try_compile_run

 $success = try_compile_run(%args);

Try to compile, link, and execute a C program whose source is given. Returns true if the program compiled and linked, and exited successfully. Returns false if any of these steps fail.

Takes the following named arguments:

source => STRING

The source code of the C program to try compiling, building, and running.

defines => HASH

Optional. A set of defines to be passed to the compiler.

extra_compiler_flags => ARRAY

Optional. If specified, pass extra flags to the compiler.

extra_linker_flags => ARRAY

Optional. If specified, pass extra flags to the linker.

include_dirs => ARRAY

Optional. If specified, pass extra include dirs to the compiler.

libraries => ARRAY

Optional. If specified, pass extra libaries to the linker.

library_dirs => ARRAY

Optional. If specified, pass extra libary directories to the linker.

quiet => BOOL

This makes "try_compile_run" run quietly.

define => STRING

Optional. If specified, then the named symbol will be defined if the program ran successfully. This will either on the C compiler commandline (by passing an option "-DSYMBOL"), in the "defines" method, or via the "write_defines" method.

push_args => BOOL

If true, any of "extra_compiler_flags", "extra_linker_flags", "include_dirs", "libraries", "library_dirs" or "defines" will have its value pushed on success (e.g. "push_include_dirs" for the "include_dirs" argument).

assert_compile_run

 assert_compile_run(%args);

Calls "try_compile_run". If it fails, die with an "OS unsupported" message. Useful to call from Build.PL or Makefile.PL.

Takes one extra optional argument:

diag => STRING

If present, this string will be appended to the failure message if one is generated. It may provide more useful information to the user on why the OS is unsupported.

try_find_cflags_for

 $success = try_find_cflags_for(%args);

Try to compile, link and execute the given source, using extra compiler flags.

When a usable combination is found, the flags are stored in the object for use in further compile operations, or returned by "extra_compiler_flags". The method then returns true.

If no usable combination is found, it returns false.

Takes the following extra arguments:

source => STRING

Source code to compile

cflags => ARRAY of ARRAYs

Gives a list of sets of flags. Each set of flags should be strings in its own array reference.

define => STRING

Optional. If specified, then the named symbol will be defined if the program ran successfully. This will either on the C compiler commandline (by passing an option "-DSYMBOL"), in the "defines" method, or via the "write_defines" method.

try_find_include_dirs_for

 $success = try_find_include_dirs_for(%args);

Try to compile, link and execute the given source, using extra include directories.

When a usable combination is found, the directories required are stored in the object for use in further compile operations, or returned by "include_dirs". The method then returns true.

If no a usable combination is found, it returns false.

Takes the following arguments:

source => STRING

Source code to compile

dirs => ARRAY of ARRAYs

Gives a list of sets of dirs. Each set of dirs should be strings in its own array reference.

define => STRING

Optional. If specified, then the named symbol will be defined if the program ran successfully. This will either on the C compiler commandline (by passing an option "-DSYMBOL"), in the "defines" method, or via the "write_defines" method.

try_find_libraries_for

 $success = try_find_libraries_for(%args);

Try to compile, link and execute the given source, when linked against a given set of extra libraries.

When a usable combination is found, the libraries required are stored in the object for use in further link operations, or returned by "libraries". The method then returns true.

If no usable combination is found, it returns false.

Takes the following arguments:

source => STRING

Source code to compile

libs => ARRAY of STRINGs

Gives a list of sets of libraries. Each set of libraries should be space-separated.

define => STRING

Optional. If specified, then the named symbol will be defined if the program ran successfully. This will either on the C compiler commandline (by passing an option "-DSYMBOL"), in the "defines" method, or via the "write_defines" method.

try_find_library_dirs_for

 $success = try_find_library_dirs_for(%args);

Try to compile, link and execute the given source, using extra library directories.

When a usable combination is found, the directories required are stored in the object for use in further compile operations, or returned by "library_dirs". The method then returns true.

If no a usable combination is found, it returns false.

Takes the following arguments:

source => STRING

Source code to compile

dirs => ARRAY of ARRAYs

Gives a list of sets of dirs. Each set of dirs should be strings in its own array reference.

define => STRING

Optional. If specified, then the named symbol will be defined if the program ran successfully. This will either on the C compiler commandline (by passing an option "-DSYMBOL"), in the "defines" method, or via the "write_defines" method.

find_cflags_for

 find_cflags_for(%args);

find_include_dirs_for

 find_include_dirs_for(%args);

find_libraries_for

 find_libraries_for(%args);

Calls "try_find_cflags_for", "try_find_include_dirs_for" or "try_find_libraries_for" respectively. If it fails, die with an "OS unsupported" message.

Each method takes one extra optional argument:

diag => STRING

If present, this string will be appended to the failure message if one is generated. It may provide more useful information to the user on why the OS is unsupported.

include_dirs

 $dirs = include_dirs;

Returns the currently-configured include directories as an array.

library_dirs

 $dirs = library_dirs;

Returns the currently-configured library directories as an array.

libraries

 $libs = libraries;

Returns the currently-configured libraries as an array.

extra_compiler_flags

 $flags = extra_compiler_flags;

Returns the currently-configured extra compiler flags as an array.

extra_linker_flags

 $flags = extra_linker_flags;

Returns the currently-configured extra linker flags as an array.

push_include_dirs

 push_include_dirs(@dirs);

Adds more include directories

push_library_dirs

 push_library_dirs(@dirs);

Adds more library directories

push_libraries

 push_libraries(@libs);

Adds more libraries

push_extra_compiler_flags

 push_extra_compiler_flags(@flags);

Adds more compiler flags

push_extra_linker_flags

 push_extra_linker_flags(@flags);

Adds more linker flags

define

 define($symbol);

Adds a new defined symbol directly; either by appending to the compiler flags or writing it into the defines file.

Socket Libraries

Some operating systems provide the BSD sockets API in their primary libc. Others keep it in a separate library which should be linked against. The following example demonstrates how this would be handled.

 find_libraries_for(
   diag => 'no socket()',
   libs => [ [], ['socket', 'nsl' ]],
   source => q[
 #include <sys/socket.h>
 int main(int argc, char *argv) {
  int fd = socket(PF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
  if (fd < 0)
    return 1;
  return 0;
 }
 ]);

Testing For Optional Features

Sometimes a function or ability may be optionally provided by the OS, or you may wish your module to be useable when only partial support is provided, without requiring it all to be present. In these cases it is traditional to detect the presence of this optional feature in the Build.PL script, and define a symbol to declare this fact if it is found. The XS code can then use this symbol to select between differing implementations. For example, the Build.PL:

 try_compile_run(
   define => 'HAVE_MANGO',
   source => <<'EOF');
 #include <mango.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 int main(void) {
  if (mango() != 0)
    exit(1);
  exit(0);
 }
 EOF

If the C code compiles and runs successfully, and exits with a true status, the symbol "HAVE_MANGO" will be defined on the compiler commandline. This allows the XS code to detect it, for example

   int
   mango()
     CODE:
   #ifdef HAVE_MANGO
       RETVAL = mango();
   #else
       croak("mango() not implemented");
   #endif
     OUTPUT:
       RETVAL

This module will then still compile even if the operating system lacks this particular function. Trying to invoke the function at runtime will simply throw an exception.

Linux Kernel Headers

Operating systems built on top of the Linux kernel often share a looser association with their kernel version than most other operating systems. It may be the case that the running kernel is newer, containing more features, than the distribution's libc headers would believe. In such circumstances it can be difficult to make use of new socket options, ioctl()s, etc.. without having the constants that define them and their parameter structures, because the relevant header files are not visible to the compiler. In this case, there may be little choice but to pull in some of the kernel header files, which will provide the required constants and structures.

The Linux kernel headers can be found using the /lib/modules directory. A fragment in Build.PL like the following, may be appropriate.

   chomp(my $uname_r = `uname -r);
   my @dirs = (
      [],
      [ "/lib/modules/$uname_r/source/include" ],
   );
   find_include_dirs_for(
      diag => "no PF_MOONLASER",
      dirs => \@dirs,
      source => <<'EOF');
   #include <sys/socket.h>
   #include <moon/laser.h>
   int family = PF_MOONLASER;
   struct laserwl lwl;
   int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     return 0;
   }
   EOF

This fragment will first try to compile the program as it stands, hoping that the libc headers will be sufficient. If it fails, it will then try including the kernel headers, which should make the constant and structure visible, allowing the program to compile.