How to update perl on FreeBSD 4.9R

[Paul Schmehl]

--On Friday, October 08, 2004 04:40:40 PM -0400 Danny <nocmonkey at gmail.com> 
wrote:
>
> mx1# use.perl port Makefile.PL
> Usage:
>   /usr/local/bin/use.perl port       -> /usr/bin/perl is the perl5 port
>   /usr/local/bin/use.perl system     -> /usr/bin/perl is the system perl
> mx1#
>
> "port" as in the name of the port you are using? I have never really
> worked with perl before.
>
Are you familiar with the FreeBSD ports system?  FreeBSD installs perl in 
the base system, but there is also a version of perl in the ports.  The 
ports version is much newer than the system version, and for what you want, 
you would want the port version of perl.

However, I would *not* install a CPAN module in FreeBSD.  I would use the 
ports system to install the module as well.  You can use "locate" to find 
the port you need.

> I am following the instructions here:
> http://www.cpan.org/modules/INSTALL.html
>
> Specifically at this step:
>
> perl Makefile.PL
>
> in my case, I would do use.perl port Makefile.pl? Or use.perl Makefile.pl?
>
No.  *After* you install the port of perl from the FreeBSD ports system 
(/usr/ports/lang/perl5.8), *then* you run "use.perl port" from the CLI. 
This has *nothing* to do with installing a CPAN module.  This is how you 
update perl on your system to a newer version than the base, system version.

> Either way, I have tried both, and I get:
>
> mx1# /usr/local/bin/use.perl Makefile.PL
> Usage:
>   /usr/local/bin/use.perl port       -> /usr/bin/perl is the perl5 port
>   /usr/local/bin/use.perl system     -> /usr/bin/perl is the system perl
> mx1#
>
If you understand usage statements, this one is telling you the commands 
that are available for the use.perl script - port and system.  If you want 
to use the ports version of perl, you type use.perl port.  If you want to 
use the system version of perl, you type use.perl system ***at the 
commandline***.  This has *nothing* to do with CPAN modules.

However, once you've installed the ports version of perl, I would use the 
ports version of CPAN modules as well.  You will have much less trouble 
that way.

However, it's beginning to look like you have a lot of reading to do before 
you'll understand what I'm talking about.

Paul Schmehl (pauls at utdallas.edu)
Adjunct Information Security Officer
The University of Texas at Dallas
AVIEN Founding Member
http://www.utdallas.edu