Provided by: libfile-sharedir-projectdistdir-perl_1.000009-2_all 
NAME
File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir - Simple set-and-forget using of a '/share' directory in your projects
root
VERSION
version 1.000009
DETERRENT
STOP!. Before using this distribution, some warnings MUST be considered.
The primary use-case for this module is targeted at development projects that are NOT intended for
"CPAN".
As such, using it for "CPAN" is generally a bad idea, and better solutions generally involve the less
fragile "Test::File::ShareDir", constraining any magical behavior exclusively to where it is needed:
Tests.
Why?
• Determining whether or not we are "dev" during "runtime" is a perilous heuristic that routinely fails
with even slightly unusual file system layouts.
• Auto-magical changing of behavior at "runtime" based on the above leads to many surprising and hard
to debug problems.
For these reason, it is dangerous to rely on this distribution while striving to produce quality code.
If this documentation is not sufficient to dissuade you, I must strongly implore you to choose the
"strict" mechanism, because that substantially reduces the possibilities with regards to false-positive
of potential "dev" directories.
I have in mind to find a better mechanism to deliver the same objective, but no solutions are forthcoming
at this time.
SYNOPSIS
package An::Example::Package;
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir;
# during development, $dir will be $projectroot/share
# but once installed, it will be wherever File::Sharedir thinks it is.
my $dir = dist_dir('An-Example')
Project layout requirements:
$project/
$project/lib/An/Example/Package.pm
$project/share/ # files for package 'An-Example' go here.
You can use a directory name other than 'share' ( Assuming you make sure when you install that, you
specify the different directory there also ) as follows:
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir ':all', defaults => {
projectdir => 'templates',
};
METHODS
import
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir (@args);
This uses "Sub::Exporter" to do the heavy lifting, so most usage of this module can be maximized by
understanding that first.
• ":all"
->import( ':all' , .... )
Import both "dist_dir" and "dist_file"
• "dist_dir"
->import('dist_dir' , .... )
Import the dist_dir method
• "dist_file"
->import('dist_file' , .... )
Import the dist_file method
• "projectdir"
->import( .... , projectdir => 'share' )
Specify what the project directory is as a path relative to the base of your distributions source,
and this directory will be used as a "ShareDir" simulation path for the exported methods During
development.
If not specified, the default value 'share' is used.
• "filename"
->import( .... , filename => 'some/path/to/foo.pm' );
Generally you don't want to set this, as its worked out by caller() to work out the name of the file
its being called from. This file's path is walked up to find the 'lib' element with a sibling of the
name of your "projectdir".
• "distname"
->import( .... , distname => 'somedistname' );
Specifying this argument changes the way the functions are emitted at installed "runtime", so that
instead of taking the standard arguments File::ShareDir does, the specification of the "distname" in
those functions is eliminated.
i.e:
# without this flag
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir qw( :all );
my $dir = dist_dir('example');
my $file = dist_file('example', 'path/to/file.pm' );
# with this flag
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir ( qw( :all ), distname => 'example' );
my $dir = dist_dir();
my $file = dist_file('path/to/file.pm' );
• "strict"
->import( ... , strict => 1 );
This parameter specifies that all "dist" "sharedirs" will occur within the "projectdir" directory
using the following layout:
<root>/<projectdir>/dist/<DISTNAME>/
As opposed to
<root>/<projectdir>
This means if Heuristics misfire and accidentally find another distributions "share" directory, it
will not pick up on it unless that "share" directory also has that layout, and will instead revert to
the "installdir" path in @INC
This parameter may become the default option in the future
Specifying this parameter also mandates you MUST declare the "DISTNAME" value in your file somewhere.
Doing otherwise is considered insanity anyway.
• "defaults"
->import( ... , defaults => {
filename => ....,
projectdir => ....,
});
This is mostly an alternative syntax for specifying "filename" and "projectdir", which is mostly used
internally, and their corresponding other values are packed into this one.
Sub::Exporter tricks of note.
Make your own sharedir util
package Foo::Util;
sub import {
my ($caller_class, $caller_file, $caller_line ) = caller();
if ( grep { /share/ } @_ ) {
require File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir;
File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir->import(
filename => $caller_file,
dist_dir => { distname => 'myproject' , -as => 'share' },
dist_dir => { distname => 'otherproject' , -as => 'other_share' , projectdir => 'share2' },
-into => $caller_class,
);
}
}
....
package Foo;
use Foo::Util qw( share );
my $dir = share();
my $other_dir => other_share();
build_dist_dir
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDirDir ( : all );
# this calls
my $coderef = File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir->build_dist_dir(
'dist_dir' => {},
{ defaults => { filename => 'path/to/yourcallingfile.pm', projectdir => 'share' } }
);
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDirDir ( qw( :all ), distname => 'example-dist' );
# this calls
my $coderef = File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir->build_dist_dir(
'dist_dir' => {},
{ distname => 'example-dist', defaults => { filename => 'path/to/yourcallingfile.pm', projectdir => 'share' } }
);
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDirDir
dist_dir => { distname => 'example-dist', -as => 'mydistdir' },
dist_dir => { distname => 'other-dist', -as => 'otherdistdir' };
# This calls
my $coderef = File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir->build_dist_dir(
'dist_dir',
{ distname => 'example-dist' },
{ defaults => { filename => 'path/to/yourcallingfile.pm', projectdir => 'share' } },
);
my $othercoderef = File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir->build_dist_dir(
'dist_dir',
{ distname => 'other-dist' },
{ defaults => { filename => 'path/to/yourcallingfile.pm', projectdir => 'share' } },
);
# And leverages Sub::Exporter to create 2 subs in your package.
Generates the exported 'dist_dir' method. In development environments, the generated method will return a
path to the development directories 'share' directory. In non-development environments, this simply
returns "File::ShareDir::dist_dir".
As a result of this, specifying the Distribution name is not required during development ( unless in
"strict" mode ), however, it will start to matter once it is installed. This is a potential avenues for
bugs if you happen to name it wrong.
In "strict" mode, the distribution name is ALWAYS REQUIRED, either at least at "import" or "dist_dir()"
time.
build_dist_file
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDirDir ( : all );
# this calls
my $coderef = File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir->build_dist_file(
'dist_file' => {},
{ defaults => { filename => 'path/to/yourcallingfile.pm', projectdir => 'share' } }
);
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDirDir ( qw( :all ), distname => 'example-dist' );
# this calls
my $coderef = File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir->build_dist_file(
'dist_file' => {},
{ distname => 'example-dist', defaults => { filename => 'path/to/yourcallingfile.pm', projectdir => 'share' } }
);
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDirDir
dist_file => { distname => 'example-dist', -as => 'mydistfile' },
dist_file => { distname => 'other-dist', -as => 'otherdistfile' };
# This calls
my $coderef = File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir->build_dist_file(
'dist_file',
{ distname => 'example-dist' },
{ defaults => { filename => 'path/to/yourcallingfile.pm', projectdir => 'share' } },
);
my $othercoderef = File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir->build_dist_file(
'dist_file',
{ distname => 'other-dist' },
{ defaults => { filename => 'path/to/yourcallingfile.pm', projectdir => 'share' } },
);
# And leverages Sub::Exporter to create 2 subs in your package.
Generates the 'dist_file' method.
In development environments, the generated method will return a path to the development directories
'share' directory. In non-development environments, this simply returns "File::ShareDir::dist_file".
Caveats as a result of package-name as stated in "build_dist_dir" also apply to this method.
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES
1.000000
Strict Mode.
Using Strict Mode
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir ':all', strict => 1;
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir 'dist_dir' => { strict => 1 };
Why you should use strict mode
Starting with 1.000000, there is a parameter "strict" that changes how "sharedir" resolution performs.
Without strict:
lib/...
share/...
With strict
lib/...
share/dist/Dist-Name-Here/...
This technique greatly builds resilience to the long standing problem with "develop" vs "install"
heuristic ambiguity.
Here at least,
dist_dir('Dist-Name')
Will instead fall back to
@INC/auto/share/dist/Dist-Name
When
share/dist/Dist-Name
Does not exist.
This means if you have a layout like this:
<DEVROOT>/inc/<a local::lib path here>
<DEVROOT>/lib/<development files here>
Then when "Foo-Bar-Baz" is installed as:
<DEVROOT>/inc/lib/Foo/Bar/Baz.pm
<DEVROOT>/inc/lib/auto/share/dist/Foo-Bar-Baz
Then "Baz.pm" will not see the "DEVROOT" and assume "Hey, this is development" and then proceed to try
finding files in "DEVROOT/share"
Instead, "DEVROOT" must have "DEVROOT/share/dist/Foo-Bar-Baz" too, otherwise it reverts to
"DEVROOT/inc/lib/auto..."
"Path::Class" interfaces deprecated and dependency dropped.
If you have any dependence on this function, now is the time to get yourself off it.
Minimum Changes to stay with "Path::Class" short term.
As the dependency has been dropped on "Path::Class", if you have "CPAN" modules relying on "Path::Class"
interface, you should now at a very minimum start declaring
{ requires => "Path::Class" }
This will keep your dist working, but will not be future proof against further changes.
Staying with "Path::Class" long term.
Recommended approach if you want to stay using the "Path::Class" interface:
use File::ShareDir::... etc
use Path::Class qw( dir file );
my $dir = dir( dist_dir('Dist-Name') );
This should future-proof you against anything File::ShareDir may do in the future.
"Versioning Scheme arbitrary converted to float"
This change is a superficial one, and should have no bearing on how significant you think this release
is.
It is a significant release, but the primary reason for the version change is simply to avoid
compatibility issues in versions themselves.
However, outside that, "x.y.z" semantics are still intended to be semi-meaningful, just with less "." and
more 0 ☺
"dev" path determination now deferred to call time instead of "use"
This was essentially a required change to make "strict" mode plausible, because strict mode _requires_
the "distname" to be known, even in the development environment.
This should not have any user visible effects, but please, if you have any problems, file a bug.
"file" component determination wrested from "File::ShareDir".
dist_file('foo','bar')
Is now simply sugar syntax for
path(dist_dir('foo'))->child('bar')
This should have no side effects in your code, but please file any bugs you experience.
( return value is still "undef" if the file does not exist, and still "croak"'s if the file is not a
file, or unreadable, but these may both be subject to change )
0.5.0 - Heuristics and Return type changes
New "devdir" heuristic
Starting with 0.5.0, instead of using our simple "lib/../share" pattern heuristic, a more advanced
heuristic is used from the new "Path::FindDev" and "Path::IsDev".
This relies on a more "concrete" marker somewhere at the top of your development tree, and more
importantly, checks for the existence of specific files that are not likely to occur outside a project
root.
"lib" and "share" based heuristics were a little fragile, for a few reasons:
• "lib" can, and does appear all over UNIX file systems, for purposes other than development project
roots.
For instance, have a look in "/usr/"
/usr/bin
/usr/lib
/usr/share ## UHOH.
This would have the very bad side effect of anything installed in "/usr/lib" thinking its "in
development".
Fortunately, nobody seems to have hit this specific bug, which I suspect is due only to "/usr/lib"
being a symbolic link on most x86_64 systems.
• "lib" is also reasonably common within "CPAN" package names.
For instance:
lib::abs
Which means you'll have a hierarchy like:
$PREFIX/lib/lib/abs
All you need for something to go horribly wrong would be for somebody to install a "CPAN" module
named:
share::mystuff
Or similar, and instantly, you have:
$PREFIX/lib/lib/
$PREFIX/lib/share/
Which would mean any module calling itself "lib::*" would be unable to use this module.
So instead, as of 0.5.0, the heuristic revolves around certain specific files being in the "dev"
directory.
Which is hopefully a more fault resilient mechanism.
New Return Types
Starting with 0.5.0, the internals are now based on "Path::Tiny" instead of "Path::Class", and as a
result, there may be a few glitches in transition.
Also, previously you could get a "Path::Class::*" object back from "dist_dir" and "dist_file" by
importing it as such:
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir
qw( dist_dir dist_file ),
defaults => { pathclass => 1 };
Now you can also get "Path::Tiny" objects back, by passing:
use File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir
qw( dist_dir dist_file ),
defaults => { pathtiny => 1 };
For the time being, you can still get Path::Class objects back, it is deprecated since 1.000000
( In fact, I may even make 2 specific sub-classes of "PDD" for people who want objects back, as it will
make the "API" and the code much cleaner )
AUTHOR
Kent Fredric <kentnl@cpan.org>
COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
This software is copyright (c) 2017 by Kent Fredric <kentnl@cpan.org>.
This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5
programming language system itself.
perl v5.34.0 2022-06-13 File::ShareDir::ProjectDistDir(3pm)