File::Util version 3.13_7
==========================

DESCRIPTION

File::Util provides a comprehensive toolbox of utilities to automate all
kinds of common tasks on file / directories.  Its purpose is to do so
in the most portable manner possible so that users of this module won't
have to worry about whether their programs will work on other OSes
and machines.


CHANGES IN LAST FEW RELEASES
(listed in reverse cronological order by date and subversion)

   3.13_7
      12/6/02, 2:56 pm
      Amost ready for CPAN!

      License changed from the GNU LGPL to Perl's own liscencing scheme.

      Various tweaks to compile-time sequences.

      Previously subroutines, SL and NL are now constants.  This makes them
      easier to use when importing them to your main program.  Instead of
      having to type "print('foo' . NL . NL)", you can type the more intuitive
      "print('foo' . NL x 2)".  The same applies for SL, though it's not likely
      you'll be wanting to print out more than one SL character in sequence.
      This shouldn't break previous usage of these exported names.

      Small reference material section appended to the general documentation
      file contained in 'docs-basic.txt' (part of this distribution)

   3.13_4
      11/14/02, 1:22 pm
      Got rid of all variables in @EXPORT_OK, namely:
         $OS
         $EBCDIC
         $NL
         $SL

      I wanted to export only methods, seeing as exporting variables just isn't
      right, no matter how convenient it might be.  There are two new methods,
      and they are both autoloaded, namely:
         File::Util::os()
         File::Util::ebcdic()

      These two methods take no arguments, and return only the value of the
      previously EXPORT_OK'ed "$OS" and "$EBCDIC"

      Added more thorough testing to distribution tests lineup, and an
      additional set of tests in an automated "empty subclass test" of the
      modules native methods and all those it inherits from its ancestoral
      classes.

      More flock() related tweaking in private methods that implement
      File::Util's automatic, transparent file locking mechanism.


INSTALLATION

To install this module type the following:

   perl Makefile.PL
   make
   make test
   make install

On windows machines use nmake rather than make; those running cygwin don't have
to worry about this.  If you don't know what cygwin is, use nmake and check out
<URL: http://cygwin.com/> after you're done installing this module if you want
to find out.


DEPENDENCIES

This module requires these other modules and libraries:

   OOorNO.pm                  v0.00_2 or better
   Handy::Dandy               v1.30_4 or better
   Exception::Handler         v1.00_0 or better
   Handy::Dandy::TimeTools    v0.01_5 or better


AUTHOR
   Tommy Butler <cpan@atrixnet.com>


COPYRIGHT
   Copyright (C) Tommy Butler 2001-2002, all rights reserved.


LICENCE
   This library is free software, you may redistribute it and/or modify it
   under the same terms as Perl itself.
