Old CPAN modules with sv

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

Dear Wise Monks,

I frequently run into errors like the one below when I try to install old CPAN modules with C extensions.

IO.xs: In function `XS_Tk__IO_read':
IO.xs:258: `sv_undef' undeclared (first use in this function)
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I have to go into the code and provide definitions by hand such as:

#define sv_undef PL_sv_undef
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I've seen a portability header file called ppport.h included with a few CPAN modules such as XML::LibXML, but most older modules don't use it.

Is there something I could set up (in the CPAN module config file or elsewhere) to solve this problem in an easier way? Thanks.

Comment on Old CPAN modules with sv_undef Select or Download Code

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Re: Old CPAN modules with sv_undef by Fletch (Bishop) on Jan 15, 2003 at 17:39 UTC
Look in the docs for ExtUtils::MakeMaker for `POLLUTE`.	[reply] [d/l]
Re: Re: Old CPAN modules with sv_undef by tall_man (Parson) on Jan 15, 2003 at 18:03 UTC
Thanks for the pointer, Fletch. That's the kind of thing I was looking for. Here is a way to set it for CPAN.pm, for those that don't know. `perl -MCPAN -e shell cpan> o conf makepl_arg "POLLUTE=1"` [download]	[reply] [d/l]
Re: Old CPAN modules with sv_undef by tall_man (Parson) on Jan 15, 2003 at 21:15 UTC
One more point about how well "POLLUTE=1" is documented: not well at all. Places where it ought to be mentioned, and it isn't: the ExtUtils::MakeMaker man page, and the perlmodinstall documentation. Places where it is mentioned: the ExtUtils::MakeMaker pod file, and the perldelta documentation. It is also in the FirstTime.pm script of CPAN, with the very minimal note: "POLLUTE=1 increasing backwards compatibility". Update: added more links to documentation.	[reply]
Perl documentation lacking by htoug (Deacon) on Jan 16, 2003 at 08:02 UTC
Don't forget the perl motto: patches welcome.	[reply]