man File::ShareDir::PAR (3): File::ShareDir with PAR support

SYNOPSIS

use File::SharedDir::PAR ':ALL';
# exact same interface as the normal File::ShareDir:

# Where are distribution-level shared data files kept
$dir = dist_dir('File-ShareDir');

# Where are module-level shared data files kept
$dir = module_dir('File::ShareDir');

# Find a specific file in our dist/module shared dir
$file = dist_file( 'File-ShareDir', 'file/name.txt');
$file = module_file('File::ShareDir', 'file/name.txt');

# Like module_file, but search up the inheritance tree
$file = class_file( 'Foo::Bar', 'file/name.txt' );

You may choose to install the "File::ShareDir::PAR" functions into "File::ShareDir" so that they become available globally. In that case, you must do the following before anybody can import functions from "File::ShareDir":

  use File::ShareDir::PAR 'global';

WARNING

This module contains highly experimental code. If you want to load modules from ".par" files using PAR and then access their shared directory using "File::ShareDir", you probably have no choice but to use it. But beware, here be dragons.

DESCRIPTION

"File::ShareDir::PAR" provides the same functionality as File::ShareDir but tries hard to be compatible with PAR packaged applications.

The problem is, that the concept of having a distribution or module specific share directory becomes a little hazy when you're loading everything from a single file. PAR uses an @INC hook to intercept any attempt to load a module. File::ShareDir uses the directory structure that is typically found in the directories that are listed in @INC for storing the shared data. In a "PAR" environment, this is not necessarily possible.

When you call one of the functions that this module provides, it will take care to search in any of the currently loaded ".par" files before scanning @INC. This is the same order of preference you get for loading modules when PAR is in effect. If the path or file you are asking for is found in one of the loaded ".par" files, that containing ".par" file is extracted and the path returned will point to the extracted copy on disk.

Depending on how you're using PAR, the files that are extracted this way are either cleaned up after program termination or cached for further executions. Either way, you're safe if you use the shared data as read-only data. If you write to it, your changes may be lost after the program ends.

For any further usage information, including the list of exportable functions, please refer to the documentation of File::ShareDir.

SUPPORT

Bugs should always be submitted via the CPAN bug tracker

<http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=File-ShareDir-PAR>

For other issues, contact the PAR mailing list: <[email protected]>

AUTHOR

Steffen Mueller <[email protected]>

The code was adapted from Adam Kennedy's work on "File::ShareDir"

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

The portions of code that were copied from "File::ShareDir" are: