diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'README.win32')
| -rw-r--r-- | README.win32 | 275 |
1 files changed, 275 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/README.win32 b/README.win32 new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..36953ec0da --- /dev/null +++ b/README.win32 @@ -0,0 +1,275 @@ +If you read this file _as_is_, just ignore the funny characters you +see. It is written in the POD format (see pod/perlpod.pod) which is +specially designed to be readable as is. + +=head1 NAME + +perlwin32 - Perl under WindowsNT [XXX and perhaps under Windows95] + +=head1 SYNOPSIS + +These are instructions for building Perl under WindowsNT (versions +3.51 or 4.0), using Visual C++. + +=head1 DESCRIPTION + +Before you start, you should glance through the README file found +found in the top-level directory where the Perl distribution +was extracted. Make sure you read and understand the terms under +which this software is being distributed. + +Make sure you read the L<BUGS AND CAVEATS> section below for the +known limitations of this port. + +The INSTALL file in the perl top-level has much information that is +only relevant to people building Perl on Unix-like systems. In +particular, you can safely ignore any information that talks about +"Configure". + +You should probably also read the README.os2 file, which gives a +different set of rules to build a Perl that will work on Win32 +platforms. That method will probably enable you to build a more +Unix-compatible perl, but you will also need to download and use +various other support software described in that file. + +This set of instructions is meant to describe a so-called "native" +port of Perl to Win32 platforms. The resulting Perl requires no +additional software to run (other than what came with your operating +system). Currently, this port is only capable of using Microsoft's +Visual C++ compiler. The ultimate goal is to support the other major +compilers that can be used on the platforms. + +=head2 Setting Up + +=over 4 + +=item * + +Use the default "cmd" shell that comes with NT. In particular, do +*not* use the 4DOS/NT shell. The Makefile has commands that are not +compatible with that shell. + +=item * + +Run the VCVARS32.BAT file usually found somewhere like C:\MSDEV4.2\BIN. +This will set your build environment. + +=item * + +Depending on how you extracted the distribution, you have to make sure +all the files are writable by you. The easiest way to make sure of +this is to execute: + + attrib -R *.* /S + +from the perl toplevel directory. You don't I<have> to do this if you +used the right tools to extract the files in the standard distribution, +but it doesn't hurt to do so. + +=back + +=head2 Building and Installation + +=over 4 + +=item * + +The "win32" directory contains *.mak files for use with the NMAKE that +comes with Visual C++ ver. 4.0 and above. If you wish to build perl +using Visual C++ versions between 2.0 and 4.0, do the following three +additional steps (these three steps are not required if you are +using Visual C++ versions 4.0 and above): + +=over 8 + +=item 1. + +Overwrite the *.mak files in the win32 subdirectory with the versions +in the win32\VC-2.0 directory. (The only difference in those makefiles +is in how the $(INCLUDE) variable is handled--VC 2.0 NMAKE does not +grok a path list in $(INCLUDE)). + +=item 2. + +Reset your INCLUDE environment variable to the MSVC include directory. +For example: + + set INCLUDE=E:\MSVC20\INCLUDE + +This must have only one directory (a list of directories will not work). +VCVARS32.BAT may put multiple locations in there, which is why this step +is required. + +=item 3. + +Apply the patch found in win32\VC-2.0\vc2.patch, like so: + + cd win32 + patch -p2 -N < VC-2.0\vc2.patch + +You may have to edit win32\win32.c manually if you don't have GNU patch. + +=back + +=item * + +Make sure you are in the "win32" subdirectory under the perl toplevel. + +=item * + +Type "nmake" while in the "win32" subdirectory. This should build +everything. Specifically, it will create perl.exe, perl.dll, and +perlglob.exe at the perl toplevel, and various other extension dll's +under the lib\auto directory. If the make fails for any reason, make +sure you have done the previous steps correctly. + +=item * + +Type "nmake install". This will put the newly built perl and the +libraries under C:\PERL. If you want to alter this location, to say, +D:\FOO\PERL, you will have to say: + + nmake install INST_TOP=D:\FOO\PERL + +instead. To use the Perl you just installed, make sure you set your +PATH environment variable to C:\PERL\BIN (or D:\FOO\PERL\BIN). + +=back + +=head2 Testing + +Type "nmake test". This will run most of the tests from the +testsuite (many tests will be skipped, and some tests will fail). +Most failures are due to UNIXisms in the standard perl testsuite. + +To get a more detailed breakdown of the tests that failed, say: + + cd ..\t + .\perl harness + +This should produce a summary very similar to the following: + + Failed Test Status Wstat Total Fail Failed List of failed + ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + io/fs.t 26 16 61.54% 1-5, 7-11, 16-18, 23-25 + io/tell.t 13 1 7.69% 10 + lib/anydbm.t 12 1 8.33% 2 + lib/findbin.t 1 1 100.00% 1 + lib/sdbm.t 12 1 8.33% 2 + op/mkdir.t 7 2 28.57% 3, 7 + op/runlevel.t 8 1 12.50% 4 + op/stat.t 56 3 5.36% 3-4, 20 + op/taint.t 98 20 20.41% 1-6, 14, 16, 19-21, 24, 26, 35-3 + pragma/locale.t 98 40 40.82% 1, 13-14, 21-27, 33, 39, 45-53, + Failed 10/149 test scripts, 93.29% okay. 86/3506 subtests failed, 97.55% okay. + +Check if any additional tests other than the ones shown here +failed. The standard testsuite will ultimately be modified so +that the testsuite avoids running irrelevant tests on Win32. + +=head1 BUGS AND CAVEATS + +This is still very much an experimental port, and should be considered +alpha quality software. You can expect changes in virtually all of +these areas: build process, installation structure, supported +utilities/modules, and supported perl functionality. Specifically, +functionality that supports the Win32 environment may be ultimately +be supported as either core modules or extensions. + +Many tests from the standard testsuite either fail or produce different +results under this port. Most of the problems fall under one of these +categories + +=over 8 + +=item * + +C<stat()> and C<lstat()> functions may not behave as documented. They +may return values that bear no resemblance to those reported on Unix +platforms, and some fields may be completely bogus. + +=item * + +The following functions are currently unavailable: C<fork()>, C<exec()>, +C<dump()>, C<kill()>, C<chown()>, C<link()>, C<symlink()>, C<chroot()>, +C<setpgrp()>, C<getpgrp()>, C<setpriority()>, C<getpriority()>, +C<syscall()>, C<fcntl()>, C<flock()>. This list is possibly incomplete. + +=item * + +Various C<socket()> related calls are supported, but they may not +behave as on Unix platforms. + +=item * + +The four-argument C<select()> call is only supported on sockets. + +=item * + +The behavior of C<system()> or the C<qx[]> operator (a.k.a. "backticks"), +when used to call interactive commands, is ill-defined. + +=item * + +C<$!> doesn't work reliably yet. + +=item * + +Building modules available on CPAN is mostly supported, but this +hasn't been tested much yet. Expect strange problems, and be +prepared to deal with the consequences. + +=item * + +C<utime()>, C<times()> and process-related functions may not +behave as described in the documentation, and some of the +returned values or effects may be bogus. + +=item * + +Signal handling may not behave as on Unix platforms. + +=item * + +File globbing may not behave as on Unix platforms. + +=item * + +Not all of the utilities that come with the Perl distribution +are supported yet. + +=back + +Please send detailed descriptions of any problems and solutions that +you may find to <F<perlbug@perl.com>>, along with the output produced +by C<perl -V>. + +=head1 AUTHORS + +=over 4 + +=item Gary Ng <F<71564.1743@CompuServe.COM>> + +=item Gurusamy Sarathy <F<gsar@umich.edu>> + +=item Nick Ing-Simmons <F<nick@ni-s.u-net.com>> + +=back + +=head1 SEE ALSO + +L<perl> + +=head1 HISTORY + +This port was originally contributed by Gary Ng around 5.003_24, +and borrowed from the Hip Communications port that was available +at the time. + +Nick Ing-Simmons and Gurusamy Sarathy have made numerous and +sundry hacks since then. + +Last updated: 19 March 1997 + +=cut + |