Creating a new module with an XS submodule

kikuchiyo has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

I want to create a module that will provide a Perl interface to a specific file format. (The format itself is still under development at this point, that's why I don't write details here.)

I want to re-use the project's reference parser, written in C, to do the parsing for me, however, I want to keep the XS part in a sub-module. Specifically, if the main module, providing the user interface, will be called MyFormat::Simple, then I'd want to put the XS module that interfaces with the C parser in MyFormat::Simple::Parser::XS.

Three notes here:

MyFormat is obviously just a placeholder.
I've chosen not to use the top namespace MyFormat directly, anticipating that if the format proves to be successful, other people will want to use it for their modules.
In addition to the XS-based parser, a pure-perl MyFormat::Simple::Parser::PP may be developed later, and the main module could fall back to it if the XS module is not available for some reason.

Now my question is, how to set about to create all this? More specifically, which module creation framework to use, and how exactly?

Should I run h2xs twice, separately, for the two modules, once with -X for the main module that doesn't need XS, and once with -x for the XS module?

Or should I use some other supposedly better and more modern tool, like Dist::Zilla for the non-XS module?

Or should I create just one module skeleton, and work inside it on the submodule as well?

I appreciate any help.

Comment on Creating a new module with an XS submodule

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Re: Creating a new module with an XS submodule by Anonymous Monk on Feb 15, 2013 at 17:25 UTC
Now my question is, how to set about to create all this? Oh boy :) see Getting Started with Inline::C, Re: Inline::C with multiple .c, and examine the build directory For super short example see SOso-0.01.patch.txt More specifically, which module creation framework to use, and how exactly?* none, they don't really help	[reply]
Re^2: Creating a new module with an XS submodule by kikuchiyo (Hermit) on Feb 15, 2013 at 20:13 UTC
I know about Inline::C, I've used it in the past, but I don't see how it could help me here. I was under the impression that it is primarily for embedding C code in perl scripts quickly and easily, whereas I want to create a proper module that I eventually want to release on CPAN. My question was more about module organization, anyway. none, they don't really help Would you care to elaborate on that?	[reply]
Re^3: Creating a new module with an XS submodule by Anonymous Monk on Feb 15, 2013 at 20:57 UTC
I know about Inline::C, I've used it in the past, but I don't see how it could help me here... Inline::C creates a perl module with \.xs files, just look at the build directory My question was more about module organization, anyway...Would you care to elaborate on that? Not really :) A module is a package you can use or require, a namespace associated with a file. To create a module name your file to match your namespace(package) What all these tools do is create some files, copy some boilerplate -- they don't really help you create a new module, esp .xs module but however you start ( module-starter/ h2xs / dzil, whatever), adding more modules is just a matter of copy/pasting some files where you need them Unless you're creating a lot of modules very often (hundreds), most of these tools aren't worth the learning curve, they just get in the way -- they're not wizards, they're for wizards If you're interested, I offer you ?node_id=3989;HIT=module;re=N;Tu;M, Alternatives to Module::Starter Starting a module with Module::Starter How to make a CPAN Module Distribution José's Guide for creating Perl modules RFC: How to Release Modules on CPAN in 2011 Do Pure Perl CPAN packages really need to use ExtUtils::Command::MM? Why I hate Dist::Zilla What are all the possible ways to deploy Perl code on multiple servers? My Perl Module Toolchain	[reply]