Re^2: Syntax checking without BEGIN blocks

[Anonymous Monk]

IMO it is a module writer's responsibility, if at all possible, to allow the module user to check their own code without side effects.

That assumes no incompetence or malice on the part of the module writer. One of the first tests of competence is to see if the module is will actually pass a syntax check.

The problem of how to do that safely is really the one I'd like to address.

[bluto]

If you are worred about incompetance or malice, you better visually inspect the module and the Makefile that comes with it (I certainly do). Syntax checking is great for finding bugs during compiling your own code, but don't confuse it with keeping things safe. In fact the safest code is code that fails a syntax check.

Syntax checking can't stop someone from writing syntactically correct, non-BEGIN block, destructive code. All they have to do is bury something like system("rm -rf *") in the module somewhere and you will have lots of fun trying to find out why your system doesn't work.