Hello,

I've got a dozen or so of modules in a directory - (ie: FOO_X.pm, FOO_Y.pm, etc..) And a some scripts (ie: A.pl, B.pl, C.pl, etc) that make use of them. The size/scope of the modules is too large to puthere (and they require access to a database to work) Creating tiny test examples work fine. I have not got a small reproducable example yet. The modules are collections of like minded routines. ie: Report.pm, Schedule.pm, Tasks.pm, Orders.pm. The scripts live in a "bin" directory, and the modules live in a "lib" directory.

For some reason, I seem to have random "undefined subroutine" problems that I cannot explain.

BEGIN SHORT DESCRIPTION: The problem is like this:

If I execute script A, which uses Module X - which then uses module Y - then Z... it works.

If I execute script B, which begins with a different module, which - uses modules just like A, andin the end - uses Y, and Module Z... it does not.

The path that script B takes causes causes Y's references to Z to fail as undefined subroutines.

The only known work around I have is to fully qualify every access to Z's functions. (ie: In the form: ModName::FuncName) I should not have to do that.

END SHORT DESCRIPTION

Longer description graphically - its like this:

A -> use FOO_ModuleX; -> use FOO_Module_Y; -> use FOO_Module_Z
[download]

By that, I mean: script A uses Module X directly. Module X uses Y, Module Y - then uses Module Z. My script does not reference Z it directly

Script B, enters the maze from a different location, somewhere along the way - something it uses Y, which uses Z... and that is the problem.

The scripts start with the same boilerplate, and look like this:

#! /usr/bin/perl

use strict;
use warnings;

# Std Perl Modules
use Carp;
use File::Copy;
 ... actual list varies depends on script ...

# Our modules.
use FOO_X;
 ... actual list varies depends on script ...

#=======================
# Code begins...


# A trivial example
my $msg = foo_x_function( "hello" );

print "$msg\n"
exit 0;
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NOTE: I do not know if this matters: I do not "use *.pm" (ie: a "use" statement for every one of my modules in every one of my modules.... However but the "use" hierachy is not purely recursive, the modules are 'mutually recursive'. Huh? you ask... I am not using recursion... I'm describing the 'use Name;' relationship between *MY* modules.., like this:

• Module (1) uses Module (2)
• Module (2) uses Module (3)
• Module (3) uses Module (4)
• Module (4) uses Module (2) Hence, mutually recursive

A use relationship graph between my modules could be described as Spagetti.

The problem seems to be related to the 'use relationship path' or it is a namespace/scoping problem.

I've read - quite a number of things - with no luck For example:

• http://perlmonks.org/?node_id=588294
• http://perlmonks.org/?node_id=242026
• and ... many other posts - with no luck.

Technical details...

================================
PERL Version: (host RH EL4 - intel)
This is perl, v5.8.5 built for i386-linux-thread-multi
================================

======================================
The style/format of my modules are like this:
(From: http://perldoc.perl.org/perlmod.html example)
======================================

#! /usr/bin/perl

package NameX;
use strict;
use warnings

use NameY;
use NameZ;

BEGIN {
   use Exporter ();
   our ($VERSION, @ISA, @EXPORT, @EXPORT_OK, %EXPORT_TAGS );
   $VERSION = 1.00;
   @ISA = qw( Exporter );
   @EXPORT = qw (
               &func1
               &func2
             );
   
   %EXPORT_TAGS = ();
   @EXPORT_OK = qw();
}

sub func1 {

}

sub func2 {

}

======================
[download]

To answer some questions I've seen asked before:

• My modules all have unique filenames, in the form: "DUANE_Name.pm"
• All modules contain/start with "package Filename";
• Yes, the file and package names match.
• Yes, the functions are defined - remeber one path works, the other does not.
• All functions have unique names... as do my modules.
• I am not on purpose trying to overload things, redefine things, I write utterly simple perl code...
• I have been writing code for a very long time (20+years)... just not perl... (Random intense periods)

Remember - it works - if I execute it via one script, but does not work if I execute it via another script.

At this point, I'm at a loss to figure this out. When I have problems like this in C code, I resort to the preprocessor output and other things like that... I don't know how to do things like that with perl. For example: Is there a means to have perl explain what it is doing During a use statement... perhaps something like this would help me:

use Works_First;
 
TURN_ON_MAGIC_HERE;

use ProblemModule;

TURN_OFF_MAGIC_HERE;

use OtherModules;
[download]

Thanks, --Duane.

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