Module::Build Build.PL parameter inserted by Module::Starter - fatal error

[Intrepid]

I hope I can get connectivity to Perlmonks long enough to post this write-up. It's been just terrible. Ok. We'll hope for better days ahead.

I used Module::Starter to create the accessory files and build infrastructure for a module I've been working on for some time now. I tried installing from CPAN on a Linux box using cpan (the script) and strangely enough, although I had cpan set up to prefer EU::MM (Makefile.PL) over M::B, it used M::B. This was a fortunate error because there was mistaken encoding on the Build.PL file (my name with an umlaut over the "o" gave perl indigestion). And it was also fortunate because the template-created Build.PL had an entry for release_status that terminated the creation of ./Build with extreme prejudice:

$ perl Build.PL --installdirs=site
Illegal value 'experimental' for release_status

I have now probably explained enough of the circumstances to ask my question: is this a problem other people have noticed? I just deleted the entire line and then Build.PL ran to completion. Was there a change of heart on the part of M::B authors, regarding a release_status of "experimental"? or was the inclusion of this by Module::Starter a mistake? Guesses, ideas, knowledge? TIA. Oh, and do download / install Env::AsYaml from CPAN.

    — Sören :-)

Sep 02, 2025 at 18:24 UTC

[choroba]

Module::Starter defaults to ExtUtils::MakeMaker. What parameters did you call module-starter with?

I've used Module::Starter for most of my distributions and I've never encountered the described problem.

It seems release_status is populated by Module::Starter::Simple, but its value is stable, not experimental. What version of Module::Starter did you use?

[Discipulus]

as side note ExtUtils-MakeMaker seems to accept only:  m{\A(?:stable|testing|unstable)\z}

L*

[hippo]

All tools should because that's what the spec says.

[Intrepid]

That's good to know, Discipulus.

Sep 03, 2025 at 17:56 UTC

[Intrepid]

choroba said:

I've used Module::Starter for most of my distributions and I've never encountered the described problem.

Great, thanks for replying. First, I think there's a misinterpretation to dismiss (my fault, I'm sure). When I wrote about preferring M::B over EU:MM, I was referring to cpan deciding what to do when there are both Makefile.PL and Build.PL files present in the distro. I went back and checked my CPAN config (after writing, of course ;/) and it was set up to prefer Build.PL. No idea why.

What parameters did you call module-starter with?
Sorry, I'm afraid I don't recall. It was several weeks ago and it has scrolled off my bash history. Whatever I did, I ended up with both a Makefile.PL and a Build.PL file. Let's see ... just tested it, yeah, you can do that by providing
both --eumm and --mb on the commandline. I must have done that?

What version of Module::Starter did you use?
$Module::Starter::VERSION == 1.78

Sep 02, 2025 at 22:26 UTC

[kcott]

G'day Intrepid,

"Sorry, I'm afraid I don't recall. It was several weeks ago and it has scrolled off my bash history. Whatever I did, I ended up with both a Makefile.PL and a Build.PL file. Let's see ... just tested it, yeah, you can do that by providing both --eumm and --mb on the commandline. I must have done that?"

Check your ~/.module-starter/config file. I have:

ken@titan ~/.module-starter
$ cat config | grep build
builder: ExtUtils::MakeMaker

The builder entry takes a space-separated list. Perhaps you have something like this:

builder: ExtUtils::MakeMaker Module::Build

I believe that would cause the "ended up with both a Makefile.PL and a Build.PL file" situation.