Bug#293908: perl: prereq make not listed but needed for cpan module Date::Format

[Niko Tyni]

On Sun, Feb 06, 2005 at 02:36:37PM -0500, Jesse Morgan wrote:
> Package: perl
> Version: 5.8.4-5
> Severity: normal
> 
> The Problem goes something like this: on a minimally installed system,
> you can install perl (and hence cpan) without installing make.
> Unfortunately CPAN's functionality sometimes requires 'make' when
> installing packages.  
> 
> Reproducibility: always
> On a fresh install, install perl but make sure 'make' is not installed
> then try to install Date::Format
> It will give a very generic error and refuse to install.

The error message is currently something like

  Writing Makefile for Time::HiRes
  Now you may issue 'make'.  Do not forget also 'make test'.
  Could not read '/root/.cpan/build/Time-HiRes-1.9719-OD8EQ8/META.yml'. Falling back to other methods to determine prerequisites
    JHI/Time-HiRes-1.9719.tar.gz
    make -- NOT OK
  Warning (usually harmless): 'YAML' not installed, will not store persistent state
  Running make test
    Can't test without successful make
  Running make install
    Make had returned bad status, install seems impossible

which, while correct, could probably be clearer.

> Possible Options:
> - make 'make a prerequisite for cpan
> - make cpan aware of the debian package system and throw a proper error
>   when make is not found 
> - pay a gremlin $50 to sit in your computer and install make if a cpan
>   package that requires make is about to be installed.
> 
> suggested fix:
> Make 'make' a prerequisite for cpan.

As CPAN functionality is an important part of the Perl core, I'm inclined
to add a 'Recommends: make' to the perl package. This will pull make in
by default but allow for people to explicitly remove it if they so desire.

Thanks for the report,
-- 
Niko Tyni   ntyni at debian.org