README.mpeix - Perl/iX for HP e3000 MPE


NAME

README.mpeix - Perl/iX for HP e3000 MPE


=head1 SYNOPSIS
   http://www.bixby.org/mark/perlix.html
   Perl language for MPE
   Last updated June 2, 2000 @ 0400 UTC

=head1 NOTE

This is a podified version of the above-mentioned web page, podified by Jarkko Hietaniemi 2001-Jan-01.


What's New

June 1, 2000


=over 4

May 20, 2000


System Requirements


How to Obtain Perl/iX

  1. Download Perl using either FTP.ARPA.SYS or some other client

  2. Extract the installation script

  3. Edit the installation script

  4. Run the installation script

  5. Convert your *.a system archive libraries to *.sl shared libraries
    
    =back

    Download Perl using FTP.ARPA.SYS from your HP 3000 (the preferred method).....

    
        :HELLO MANAGER.SYS
        :XEQ FTP.ARPA.SYS
        open ftp.bixby.org
        anonymous
        your@email.address
        bytestream
        cd /pub/mpe
        get perl-5.6.0-mpe.tar.Z /tmp/perl.tar.Z;disc=2147483647
        exit

    .....Or download using some other generic web or ftp client (the alternate method)

    
    Download the following files (make sure that you use "binary mode" or
    whatever client feature that is 8-bit clean):


Distribution Contents Highlights

README
The file you're reading now.

=item INSTALL

Perl/iX Installation script.


=item LIBSHP3K

Script to convert *.a system archive libraries to *.sl shared libraries.


=item PERL

Perl NMPRG executable. A version-numbered backup copy also exists. You might wish to ``ln -s /PERL/PUB/PERL /usr/local/bin/perl''.


=item .cpan/

Much add-on source code downloaded with the CPAN module.


=item lib/

Perl libraries, both core and add-on.


=item man/

Perl man page documentation.

public_html/feedback.cgi
Sample feedback CGI form written in Perl.

=item src/perl-5.6.0-mpe

Source code.


=head1 How to Compile Perl/iX
  1. cd src/perl-5.6.0-mpe

  2. Read the INSTALL file for the official instructions

  3. ./Configure -d

  4. make

  5. ./mpeix/relink

  6. make test (expect approximately 15 out of 11306 subtests to fail, mostly due to MPE not supporting hard links, UDP socket problems, and handling exit() return codes improperly)

  7. make install

  8. Optionally create symbolic links that point to the Perl executable, i.e. ln -s /PERL/PUB/PERL /usr/local/bin/perl
    
    =back

    The summary test results from ``cd t; ./perl -I../lib harness'':

      Failed Test  Status Wstat Total Fail  Failed  List of failed
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
      io/fs.t                      29    8  27.59%  2-5, 7-9, 11
      io/openpid.t                 10    1  10.00%  7
      lib/io_sock.t                14    1   7.14%  13
      lib/io_udp.t                  7    2  28.57%  3, 5
      lib/posix.t                  27    1   3.70%  12
      op/lex_assign.t             187    1   0.53%  13
      op/stat.t                    58    1   1.72%  3
      15 tests and 94 subtests skipped.
      Failed 7/236 test scripts, 97.03% okay. 15/11306 subtests failed, 99.87% okay.


Getting Started with Perl/iX

Create your Perl script files with ``#!/PERL/PUB/perl'' (or an equivalent symbolic link) as the first line. Use the chmod command to make sure that your script has execute permission. Run your script!


Be sure to take a look at the CPAN module list
(http://www.cpan.org/CPAN.html). A wide variety of free Perl software
is available.  You can automatically download these packages by using
the CPAN module (http://theoryx5.uwinnipeg.ca/CPAN/data/perl/CPAN.html).


MPE/iX Implementation Considerations

There some minor functionality issues to be aware of when comparing Perl for Unix (Perl/UX) to Perl/iX:


=head1 Known Bugs Under Investigation

None.


=head1 To-Do List


Change History

May 6, 1999


=over 4