Subject: Re: version-specific directories for new (5.8.7) Perl are 5.8.0 and related @INC question
To: Mark E. Perkins <perkinsm@bway.net>
From: Johnny C. Lam <jlam@NetBSD.org>
List: tech-pkg
Date: 08/06/2005 21:40:18
On Sat, Aug 06, 2005 at 05:30:40PM -0400, Mark E. Perkins wrote:
> I just installed the updated Perl 5.8.7 package.....
> 
> My first question is why are the version-specific directories '5.8.0'
> and not '5.8.7'?

This is by choice.  We now install all perl modules in a directory
that is versioned to match the Perl ABI version instead of the actual
version.  This makes the most sense since pkgsrc only allows a single
version of perl to be installed at a time.  If the Perl ABI is the
same between different versions of perl, then modules can be reused.

> My second question is why does @INC *not* include the site_perl
> directories for previous versions.

"site" modules are now also managed in the same way, using directories
that are matched to the Perl ABI version for the same reasons.

> I have quite a few self-installed and pkgsrc-installed modules in those
> 5.8.4 and 5.8.6 site_perl directories. Am I really going to have to
> install every one of them again?

Yes.  This was a big change that I've posted to tech-pkg@ several
times already so that users would have a heads-up.  Using the new perl
framework, reinstalling modules won't be necessary after future perl
updates.

	Cheers,

	-- Johnny Lam <jlam@NetBSD.org>