
=head1 VERSION

0.02 (beta)

=head1 SYNOPSIS

In your F<Makefile.PL> or F<Build.PL>:

  use ExtUtils::MakeMaker; # or Module::Build

  use inc::Module::ConfigureRequires;
  if( !eval{ require Some::Module } ) {
    Module::ConfigureRequires::set_up(
      error_message => "Please install Some::Module and re-run $0.\n",
    )
  }

Then include your configuration prerequisities among the run-time or
build prerequisites.

=head1 DESCRIPTION

A CPAN distribution's F<META.yml> can contain a C<configure_requires>
entry, that lists modules needed for F<Makefile.PL> or F<Build.PL> to run.

Tools such as L<CPAN.pm|CPAN> and L<CPANPLUS> automatically read this
file, and everything just works, I<if> you have the latest version.

The problem is that L<perl> 5.10.1 and earlier do not ship with a sufficiently recent version of CPAN.pm, and even the one that comes with
5.12.x has problems.

This module attempts to solve this problem by using a different approach:
The F<Makefile> (or F<Build> script) can be made to re-run F<Makefile.PL>
(or F<Build.PL>), if it was generated without the necessary modules, and
then re-run the make command.

The F<Makefile.PL> script will, of course, have to be able to generate at
least a dummy F<Makefile> if the configuration prerequisites are not
present, in order for this to work. It must also list the configuration
prerequisites along with the build- or run-time prerequisites.

So, this is how it would work under an old CPAN shell with this setup:

 1. User types ‘install Your::Module’ at the CPAN shell.
 2. CPAN.pm downloads and unpacks Your::Module.
 3. CPAN.pm runs Makefile.PL.
 4. CPAN.pm installs the modules that Makefile.PL claims it needs,
    including Some::ConfigurePrereq.
 5. CPAN.pm runs make.
 6. The Makefile runs Makefile.PL, and then re-runs make.
 7. CPAN.pm proceeds with the tests and installation.

To avoid looping, this module will die with an error message if, when the
F<Makefile>
runs F<Makefile.PL>, the prerequisites are still not installed.

=head1 SETUP

In your distribution's directory, type:

  perl -MModule::ConfigureRequires=bundle-up

to copy it to the F<inc> directory and add it to F<MANIFEST>.

Then, in your F<Makefile.PL> or F<Build.PL>, before any code that
manipulates command line arguments, load C<inc::Module::ConfigureRequires>.

  use ExtUtils::MakeMaker; # or Module::Build
  use inc::Module::ConfigureRequires;

This has to come first, as it uses a command line argument as a cookie to
prevent infinite loops.

Then add code that checks whether the
configuration requirements are present. Have it call
C<Module::ConfigureRequires::set_up> if (and I<only> if) the required
modules are not present. Include an C<error_message> argument. This will be
used if someone tries to run make before installing the required modules.
E.g.,

  if(
       !eval{ require ExtUtils::Depends }
    || ExtUtils::Depends->VERSION < .2
  ) {
    Module::ConfigureRequires::set_up(
     error_message =>
       "ExtUtils::Depends .2 or higher is required to configure this\n"
      ."module. Please install it and then re-run $0.\n"
    )
  }

Then continue the rest of the F<Makefile.PL> or F<Build.PL>. Make sure to
include the configure requirements among the build-time
or run-time dependencies. (Otherwise CPAN.pm will not know to install
them.)
Parts of the F<Makefile.PL> (or F<Build.PL>) that require those modules
will have to be skipped, or made to cope without them, at least for
generating a dummy F<Makefile>.

=head1 FUNCTIONS

This module does not export any functions. You have to call them with the
full package name.

=over

=item Module::ConfigureRequires::set_up

This function chooses between one of the two functions below, based on
C<$0> or the caller's file name, whichever ends with either Makefile.PL or
Build.PL.

=item Module::ConfigureRequires::set_up_for_mm

=item Module::ConfigureRequires::set_up_for_mb

These two functions do the actual work. If C<set_up> is unable to figure
which one to use, you will have to call one of these directly.

=head1 CAVEATS

C<set_up_for_mm> defines a C<&MY::top_targets>. If your F<Makefile.PL> also
defines one, there will be a conflict, and things just might not work. Make
your F<Makefile.PL> define it conditionally, based on whether the configure
prerequisites are present.

C<set_up_for_mb> puts a wrapper around 
C<&Module::Build::Base::create_build_script> that modifies the F<Build>
script after it is generated. If you have code that modifies the F<Build>
script directly, this will conflict as well.

Don't list Module::ConfigureRequires under C<configure_requires>! That
would defeat the entire purpose of this module's existence.

It's somewhat ironic that we support Module::Build, even though it doesn't
come with perl 5.8.x. In those cases, this module is absolutely useless
unless you bundle Module::Build with your distribution.

=head1 BUGS

Probably.

There are no automated tests yet.

Please report them to bug-Module-ConfigureRequires@rt.cpan.org.

=head1 AUTHOR & COPYLEFT

Copyright 2010, Father Chrysostomos <sprout at a server named cpan.org>

This is free software. You may use or re-distribute it under the same terms
as perl.

=head1 SEE ALSO

L<ExtUtils::MakeMaker>, L<Module::Build>
