Dist::Zilla Takes Instructions

By byterock on February 25, 2018 4:00 PM

YAP, Yet another Post-ette here at the Dist-Pen today.

There seem to be a never ending list of the chores that are involved with creating a distribution for CPAN. This is my eight post dealing with these little chores and hopefully the last in this vain. So today I am going to see if Dist::Zilla can help me with the README file.

This file normally contains detailed instructions on on how to install the module, not really requirement for a simple Moose module like mine, but something like DBD::Oracle, it uses XS and an external data driver, the README is essential. Anyway I always think it is a good Idea to have one.

Dist::Zill comes with a 'Readme' plug-in so lets give that a try first, by adding it into my '.ini' file;



…

[CheckChangesHasContent]

[PodWeaver]

++[Readme]

After a 'dizil build' in the output dir I get a README file with this content

This archive contains the distribution Database-Accessor,
version 0.01:
CRUD Interface for any DB
This software is Copyright (c) 2018 by John Scoles.
This is free software, licensed under:
The GNU General Public License, Version 3, June 2007
This README file was generated by Dist::Zilla::Plugin::Readme v6.011.

Ok it delivers as promised a 'very simple' readme. Lets have a quick look at another plug-in I had my eye on Dist::Zilla::Plugin::Readme::Brief. This one is not a standard plug-in so I had to install it,took a little while, and looking at some of its attributes I think I will use it like this



…

[CheckChangesHasContent]

[PodWeaver]

[Readme::Brief]

installer = mb

installer = eumm

The above should add in both the directions for Make::Maker and Build, and after a quick 'clean' and 'build' I get my README file and in it I see my nice description from the POD, the Copyrint and Licene info at the bottom and in the middle this;



  INSTALLATION

  This is a Perl module distribution. It should be installed with whichever

  tool you use to manage your installation of Perl, e.g. any of

    cpanm .

    cpan  .

    cpanp -i .

  Consult http://www.cpan.org/modules/INSTALL.html for further instruction.

  Should you wish to install this module manually, the procedure is

    perl Build.PL

    ./Build

    ./Build test

    ./Build install

  or

    perl Makefile.PL

    make

    make test

    make install