Convert::IBM390 -- functions for manipulating mainframe data
How to Install
==============
This distribution includes two versions of the code: Perl-only and
Perl with XS and C. Ordinarily, you will probably want to install the
latter (with XS), since the functions are written in C and run quite
a bit faster. You, however, may prefer the Perl version -- if, for
instance, you do not have access to the C compiler that was used to
build Perl, or if you just prefer to have pure Perl code in your
libraries.
If you want the Perl/XS version, begin thus:
perl Makefile.PL
If you want the Perl-only version, begin thus:
perl Makefile.PL noxs
The complete shtick:
perl Makefile.PL [noxs]
make
make test
make install
If your C compiler defaults to signed rather than unsigned char (many
do), you may see some warnings about type mismatches, although I believe
I have corrected all such problems. Anyhow, the mismatches are
harmless. As long as the C code compiles correctly, the module should
work.
If you have to build the module a second (third, fourth, ...) time, run
"make clean" before running the above commands.
Debugging Option
================
This module should work on most platforms, but if you have trouble with
it (during "make test", for instance), you can compile the Perl/XS
version with a debugging flag. This will produce a number of messages
in stderr at run time.
The Perl-only version ignores this flag, but you can run it with the
standard Perl debugger (-d) if you wish.
Note the following lines in Makefile.PL:
'DEFINE' => $p_define,
# 'DEFINE' => "$p_define -DDEBUG390", # if debugging is desired
To enable debugging, just comment out the first line (add a '#' to the
front) and uncomment the second line (delete the first '#'). Then
rebuild the module, starting with "make clean". E-mail me if you need
help interpreting the debugging output.
Be sure to rebuild *WITHOUT* debugging before installing the module for
general use.
Geoffrey Rommel
August 1999