Win32 Network Adapter module naming

[VinsWorldcom]

UPDATE: Thanks for all the responses / advice. Module is now live on CPAN: Win32::Net::Info.

A while back I needed a Win32 module for getting network interface / adapter information much like IO::Interface or Net::Interface or Net::Libdnet .. but for Windows (obviously). Also, I know of Win32::IPConfig and Win32::IPConfig::Adapter which use the registry, but don't have all the functionality I needed. Finding nothing that suited at the time, I started to write one myself using XS and hitting the GetAdaptersAddresses() API and parsing the IP_ADAPTER_ADDRESSES structure, but alas my XS skills suck and I ended up writing a Perl interface around some 'wmic', 'netsh' and other Windows command line calls. Hey, it worked.

I thought about CPAN upload for a long while (years) and now I probably should, but what to name it? Originally, 'Win32::GetAdapterAddresses' would have been a good name, but I don't do the XS API integration so didn't want to misrepresent the functionality. It's currently called 'Win32::Interface' - which made sense since at the time, IO::Interface was mainly the functionality I was trying to duplicate. But now not so sure. How about ...

• Win32::Interface - descriptive (for me), but thinking of others, I'm now not so sure. Also, I see Win32::API::Interface which is totally unrelated and I could cause confusion.
• Win32::Adapter - maybe?
• Win32::Network::Adapter - getting un-useful-ly long just to be overly descriptive
• Win32::Network::Interface - same as above
• IO::Interface::Win32 - I'm not actually sub-classing IO::Interface, so probably not a good idea
• Net::Interface::Win32 - same as above
• Win32::IO::Interface - just iterating names now ...
• Win32::IO::Adapter - and again ...
• Win32::Net::Interface - again ...
• Win32::Net::Adapter - ...

Mainly, should it live under IO::, Net:: or Win32::, and then what name under the top level namespace? Suggestions? Maybe a Perlmonks Poll?!?

[hippo]

From my reading of your post I'm drawing 2 conclusions:

1. This is only a getter - it retrieves data from the O/S but never makes changes to the system/NICs
2. It is highly Windows specific and is never intended to be of any use on other OSes

If those both hold, I'd go for Win32::Net::Info. That's short and descriptive and with Win32 at the top it keeps the O/S wars from flaring up. JMHO.

[VinsWorldcom]

Your assumptions are correct - Windows only and it does not make changes (only gets current settings). I agree Win32:: should most likely be the top level - I like your suggestion. THANKS!

[Discipulus]

Hello VinsWorldcom,

good news. I will be interested, even interested in the even if uncomplete XS works, just to figure how hard can be.

Anyway as hippo said from the river's bed Win32:: is the better toplevel.

Then is more matter of what you extract: if it is only like the ipconfig output also Win32::Ipconfig can be a choice.

The proposed Win32::Net::Info also sounds good; but i dunno if Net sounds too generalist. Win32::Nic or Win32::Nic::Info can be a choice.

Waiting your announcement, with the name you prefere!

L*

[VinsWorldcom]

Thanks. You can actually see the code now - not the XS stuff, that's long since deleted. It's part of Perl Packet Crafter here:

https://github.com/vinsworldcom/PPC/tree/master/lib/Win32

[1nickt]

Win32::Network::Adapter - getting un-useful-ly long just to be overly descriptive

Disagree. It's hard to imagine a name being "overly" descriptive ... the more specific it is, the better. Also, the closer it is to natural language, for searching to find it when you don't know what it's called.

Also, I don't think this example is anywhere close to being un-usefully long. You only have to write it once after all.

As to the actual name, I am not qualified to say, but hippo's suggestion as well as this one -- even Win32::Network::Adapter::Info if the only info it gives is about the network adapter -- make sense to me.

</$0.02>

[VinsWorldcom]

Thanks!

Nit-picking, but technically twice :-P

use Win32::Really::Long::Module::Name::To::Get::Interface::Adapter::In
+fo;
...
my $if = Win32::Really::Long::Module::Name::To::Get::Interface::Adapte
+r::Info->new();

... but point taken :-). Could always alias it as well. Three "levels" may be best - Win32::Net/Network::Interface/Adapter(::Info) - maybe optional fourth level of 'Info' in case someone wants to Win32::Net/Network::Interface/Adapter::Setter?