Welcome to the binary distribution of Perl for the Win32 platform. This distribution has been compiled using the Borland C++ compiler (version 5.02). It is built around the latest production release of Perl, version 5.004_02, which comes with Win32 support. Please note that this distribution is not to be confused with the pre-5.004 Perl port by the Activeware folks, or the binaries they distribute (which are mostly referred to by "build" numbers). This bundle contains almost everything you will need for using Perl on Win32 platforms. It also contains everything needed to build, test and install additional perl modules from CPAN that you may not find in here, provided they use the standard MakeMaker extension build tools. Since MakeMaker needs a `make' utility, a Win32 binary of Dennis Vadura's `dmake' tool is supplied (see below for more on `dmake'). For using this distribution to build extensions that need a C compiler, you will also need either Borland C++ 5.02, or Visual C++ (version 2.0 and later). WHY WOULD YOU WANT THIS? ------------------------ + You want to use perl on WindowsNT or Windows95, but you have no C compiler (or at least not one that will build perl). + You seem to have the compiler stuff, but not the patience or knowledge to deal with compiling perl and the various extensions. And you are happy to continue using the binary distributions that you know people are going to keep putting out once every half moon. [May not be exactly every half moon, but you'll keep the faith. Remember to give away that compiler you don't use :)] + You have one of the supported compilers that will build Perl, but you want to jump-start your XSsively hardcore perl module development by taking this shortcut. [But see the notes below on `USING IT WITH YOUR C COMPILER' for some caveats about doing this.] + You want a perl that is capable of doing sockets on Windows95, and you just have Visual C++. [The Visual C++ libraries known to date have a problem with sockets on Windows95, which might cause you trouble. The Borland libraries, which this distribution was built with, do not have the problem.] INSTALLATION ------------ To install: * Extract the archive so that the directory structure of the files is preserved. * `cd' to the top level directory. * Type `install' (if in the command shell) or click on `install.bat' (from the Explorer). If that refuses to run for some reason, you can instead type `perl\bin\perl install.bat' in the command shell. The setup process will ask a few questions and will offer to generate HTML documentation from the various files in the distribution. A full installation requires about 20 megabytes of free space. * Add the installed location of PERL.EXE to your `PATH'. For instance, if you asked for things to be installed under `e:\perl', add `e:\perl\bin' to your PATH. * You will need to edit the contents of %NetConfig in `lib\site\Net\Config.pm' to set the names of the servers used by the libnet package. PLATFORMS --------- This binary distribution has been extensively tested only on WindowsNT. Based on reports from others, I believe it also works on Windows95, but I personally did not test it on that platform. Note the supplied binaries are for the x86 architecture. WHAT IT CONTAINS ---------------- It includes the following packages: perl5.004_02 dmake-4.1 Alias-2.3 Bit-Vector-4.2 Curses-1.01 [*] Data-Dumper-2.07 DateCalc-3.2 DateManip-5.10 DBD-ODBC-0.16 DBI-0.89 Devel-Peek-0.83 Devel-Symdump-2.00 DProf-19970614 [*] GD-1.14 [*] libnet-1.0505 [*] libwin32-0.08 libwww-perl-5.11 MD5-1.7 MIME-Base64-2.03 MLDBM-1.23 Storable-0.5 [*] String-Approx-2.1 Tk402.002 NOTES: [*] These packages needed porting or other fixes to compile and run properly. All changes are included in the form of patches (the kind that can be applied using the GNU patch utility) in the `patches' subdirectory. The full sources of all of these packages (with the exception of dmake, see below for that) can be found on the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network (CPAN). Point your web browser at "http://www.perl.com/CPAN" to find the CPAN site nearest you. The package subdirectories under `distfiles' also contain other documentation and testsuites that came with the package. These are not installed, so you may want to save them for later reference. Please note that the patches are for information purposes only. You don't have to apply them (or even know what a patch is) to use this distribution. In case you find yourself needing to build things from source, there is a win32 port of GNU patch-2.1 at: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gsar/patch2_1-win32.tar.gz that can be used to apply the included patches. The modules in the distribution doubtless reflect my own personal pattern of use. In some cases, I made a conscious decision not to include modules that don't contain C or XS source, since it should be possible to obtain, build and install such modules from CPAN without too much trouble (or a C compiler), using perl and `dmake'. Nevertheless, I shall add specific modules to the distribution if there is demand. DEMOS ----- After you install the distribution and add its location to your PATH, you can run the `widget' demo to check if your installed perl is working properly. To make sure your new PATH setting takes effect, you may have to reboot. Afterward, just type `widget' in the command shell, or double-click on `widget.bat' from the Explorer. DOCUMENTATION ------------- If you choose, the installation process converts all the Plain Old Documentation it can find into HTML pages. There are normally stored in the `html' subdirectory under the install location. You can start browsing the main perl documentation at `html/lib/pod/perl.html'. If you choose not to install HTML, you can still browse almost all of the perl documentation from the command line using `perldoc'. Type `perldoc perldoc' to get started. The `distfiles' area of the distribution also contains much HTML documentation that is not handled by the install process. You may want to selectively copy parts of it to wherever you normally install your web documents. USING IT WITH YOUR C COMPILER ----------------------------- If you don't have a supported C compiler, this section doesn't apply to you. If you have one, and intend using it to build other modules that require a C compiler, then read on. This distribution was compiled with Borland C++ 5.02, using `dmake'. If you too have that compiler (or a later version), there are no caveats about using this distribution for further builds of extensions. (I have heard earlier versions of Borland C++ have a buggy linker that doesn't like the module definition files that perl generates, so your mileage may vary if you're using versions earlier than 5.02.) If you don't have the Borland compiler, it is also possible to build and use extension binaries compiled with Visual C++. The converse-- using a perl binary built under Visual C++ with extension binaries built under Borland C++--does not work due to a bug in the Visual C++ linker (present as of version 5.0). In other words, if you have the Visual C++ compiler *and* you plan to use some pre-built extensions in this distribution *and* compile some of your own using the Visual C++ compiler, you will need the perl binaries that came with this distribution. So don't overwrite the perl binary with one that you may have built yourself using the Visual C++ compiler. The setup procedure will do the necessary things to make sure the installed version of the `lib\Config.pm' file will work with your compiler for future extension builds. TERMS OF USE ------------ Perl can be freely distributed under the `Artistic License' or the `GNU General Public Licence', described in the two files `Artistic' and `Copying' respectively. Most of the modules have statements to the effect that they can be distributed under the same terms as Perl, but you should download and check the individual module's sources to be sure. The included dmake tool is compiled from the latest public release of dmake-4.1 available from `ftp://plg.uwaterloo.ca/pub/dmake/'. The binary is completely unsupported. Full (commercial) support for dmake may be obtained from its author. See `http://dmake.wticorp.com/' for the latest. Note that public version of dmake-4.1 can only be distributed under the GNU General Public Licence. The remaining parts of this binary distribution itself can be distributed under the same terms as Perl. Beware that it is provided "as is", and comes with absolutely no warranty of any kind, either express or implied. If you use the contents of this distribution, you do so at your own risk, and you agree to free the author(s) of any consequences arising from such use, either intended or otherwise. BEING NICE TO NICE BEINGS ------------------------- Perl is the creation of Larry Wall. Continuing refinement of Perl is made possible by the unceasing efforts of many fine folk who have banded together with Larry in endless perlesque banter, collectively calling themselves "The Perl Porters". If you find perl useful in getting your job done, you may want to drop them a note of appreciation at . Be sure to recount any war stories about how Perl helped you win your battles :) Another fine way to encourage development of perl is to become a member of The Perl Institute, a non-profit organization which helps "people help Perl help people" (or something like that). See http://www.perl.org/ for details. If you plan to put this on a CDROM or other similar media, I request that you send me a brief message. Note that some modules explicitly require that you obtain permission from the module author to do that sort of thing, so you should. Altered versions of this distribution must be clearly marked as such. Enjoy! Gurusamy Sarathy (Just Another Perl Porter) gsar@umich.edu 08-AUG-1997