NAME
ExtUtils::CBuilder - Compile and link C code for Perl modules
SYNOPSIS
use ExtUtils::CBuilder;
my $b = ExtUtils::CBuilder->new(%options);
$obj_file = $b->compile(source => 'MyModule.c');
$lib_file = $b->link(objects => $obj_file);DESCRIPTION
This module can build the C portions of Perl modules by invoking the appropriate compilers and linkers in a cross-platform manner. It was motivated by the Module::Build project, but may be useful for other purposes as well. However, it is not intended as a general cross-platform interface to all your C building needs. That would have been a much more ambitious goal!
METHODS
- new
-
Returns a new
ExtUtils::CBuilderobject. Aconfigparameter lets you overrideConfig.pmsettings for all operations performed by the object, as in the following example:# Use a different compiler than Config.pm says my $b = ExtUtils::CBuilder->new( config => { ld => 'gcc' } );A
quietparameter tellsCBuilderto not print itssystem()commands before executing them:# Be quieter than normal my $b = ExtUtils::CBuilder->new( quiet => 1 ); - have_compiler
-
Returns true if the current system has a working C compiler and linker, false otherwise. To determine this, we actually compile and link a sample C library. The sample will be compiled in the system tempdir or, if that fails for some reason, in the current directory.
- have_cplusplus
-
Just like have_compiler but for C++ instead of C.
- compile
-
Compiles a C source file and produces an object file. The name of the object file is returned. The source file is specified in a
sourceparameter, which is required; the other parameters listed below are optional.object_file-
Specifies the name of the output file to create. Otherwise the
object_file()method will be consulted, passing it the name of thesourcefile. include_dirs-
Specifies any additional directories in which to search for header files. May be given as a string indicating a single directory, or as a list reference indicating multiple directories.
extra_compiler_flags-
Specifies any additional arguments to pass to the compiler. Should be given as a list reference containing the arguments individually, or if this is not possible, as a string containing all the arguments together.
C++-
Specifies that the source file is a C++ source file and sets appropriate compiler flags
The operation of this method is also affected by the
archlibexp,cccdlflags,ccflags,optimize, andccentries inConfig.pm. - link
-
Invokes the linker to produce a library file from object files. In scalar context, the name of the library file is returned. In list context, the library file and any temporary files created are returned. A required
objectsparameter contains the name of the object files to process, either in a string (for one object file) or list reference (for one or more files). The following parameters are optional:- lib_file
-
Specifies the name of the output library file to create. Otherwise the
lib_file()method will be consulted, passing it the name of the first entry inobjects. - module_name
-
Specifies the name of the Perl module that will be created by linking. On platforms that need to do prelinking (Win32, OS/2, etc.) this is a required parameter.
- extra_linker_flags
-
Any additional flags you wish to pass to the linker.
On platforms where
need_prelink()returns true,prelink()will be called automatically.The operation of this method is also affected by the
lddlflags,shrpenv, andldentries inConfig.pm. - link_executable
-
Invokes the linker to produce an executable file from object files. In scalar context, the name of the executable file is returned. In list context, the executable file and any temporary files created are returned. A required
objectsparameter contains the name of the object files to process, either in a string (for one object file) or list reference (for one or more files). The optional parameters are the same aslinkwith exception for- exe_file
-
Specifies the name of the output executable file to create. Otherwise the
exe_file()method will be consulted, passing it the name of the first entry inobjects.
- object_file
-
my $object_file = $b->object_file($source_file);Converts the name of a C source file to the most natural name of an output object file to create from it. For instance, on Unix the source file foo.c would result in the object file foo.o.
- lib_file
-
my $lib_file = $b->lib_file($object_file);Converts the name of an object file to the most natural name of a output library file to create from it. For instance, on Mac OS X the object file foo.o would result in the library file foo.bundle.
- exe_file
-
my $exe_file = $b->exe_file($object_file);Converts the name of an object file to the most natural name of an executable file to create from it. For instance, on Mac OS X the object file foo.o would result in the executable file foo, and on Windows it would result in foo.exe.
- prelink
-
On certain platforms like Win32, OS/2, VMS, and AIX, it is necessary to perform some actions before invoking the linker. The
ExtUtils::Mksymlistsmodule does this, writing files used by the linker during the creation of shared libraries for dynamic extensions. The names of any files written will be returned as a list.Several parameters correspond to
ExtUtils::Mksymlists::Mksymlists()options, as follows:Mksymlists() prelink() type -------------|-------------------|------------------- NAME | dl_name | string (required) DLBASE | dl_base | string FILE | dl_file | string DL_VARS | dl_vars | array reference DL_FUNCS | dl_funcs | hash reference FUNCLIST | dl_func_list | array reference IMPORTS | dl_imports | hash reference VERSION | dl_version | stringPlease see the documentation for
ExtUtils::Mksymlistsfor the details of what these parameters do. - need_prelink
-
Returns true on platforms where
prelink()should be called during linking, and false otherwise. - extra_link_args_after_prelink
-
Returns list of extra arguments to give to the link command; the arguments are the same as for prelink(), with addition of array reference to the results of prelink(); this reference is indexed by key
prelink_res.
TO DO
Currently this has only been tested on Unix and doesn't contain any of the Windows-specific code from the Module::Build project. I'll do that next.
HISTORY
This module is an outgrowth of the Module::Build project, to which there have been many contributors. Notably, Randy W. Sims submitted lots of code to support 3 compilers on Windows and helped with various other platform-specific issues. Ilya Zakharevich has contributed fixes for OS/2; John E. Malmberg and Peter Prymmer have done likewise for VMS.
SUPPORT
ExtUtils::CBuilder is maintained as part of the Perl 5 core. Please submit any bug reports via the perlbug tool included with Perl 5. Bug reports will be included in the Perl 5 ticket system at http://rt.perl.org.
The Perl 5 source code is available at <http://perl5.git.perl.org/perl.git> and ExtUtils-CBuilder may be found in the dist/ExtUtils-CBuilder directory of the repository.
AUTHOR
Ken Williams, kwilliams@cpan.org
Additional contributions by The Perl 5 Porters.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright (c) 2003-2005 Ken Williams. All rights reserved.
This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.
SEE ALSO
perl(1), Module::Build(3)