Module::Build- Overriding default $Config{installprefix}

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

Build.PL of Astro::Catalog module has near the end ...

    etc_files => {
        'etc/skycat.cfg' => 'etc/skycat.cfg',
        'etc/sss.cfg' => 'etc/sss.cfg',
    },
    install_path => {
        'etc' => File::Spec->catdir($Config{installprefix}, 'etc'),
    },
[download]

That $Config{installprefix} is /usr here, which a non-superuser cannot modify. As I am trying to build as non-superuser, that results in ...

...
All tests successful.
Files=27, Tests=3453, 15 wallclock secs ( 0.19 usr  0.05 sys + 11.09 c
+usr  1.56 csys = 12.89 CPU)
Result: PASS
  GSB/Astro-Catalog-4.37.tar.gz
  ./Build test -- OK
Running Build install for GSB/Astro-Catalog-4.37.tar.gz
Building Astro-Catalog
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+!!
ERROR: Can't create '/usr/etc'
mkdir /usr/etc: Permission denied at /usr/share/perl5/vendor_perl/ExtU
+tils/Install.pm line 489.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+!!
 at /some/dir/perl/lib/perl5/Module/Build/Base.pm line 3576.
  GSB/Astro-Catalog-4.37.tar.gz
  ./Build install  -- NOT OK
Stopping: 'install' failed for 'Astro::Catalog'.
[download]

Setting {install_base,prefix,installprefix} had not help yet. What could I be missing?

# Environment.
# Setting *prefix here only because of the "$Config{installprefix}".
PERL_MB_OPT=--install_base '/some/dir/perl' --config installprefix='/s
+ome/dir/perl' --config prefix='/some/dir/perl'

PERL_MM_OPT=INSTALL_BASE='/some/dir/perl' PREFIX='/some/dir/perl'

# In the .cpan/build directory.
grep -C 1 -r 'install|prefix' _build | grep -v orig
_build/build_params-       {
_build/build_params:         'prefix' => '/some/dir/perl'
_build/build_params-       },
--
_build/build_params-         'include_dirs' => [],
_build/build_params:         'install_base' => '/some/dir/perl',
_build/build_params:         'install_base_relpaths' => {},

##  "/usr" did not change.
_build/build_params:         'install_path' => {
_build/build_params-                             'etc' => '/usr/etc'
_build/build_params-                           },

_build/build_params:         'install_sets' => {},
_build/build_params:         'installdirs' => 'site',
_build/build_params-         'libdoc_dirs' => [
--
_build/build_params-         'perl' => '/usr/bin/perl',
--
_build/build_params-         'pollute' => undef,
_build/build_params:         'prefix' => undef,
_build/build_params:         'prefix_relpaths' => {},
_build/build_params-         'prereq_action_types' => [
--
_build/runtime_params-       'config' => {
_build/runtime_params:                     'prefix' => '/some/dir/perl
+'
_build/runtime_params-                   },
_build/runtime_params:       'install_base' => '/some/dir/perl',
_build/runtime_params-       'verbose' => '1'
[download]

Comment on Module::Build- Overriding default $Config{installprefix} Select or Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Module::Build- Overriding default $Config{installprefix} by karlgoethebier (Abbot) on Jul 29, 2023 at 16:53 UTC
Doesn't this work with something like `perl Build.PL install_base=/home/anon` ? ŤThe Crux of the Biscuit is the Apostropheť	[reply] [d/l]
Re^2: Module::Build- Overriding default $Config{installprefix} by Anonymous Monk on Aug 01, 2023 at 06:56 UTC
No, setting `install_path` did not change the path for `etc` directory; see the OP, namely `PERL_MB_OPT` assignment & result of `grep ... _build`. I had not tried doing the manual installation for the offending module, for I need to install that thing in an automated way (as it is only one of many dependencies of App::SourcePlot).	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^3: Module::Build- Overriding default $Config{installprefix} by karlgoethebier (Abbot) on Aug 01, 2023 at 11:31 UTC
Maybe sudo is your friend? This can be adjusted quite finely. Best would be - as already mentioned above - your own Perl. ŤThe Crux of the Biscuit is the Apostropheť	[reply]
Re: Module::Build- Overriding default $Config{installprefix} (cpan Distroprefs ) by Anonymous Monk on Jul 29, 2023 at 10:45 UTC
Common thinko to upload personal config for general consumption. Solution is to edit Build.PL or try specify on commandline --install_path. There is support for ./cpan to do that non-interactive https://metacpan.org/pod/CPAN#Configuration-for-individual-distributions-(Distroprefs)	[reply]
Re^2: Module::Build- Overriding default $Config{installprefix} (cpan Distroprefs ) by Anonymous Monk on Aug 01, 2023 at 07:16 UTC
Thanks for the clue of `install_path`. This did not work ... `--install_path /some/dir/perl/etc` [download] ... needed to do ... `--install_path etc=/some/dir/perl/etc` [download] ... "worked" in the sense installation did not fail due to permission error; have yet to try running the software. If that would still be a problem, then just /have to/ edit the damn installed file(s). All in all, setting various paths is damn fucking fiddly to install software in a user-controlled directory. Much less irritating was building own perl (& installing in user-controlled directory) and using that `perl` to install everything else. But decision is not mine to make :-\|	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^3: Module::Build- Overriding default $Config{installprefix} (cpan Distroprefs ) by Anonymous Monk on Aug 01, 2023 at 07:54 UTC
All that was for 💩 `_set_cfg_file` sub in Astro::Catalog::Query::SkyCat searches for configuration file in equivalent of `%ENV\|$HOME\|dirname($^X)/../etc` (there is nice comment there about the last one). No message is produced by App::SourcePlot to set up a catalog file in `HOME` on the first run. On subsequent runs, using the Tk widget to use "default" catalog results on console ... `Tk::Error: Unable to read catalog since no file specified and no defau +lt known. at /some/dir/perl/lib/perl5/Astro/Catalog.pm line 842. Tk callback for .toplevel1.frame1.menubutton.menu Tk::__ANON__ at /some/dir/perl/lib/perl5/x86_64-linux-thread-multi/Tk +.pm line 251 Tk::Menu::Invoke at /some/dir/perl/lib/perl5/x86_64-linux-thread-mult +i/Tk/Menu.pm line 532 <ButtonRelease> (command bound to event)` [download] 👍 Yes, I can _NOW_ shove the configuration files in `HOME` only after trying to debug the issue of not being able to specify a path for `etc` directory of *::Catalog.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^3: Module::Build- Overriding default $Config{installprefix} (cpan Distroprefs ) by eyepopslikeamosquito (Archbishop) on Aug 01, 2023 at 08:48 UTC
Much less irritating was building own perl (& installing in user-controlled directory) and using that perl to install everything else. But decision is not mine to make :-\| Why is this decision not yours to make? In case it helps you make a case for building your own Perl, you might make some of the arguments mentioned recently here.	[reply]