README for Getopt::constant
                                        Time-stamp: "2001-02-23 03:23:33 MST"

                           Getopt::constant

[Excerpted from the POD.]

NAME
     Getopt::constant -- set constants from command line options

SYNOPSIS
       # Assuming @ARGV is: ('-foo=9,8,7', '-bar', 'wakawaka.txt')
       use Getopt::constant (
         ':prefix' => 'C_',
         'foo' => [3,5],
         'bar' => 0,
         ':usage' =>
       "Usage:
       thingamabob
         -foo=one,two,three  :  fooey on these items
         -bar                :  enable barriness
       ",
       );
       # @ARGV is now 'wakawaka.txt', and you've now got
       #  a constant C_foo with value (9,8,7)
       #  and a constant C_bar with value 1

DESCRIPTION
     Other command-line options processing modules (like
     Getopt::Std) parse command-line arguments (from @ARGV) and
     set either variables or hash entries based on them.  This
     module, however, parses command-line arguments into
     constants.

     You provide default values for each constant in the list
     that you pass in the "use Getopt::constant (...);"
     statement.  Values can be a scalar (in which case you will
     get a scalar constant) or an arrayref (in which case you
     will get a list constant).
[...]

COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
     Copyright (c) 2001 Sean M. Burke.  All rights reserved.

     This library is free software; you can redistribute it
     and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

     This program is distributed in the hope that it will be
     useful, but without any warranty; without even the implied
     warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular
     purpose.

AUTHOR
     Sean M. Burke, sburke@cpan.org

[End of POD]

PREREQUISITES

This suite requires Perl 5; I've only used it under Perl 5.004 and
later, so for anything lower, you're on your own.

Getopt::constant doesn't use any nonstandard modules.


INSTALLATION

You install Getopt::constant, as you would install any
perl module library, by running these commands:

   perl Makefile.PL
   make
   make test
   make install

If you want to install a private copy of Getopt::constant
in your home directory, then you should try to produce the initial
Makefile with something like this command:

  perl Makefile.PL LIB=~/perl

Or see perldoc perlmodinstall


DOCUMENTATION

POD-format documentation is included in constant.pm.  POD is readable
with the 'perldoc' utility.  See ChangeLog for recent changes.


MACPERL INSTALLATION NOTES

You needn't bother with the makefiles.  Just make a Getopt directory
and move constant.pm into there.


SUPPORT

Questions, bug reports, useful code bits, and suggestions for
Getopt::constant should just be sent to me at sburke@cpan.org


AVAILABILITY

The latest version of Getopt::constant is available from the
Comprehensive Perl Archive Network (CPAN).  Visit
<http://www.perl.com/CPAN/> to find a CPAN site near you.

