pkgbox

Welcome to the pkgbox PPM repository for ActiveState Perl 5.16 for Win7/64

 

Update: The project has a new url, please follow this link: ppm.pkgbox.de

 

Voila, after the RPM packages I decided to bring on some more stuff. Sometimes – from time to time I am using Windows with ActiveState Perl. I like their distribution, it’s modern, it well integrated, it works. However, they are lacking a few packages. Sometimes when you are in desperate need of a CPAN module their package repository will lack the desired package.

So after their PPM repositories fooled me e.g. on Regexp::Common I decided to build my own PPM repository. I’ve built a local CPAN mirror using CPAN::Mini and now I am rebuilding every package that’s not inside the ActiveState repository. Basically, I am assembling a list of all the CPAN modules from my local mirror, check if they are part of the ActiveState repository and if they are not I am building them on a Windows 7 machine with MinGW64 compiler toolchain. It will take some time to rebuild everything. however, after some time the repository will be complete. Once I’ve cleaned up the source, I will provide the buildbot scripts for download.

How can I setup my ActiveState Perl to add your repo?

That’s very easy. Open the ActiveState Perl Package Manager from the Windows StartMenu. It may not be visible, please navigate to Start->ActiveState Perl->Perl Package Manager. Choose the menu item Preferences from the Edit menu. Switch to the Repository tab and enter the following data.

After clicking “Add” the repository will be added to your package management and is ready for usage. You can also use the command line. Open a Windows cmd shell and enter the following command.

C:\> ppm repo add http://ppm.pkgbox.de/ppm16/ppds/package.xml pkgbox

The repository will be added, scanned andthe new packages are available.

 

Can I use your repo for 32bit Windows installations?

I am not sure. I guess if the modules are just plain pure Perl it should work. If the modules contain binary code (XS modules) they won’t work. Figure it out and drop me a note. I am don’t own a running Windows XP installation anymore therefore I can’t test it.

 

Will the repo work with older ActiveState Perl installations?

I don’t have the chance to test, please do and report the results. It should work – however, it might fail with XS / binary code modules.

 

Why the heck are you using Perl on Windows?

Perl is well supported on the Windows platform. Coding on a different platform than your deployment will run improves your coding skills alot. ActiveState brought a great Perl base to the Windows world and it’s probably the best Perl in terms of maintainance. There might be a few quirks here and there but basically the standard stuff works without errors. If you are playing with EV (libev) you won’t feel that happy for a longer time. However, most of the broken Perl on Windows is a problem of the code not from the Windows platform itself.

The company I am working for provides a Windows workstation for me, so I am used to Windows on the client site.

 

Will you switch your job when we provide a MacBook Air and you can code Perl?

Yes, I certainly will think about it. Please drop me note.