Can't get Module::Build to work

[bbbilly]

Hello. I have been trying to install some modules, but I can't because
I can't get cpanplus and Module::Build to work together.

I am using cpanplus and I do not have root on this (linux) machine.

I start the cpanplus shell (cpanp), and type 'i iCal:arser::HTML' to
install that module. cpanplus then says "This module requires
Module::Build to install itself. Install Module::Build now from CPAN?
[y]" I say yes.

cpanplus then tries to install Module-Build-0.2611 but fails, saying
"Sorry, PREFIX is not supported. See the Module::Build documentation
for 'destdir' or 'install_base' instead.".

I checked the cpan configuration by typing "s conf". It has a parameter
called buildflags set to 'install_base=/home/billy/data/perl' ; it also
has makemakerflags set so that LIB and PREFIX are set to the same
thing. but somehow, Module::Build doesn't seem to be getting this
information. I add an 'install_base' parameter pointing to the right
place within the makemakerflags, but that doesn't help.

So I exit cpanplus and install Module::Build manually. It goes into the
/home/billy/data/perl/lib/ directory.

I restart cpanplus and try again. It has the directory
/home/billy/data/perl/lib/ in its 'lib' parameter (according to s conf)
but it doesn't know that Module::Build is installed, asking me again if
I want to install it. Then it still can't install it, of course.

Can someone please help me? I need to be able to use cpanplus to
install modules because they have so many dependencies. But if it can't
use Module::Build, there are a bunch of modules that I just can never
get installed.

Please help me! Does anyone know how to do this?

 

[Paul Lalli]

Hello. I have been trying to install some modules, but I can't because
I can't get cpanplus and Module::Build to work together.

I am using cpanplus and I do not have root on this (linux) machine.

I don't know about the CPANPLUS module, but the semi-latest version of
CPAN.pm (1.82, I believe) finally has integration with Module::Build.
This was always one of my pet peeves (to the extent that I refused to
use any module that required Module::Build until just recently), so I
do sympathize with you.

If you download the latest CPAN.pm, and install it, it will tell you it
needs to redo the setup, because some new important configuration
options have been implemented. They include mbuild_arg,
mbuild_install_arg, mbuild_install_build_command, and mbuildpl_arg
(which I have set to "--install_base /home/mritty --dest_dir
/home/mritty"). I have not had any problems using CPAN to install
Module::Build-required modules since configuring this version.

Hope this helps,
Paul Lalli

 

[bbbilly]

Hi Paul, thanks so much for replying. Your advise was good, I was able
to get CPAN.pm working with some of the modules that use Module::Build
by following your instructions. After installing the new CPAN, when I
ran it for the first time it asked for the new configuration options.
I set mbuildpl_arg as you said. It didnt work at first, I also had to
set the option prefer_installer to MB rather than EUMM. CPAN seemed to
indicate that either would work with Module::Build modules but that
apparently is not true.

However, though I got some of the Module::Build based modules to
install, I could not get the system to work. There were so, so many
dependencies--one modules asked for three more, which asked for 5 more
each, and on and on. So many unclear error messages. Each module with
a different documentation, if any, different testing standards, some
depending on outside librarys... on and on. I struggled with it but it
just can't get it done.

I have used perl & cpan.org for years but sadly cpan seems to be really
going downhill. It is so difficult to install modules now, so many seem
to have so many dependencies, and so many modules just won't install...