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Revision 1.15 by root, Wed Dec 8 23:01:30 2010 UTC vs.
Revision 1.18 by root, Fri Dec 10 02:35:54 2010 UTC

28 staticperl mkapp myapp --boot mainprog mymodules 28 staticperl mkapp myapp --boot mainprog mymodules
29 # build a binary "myapp" from mainprog and mymodules 29 # build a binary "myapp" from mainprog and mymodules
30 30
31=head1 DESCRIPTION 31=head1 DESCRIPTION
32 32
33This script helps you creating single-file perl interpreters, or embedding 33This script helps you to create single-file perl interpreters
34a perl interpreter in your applications. Single-file means that it is 34or applications, or embedding a perl interpreter in your
35fully self-contained - no separate shared objects, no autoload fragments, 35applications. Single-file means that it is fully self-contained - no
36no .pm or .pl files are needed. And when linking statically, you can 36separate shared objects, no autoload fragments, no .pm or .pl files are
37create (or embed) a single file that contains perl interpreter, libc, all 37needed. And when linking statically, you can create (or embed) a single
38the modules you need and all the libraries you need. 38file that contains perl interpreter, libc, all the modules you need, all
39the libraries you need and of course your actual program.
39 40
40With F<uClibc> and F<upx> on x86, you can create a single 500kb binary 41With F<uClibc> and F<upx> on x86, you can create a single 500kb binary
41that contains perl and 100 modules such as POSIX, AnyEvent, EV, IO::AIO, 42that contains perl and 100 modules such as POSIX, AnyEvent, EV, IO::AIO,
42Coro and so on. Or any other choice of modules. 43Coro and so on. Or any other choice of modules.
43 44
66=item * The generated executables don't need a writable filesystem. 67=item * The generated executables don't need a writable filesystem.
67 68
68F<staticperl> loads all required files directly from memory. There is no 69F<staticperl> loads all required files directly from memory. There is no
69need to unpack files into a temporary directory. 70need to unpack files into a temporary directory.
70 71
71=item * More control over included files. 72=item * More control over included files, more burden.
72 73
73PAR tries to be maintenance and hassle-free - it tries to include more 74PAR tries to be maintenance and hassle-free - it tries to include more
74files than necessary to make sure everything works out of the box. The 75files than necessary to make sure everything works out of the box. It
75extra files (such as the unicode database) can take substantial amounts of 76mostly succeeds at this, but he extra files (such as the unicode database)
76memory and file size. 77can take substantial amounts of memory and file size.
77 78
78With F<staticperl>, the burden is mostly with the developer - only direct 79With F<staticperl>, the burden is mostly with the developer - only direct
79compile-time dependencies and L<AutoLoader> are handled automatically. 80compile-time dependencies and L<AutoLoader> are handled automatically.
80This means the modules to include often need to be tweaked manually. 81This means the modules to include often need to be tweaked manually.
82
83All this does not preclude more permissive modes to be implemented in
84the future, but right now, you have to resolve state hidden dependencies
85manually.
81 86
82=item * PAR works out of the box, F<staticperl> does not. 87=item * PAR works out of the box, F<staticperl> does not.
83 88
84Maintaining your own custom perl build can be a pain in the ass, and while 89Maintaining your own custom perl build can be a pain in the ass, and while
85F<staticperl> tries to make this easy, it still requires a custom perl 90F<staticperl> tries to make this easy, it still requires a custom perl
106Afterwards, you create a list of files and modules you want to include, 111Afterwards, you create a list of files and modules you want to include,
107and then either build a new perl binary (that acts just like a normal perl 112and then either build a new perl binary (that acts just like a normal perl
108except everything is compiled in), or you create bundle files (basically C 113except everything is compiled in), or you create bundle files (basically C
109sources you can use to embed all files into your project). 114sources you can use to embed all files into your project).
110 115
111This step is very fast (a few seconds if PPI is not used for stripping, 116This step is very fast (a few seconds if PPI is not used for stripping, or
112more seconds otherwise, as PPI is very slow), and can be tweaked and 117the stripped files are in the cache), and can be tweaked and repeated as
113repeated as often as necessary. 118often as necessary.
114 119
115=head1 THE F<STATICPERL> SCRIPT 120=head1 THE F<STATICPERL> SCRIPT
116 121
117This module installs a script called F<staticperl> into your perl 122This module installs a script called F<staticperl> into your perl
118binary directory. The script is fully self-contained, and can be used 123binary directory. The script is fully self-contained, and can be used
302 307
303The default is C<pod>, which uses the L<Pod::Strip> module to remove all 308The default is C<pod>, which uses the L<Pod::Strip> module to remove all
304pod documentation, which is very fast and reduces file size a lot. 309pod documentation, which is very fast and reduces file size a lot.
305 310
306The C<ppi> method uses L<PPI> to parse and condense the perl sources. This 311The C<ppi> method uses L<PPI> to parse and condense the perl sources. This
307saves a lot more than just L<Pod::Strip>, and is generally safer, but 312saves a lot more than just L<Pod::Strip>, and is generally safer,
308is also a lot slower, so is best used for production builds. Note that 313but is also a lot slower (some files take almost a minute to strip -
309this method doesn't optimise for raw file size, but for best compression 314F<staticperl> maintains a cache of stripped files to speed up subsequent
310(that means that the uncompressed file size is a bit larger, but the files 315runs for this reason). Note that this method doesn't optimise for raw file
311compress better, e.g. with F<upx>). 316size, but for best compression (that means that the uncompressed file size
317is a bit larger, but the files compress better, e.g. with F<upx>).
312 318
313Last not least, if you need accurate line numbers in error messages, 319Last not least, if you need accurate line numbers in error messages,
314or in the unlikely case where C<pod> is too slow, or some module gets 320or in the unlikely case where C<pod> is too slow, or some module gets
315mistreated, you can specify C<none> to not mangle included perl sources in 321mistreated, you can specify C<none> to not mangle included perl sources in
316any way. 322any way.
410(using a C<require>) before anything else when the new perl is 416(using a C<require>) before anything else when the new perl is
411initialised. This can be used to modify C<@INC> or anything else before 417initialised. This can be used to modify C<@INC> or anything else before
412the perl interpreter executes scripts given on the command line (or via 418the perl interpreter executes scripts given on the command line (or via
413C<-e>). This works even in an embedded interpreter. 419C<-e>). This works even in an embedded interpreter.
414 420
415=item --add "file" | --add "file alias" 421=item --incglob pattern
422
423This goes through all library directories and tries to match any F<.pm>
424and F<.pl> files against the extended glob pattern (see below). If a file
425matches, it is added. This switch will automatically detect L<AutoLoader>
426files and the required link libraries for XS modules, but it will I<not>
427scan the file for dependencies (at the moment).
428
429This is mainly useful to include "everything":
430
431 --incglob '*'
432
433Or to include perl libraries, or trees of those, such as the unicode
434database files needed by many other modules:
435
436 --incglob '/unicore/**.pl'
437
438=item --add file | --add "file alias"
416 439
417Adds the given (perl) file into the bundle (and optionally call it 440Adds the given (perl) file into the bundle (and optionally call it
418"alias"). This is useful to include any custom files into the bundle. 441"alias"). This is useful to include any custom files into the bundle.
419 442
420Example: embed the file F<httpd> as F<httpd.pm> when creating the bundle. 443Example: embed the file F<httpd> as F<httpd.pm> when creating the bundle.
426 # specification file 449 # specification file
427 add file1 myfiles/file1 450 add file1 myfiles/file1
428 add file2 myfiles/file2 451 add file2 myfiles/file2
429 add file3 myfiles/file3 452 add file3 myfiles/file3
430 453
431=item --binadd "file" | --add "file alias" 454=item --binadd file | --add "file alias"
432 455
433Just like C<--add>, except that it treats the file as binary and adds it 456Just like C<--add>, except that it treats the file as binary and adds it
434without any processing. 457without any processing.
435 458
436You should probably add a C</> prefix to avoid clashing with embedded 459You should probably add a C</> prefix to avoid clashing with embedded
437perl files (whose paths do not start with C</>), and/or use a special 460perl files (whose paths do not start with C</>), and/or use a special
438directory, such as C</res/name>. 461directory, such as C</res/name>.
439 462
440You can later get a copy of these files by calling C<staticperl::find 463You can later get a copy of these files by calling C<staticperl::find
441"alias">. 464"alias">.
465
466=item --include pattern | -i pattern | --exclude pattern | -x pattern
467
468These two options define an include/exclude filter that is used after all
469files selected by the other options have been found. Each include/exclude
470is applied to all files found so far - an include makes sure that the
471given files will be part of the resulting file set, an exclude will
472exclude files. The patterns are "extended glob patterns" (see below).
473
474For example, to include everything, except C<Devel> modules, but still
475include F<Devel::PPPort>, you could use this:
476
477 --incglob '*' -i '/Devel/PPPort.pm' -x '/Devel/**'
442 478
443=item --static 479=item --static
444 480
445When C<--perl> is also given, link statically instead of dynamically. The 481When C<--perl> is also given, link statically instead of dynamically. The
446default is to link the new perl interpreter fully dynamic (that means all 482default is to link the new perl interpreter fully dynamic (that means all
451systems based on GNU libc don't really support it in a usable fashion 487systems based on GNU libc don't really support it in a usable fashion
452either. Try uClibc if you want to create fully statically linked 488either. Try uClibc if you want to create fully statically linked
453executables, or try the C<--staticlibs> option to link only some libraries 489executables, or try the C<--staticlibs> option to link only some libraries
454statically. 490statically.
455 491
492=item --staticlib libname
493
494When not linking fully statically, this option allows you to link specific
495libraries statically. What it does is simply replace all occurances of
496C<-llibname> with the GCC-specific C<-Wl,-Bstatic -llibname -Wl,-Bdynamic>
497option.
498
499This will have no effect unless the library is actually linked against,
500specifically, C<--staticlib> will not link against the named library
501unless it would be linked against anyway.
502
503Example: link libcrypt statically into the binary.
504
505 staticperl mkperl -MIO::AIO --staticlib crypt
506
507 # ldopts might nwo contain:
508 # -lm -Wl,-Bstatic -lcrypt -Wl,-Bdynamic -lpthread
509
456=item any other argument 510=item any other argument
457 511
458Any other argument is interpreted as a bundle specification file, which 512Any other argument is interpreted as a bundle specification file, which
459supports most long options (without extra quoting), one option per line. 513supports most long options (without extra quoting), one option per line.
514
515=back
516
517=head3 EXTENDED GLOB PATTERNS
518
519Some options of F<staticperl mkbundle> expect an I<extended glob
520pattern>. This is neither a normal shell glob nor a regex, but something
521in between. The idea has been copied from rsync, and there are the current
522matching rules:
523
524=over 4
525
526=item Patterns starting with F</> will be a anchored at the root of the library tree.
527
528That is, F</unicore> will match the F<unicore> directory in C<@INC>, but
529nothing inside, and neither any other file or directory called F<unicore>
530anywhere else in the hierarchy.
531
532=item Patterns not starting with F</> will be anchored at the end of the path.
533
534That is, F<idna.pl> will match any file called F<idna.pl> anywhere in the
535hierarchy, but not any directories of the same name.
536
537=item A F<*> matches any single component.
538
539That is, F</unicore/*.pl> would match all F<.pl> files directly inside
540C</unicore>, not any deeper level F<.pl> files. Or in other words, F<*>
541will not match slashes.
542
543=item A F<**> matches anything.
544
545That is, F</unicore/**.pl> would match all F<.pl> files under F</unicore>,
546no matter how deeply nested they are inside subdirectories.
547
548=item A F<?> matches a single character within a component.
549
550That is, F</Encode/??.pm> matches F</Encode/JP.pm>, but not the
551hypothetical F</Encode/J/.pm>, as F<?> does not match F</>.
460 552
461=back 553=back
462 554
463=head2 F<STATICPERL> CONFIGURATION AND HOOKS 555=head2 F<STATICPERL> CONFIGURATION AND HOOKS
464 556
782After you have compiled and set up your buildroot target, you can copy 874After you have compiled and set up your buildroot target, you can copy
783F<staticperl> from the C<App::Staticperl> distribution or from your 875F<staticperl> from the C<App::Staticperl> distribution or from your
784perl f<bin> directory (if you installed it) into the F<output/target> 876perl f<bin> directory (if you installed it) into the F<output/target>
785filesystem, chroot inside and run it. 877filesystem, chroot inside and run it.
786 878
879=head1 RECIPES / SPECIFIC MODULES
880
881This section contains some common(?) recipes and information about
882problems with some common modules or perl constructs that require extra
883files to be included.
884
885=head2 MODULES
886
887=over 4
888
889=item utf8
890
891Some functionality in the utf8 module, such as swash handling (used
892for unicode character ranges in regexes) is implemented in the
893C<"utf8_heavy.pl"> library:
894
895 -M'"utf8_heavy.pl"'
896
897Many Unicode properties in turn are defined in separate modules,
898such as C<"unicore/Heavy.pl"> and more specific data tables such as
899C<"unicore/To/Digit.pl"> or C<"unicore/lib/Perl/Word.pl">. These tables
900are big (7MB uncompressed, although F<staticperl> contains special
901handling for those files), so including them on demand by your application
902only might pay off.
903
904To simply include the whole unicode database, use:
905
906 --incglob '/unicore/*.pl'
907
908=item AnyEvent
909
910AnyEvent needs a backend implementation that it will load in a delayed
911fashion. The L<AnyEvent::Impl::Perl> backend is the default choice
912for AnyEvent if it can't find anything else, and is usually a safe
913fallback. If you plan to use e.g. L<EV> (L<POE>...), then you need to
914include the L<AnyEvent::Impl::EV> (L<AnyEvent::Impl::POE>...) backend as
915well.
916
917If you want to handle IRIs or IDNs (L<AnyEvent::Util> punycode and idn
918functions), you also need to include C<"AnyEvent/Util/idna.pl"> and
919C<"AnyEvent/Util/uts46data.pl">.
920
921=item Carp
922
923Carp had (in older versions of perl) a dependency on L<Carp::Heavy>. As of
924perl 5.12.2 (maybe earlier), this dependency no longer exists.
925
926=item Config
927
928The F<perl -V> switch (as well as many modules) needs L<Config>, which in
929turn might need L<"Config_heavy.pl">. Including the latter gives you
930both.
931
932=item Term::ReadLine::Perl
933
934Also needs L<Term::ReadLine::readline>.
935
936=item URI
937
938URI implements schemes as separate modules - the generic URL scheme is
939implemented in L<URI::_generic>, HTTP is implemented in L<URI::http>. If
940you need to use any of these schemes, you should include these manually.
941
942=back
943
944=head2 RECIPES
945
946=over 4
947
948=item Linking everything in
949
950To link just about everything installed in the perl library into a new
951perl, try this:
952
953 staticperl mkperl --strip ppi --incglob '*'
954
955=item Getting rid of netdb function
956
957The perl core has lots of netdb functions (C<getnetbyname>, C<getgrent>
958and so on) that few applications use. You can avoid compiling them in by
959putting the following fragment into a C<preconfigure> hook:
960
961 preconfigure() {
962 for sym in \
963 d_getgrnam_r d_endgrent d_endgrent_r d_endhent \
964 d_endhostent_r d_endnent d_endnetent_r d_endpent \
965 d_endprotoent_r d_endpwent d_endpwent_r d_endsent \
966 d_endservent_r d_getgrent d_getgrent_r d_getgrgid_r \
967 d_getgrnam_r d_gethbyaddr d_gethent d_getsbyport \
968 d_gethostbyaddr_r d_gethostbyname_r d_gethostent_r \
969 d_getlogin_r d_getnbyaddr d_getnbyname d_getnent \
970 d_getnetbyaddr_r d_getnetbyname_r d_getnetent_r \
971 d_getpent d_getpbyname d_getpbynumber d_getprotobyname_r \
972 d_getprotobynumber_r d_getprotoent_r d_getpwent \
973 d_getpwent_r d_getpwnam_r d_getpwuid_r d_getsent \
974 d_getservbyname_r d_getservbyport_r d_getservent_r \
975 d_getspnam_r d_getsbyname
976 # d_gethbyname
977 do
978 PERL_CONFIGURE="$PERL_CONFIGURE -U$sym"
979 done
980 }
981
982This mostly gains space when linking staticaly, as the functions will
983liekly not be linked in. The gain for dynamically-linked binaries is
984smaller.
985
986Also, this leaves C<gethostbyname> in - not only is it actually used
987often, the L<Socket> module also exposes it, so leaving it out usually
988gains little. Why Socket exposes a C function that is in the core already
989is anybody's guess.
990
991=back
992
787=head1 AUTHOR 993=head1 AUTHOR
788 994
789 Marc Lehmann <schmorp@schmorp.de> 995 Marc Lehmann <schmorp@schmorp.de>
790 http://software.schmorp.de/pkg/staticperl.html 996 http://software.schmorp.de/pkg/staticperl.html

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