AutoSplit

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



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 mod-
	 ule currently being split to ensure that it includes a "use" speci-
	 fication 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 com-
       mand-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 argu-
       ments; "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 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 rou-
       tines 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 mul-
       tiple 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.



perl v5.8.8			  2001-09-21			 AutoSplit(3)