more
>> convincing, in that we could much better understand what it is you
>> want.
>
>I think I can accomplish that using a sub-class, so that will be my
> first lead. I'll also do it TDD-style, so you can understand what I
> mean using the tests.

Just write some code that does what you want to do.  I recommend that it 
is neither a patch nor a subclass.

  #META.in.yml
  add_to_cleanup:
    - Math-Vec-*
    - META.yml
  create_makefile_pl: passthrough
  dist_version_from: lib/Math/Vec.pm
  license: perl
  module_name: Math::Vec
  test_requires:
    Test::More: 0


  # Build.PL
  ...
  use YAML;
  my $builder = $build_class->new(
    %{YAML::LoadFile('META.in.yml')},
  );

Done?  Of course there's the hang-up that not all build parameters turn 
into META.yml, so it would be nice to have some parallels between them 
instead of needing to put a meta_merge in your META.in.yml.

There is the problem of now needing configure_requires => YAML, but you 
might as well since patching Module::Build::YAML to support Load() 
would just mean adding a configure_requires for a newer M::B.

The point is to minimize the barrier to installation without being 
totally bored as an author, so maybe just have a Build.PL.in template 
and a tool to instantiate the Build.PL.

  $template =~ s/^\s*# PARAMETERS GO HERE.*$/$params_string/m;

Obviously, not all dependencies can be static - thus the Build.PL and 
the dynamic_config flag.  But your tool could certainly just conjure a 
stock Build.PL boilerplate if it doesn't find a Build.PL.in file.

We've also talked about a META.local.yml file as a way for the installer 
toolchain to have a more uniform handling of dynamic_config => 1.

In theory, I could set dynamic_config => 0 in my META.yml and quit 
shipping a Build.PL file, right?  Ah well, one can dream.

By the way, saying "because I want to" is a terrible answer to "why?". 
Perhaps you hove some reason like being able to automate module 
publishing, simplifying input data, or eliminating troubles with stale 
templates.  I've probably had 2-3 episodes of hacking together some 
shell and perl translations to my Build.PL files (of which there are 
60+ in my checkouts dir atm.)

--Eric
-- 
Minimum wage help gives you minimum service.
--David Schomer
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