This software can unpack CPAN distributions quickly and easily, allowing users to access and use the modules and libraries contained within them. It streamlines the process of working with CPAN distributions, making it simpler and more efficient.
One particularly useful module within the CPAN is called CPAN::Unpack. It does exactly what its name suggests: it unpacks the latest version of each module distribution and places it in a directory of your choosing. This makes it much easier to access and use the code you need.
There is one requirement for using CPAN::Unpack: you will need a local CPAN mirror. Luckily, constructing one is fairly simple. You can use a command like "/usr/bin/rsync -av --delete ftp.nic.funet.fi::CPAN /Users/acme/cpan/CPAN/" to create it.
It's worth noting that a CPAN mirror can take up a fair amount of space - around 1.5G - and may take some time to sync initially. Once it's set up, unpacking modules will use up an additional 1.6G of space.
Despite these potential space constraints, CPAN::Unpack can be incredibly valuable for anyone interested in code metrics, searching CPAN, or just being nosy. The module uses Parse::CPAN::Packages' latest_distributions method for finding the most recent distribution of a module.
To use CPAN::Unpack in your own code, simply include the following lines:
use CPAN::Unpack;
my $u = CPAN::Unpack->new;
$u->cpan("path/to/CPAN/");
$u->destination("cpan_unpacked/");
$u->unpack();
These lines will allow you to specify the location of the CPAN mirror and the destination directory for your unpacked files. With a little setup time, CPAN::Unpack can help you streamline your coding process and access the modules you need more easily.
Version 0.23: N/A