I've been adding CPAN modules to a new project with an automated build system which is based on the one in Krang. This system runs the Makefile.PL, passing a PREFIX and LIB options. We do this so we can throw away everything but the actual libs (PREFIX is set to a temp directory that gets erased).

Lately, I've been running into a bunch of modules which use Module::Build. That means they are not compatible, because the "passthrough" Makefile.PL that Module::Build creates doesn't work with PREFIX.

However, none of these modules are making any use at all of Module::Build. All of them would work 100% perfectly with MakeMaker and Makefile.PL. In fact, Module::Build can generate a Makefile.PL that works correctly and honors PREFIX settings. All you have to do is change the create_makefile_pl option in your Build.PL from "passthrough" to "traditional." Here's an example: 

use strict;
use Module::Build;

Module::Build->new( module_name => 'MyModule',
                    author      => 'Alice Munro <alice@example.com>',
                    license     => 'perl',
                    requires    => { 'Params::Validate' => 0,
                                   },
                    sign        => 1,
                    create_makefile_pl => 'traditional',
                  )->create_build_script;

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It's that easy! Please, if you are a module author using Module::Build, make your work compatible with the tons of things out there that expect a normal perl install process by changing this one thing in your Build.PL and including the generated Makefile.PL in your distribution. If you someday start using actual features of Module::Build that are not supported by MakeMaker, you can change it then.

I expect I will eventually need to add Build.PL support to this system, but I don't want to do it for modules where it's so unnecessary.

In reply to Module::Build users -- please use the "traditional" create_makefile_pl option by perrin

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