ExtUtils-MakeMaker-BigHelper version 0.91
=====================================

This package extends or alters the functionality of ExtUtils::MakeMaker,
in a way more suitable perhaps for large projects using a lot of perl XS.

This allows multiple .xs files in your project, strewn about the lib directory
hierarchy, hopefully side by each with the corresponding .pm file.  Multiple t
directories are also allowed, hopefully located next to the .pm files they test.

See the man page for perlxs for more information about perl XS.

With ExtUtils::MakeMaker there can only be one .xs file, which limits the size
of the project.  Well, there is a way to have more, but you're left with one master
.xs file responsible for bootstrapping all the other ones.  The way to have two
.xs files is documented, but not easy, and the way to have more than two is, well, unnatural.

With ExtUtils::MakeMaker you're allowed to provide customizations for various
MakeMaker methods in the package MY.  This gives you the ability to make a
total overhaul of ExtUtils::MakeMaker.

This package uses the customization facility built in to ExtUtils::MakeMaker to allow
multiple .xs files, multiple t files, and multiple subproject (Makefile.PL and Build.PL)
directories in the lib hierarchy rather than at the top level of the project.  This allows
you to more conveniently use perlxs in your project, without having to package up multiple
Makefile.PL projects embedded in your directories.  It also allows you to convert all those
.pm files with Inline code into real perlxs without using dynamite.

The methods here are meant to be exported into the package MY, to provide
customizations of the ExtUtils::MakeMaker methods.

For example, here's a possible project layout:

  Changes
  lib/Big/Project.pm
  lib/Big/Project/Collections/MyLRU.xs
  lib/Big/Project/Collections/MyLRU.pm
  lib/Big/Project/Collections/t/00-usage.t
  lib/Big/Project/Collections/t/10-testlru.t
  lib/Big/Project/Worker.pm
  lib/Big/Project/Slave.pm
  lib/Big/Project/Dispatcher/Scheduler.xs
  lib/Big/Project/Dispatcher/Scheduler.pm
  lib/Big/Project/Dispatcher/t/00-usage.t
  lib/Big/Project/Dispatcher/t/10-roundrobin.t
  lib/Big/Project/clib/Makefile
  lib/Big/Project/clib/toolbox.c
  lib/Big/Project/clib/toolbox.h
  lib/Big/Project/clib/hashmaker.c
  lib/Big/Project/clib/hashmaker.h
  Makefile.PL
  MANIFEST
  README

The Makefile.PL would look like this:

  use ExtUtils::MakeMaker;

  WriteMakefile(
    NAME => "Big::Project",
    VERSION_FROM => "lib/Big/Project.pm",
    ($] >= 5.005 ?     ## Add these new keywords supported since 5.005
      (ABSTRACT       => 'Big Project',
       AUTHOR         => 'John Bigbooty <john.bigbooty@yoyodyne.com>') : ()),
    DEFINE            => '',
    LIBS              => ['-lm' ], # e.g., '-lm'
    INC               => '-I. -Ilib/Big/Project/clib',
    MYEXTLIB          => 'lib/Big/Project/clib/libmyextlib.a',
  );

  package MY;

  use ExtUtils::MakeMaker::BigHelper qw(:MY);

That should do it.  It uses File::Find to descend the hierarchy and find all the .xs files
and t directories.

INSTALLATION

To install this module type the following:

   perl Makefile.PL
   make
   make test
   make install

DEPENDENCIES

This module requires these other modules and libraries:

  ExtUtils::MakeMaker

COPYRIGHT AND LICENCE

Put the correct copyright and licence information here.

Copyright (C) 2013 by Rob Janes

This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the same terms as Perl itself, either Perl version 5.12.3 or,
at your option, any later version of Perl 5 you may have available.
