skip inline* tests when Acme::Alien::DontPanic has an obviously bad dist_dir

[plicease]

This would probably have fixed this test failure:

http://ppm4.activestate.com/x86_64-linux/5.20/2000/P/PL/PLICEASE/Alien-Base-0.010.d/log20150217T080630.txt

Looks like it is trying to use a blib install gone bad. Isolating the problem with Acme::Alien::DontPanic would ultimately be good, but I don't want that to block a working Alien::Base install.

[jberger]

The link doesn't work for me. And yeah, not having one of the dummy modules should not block a (working!) installation of AB, but then again, how do we test that it is working without them?

[plicease]

That's weird the link isn't working for me now either.

[plicease]

Here is the correct link:

http://ppm4.activestate.com/x86_64-linux/5.20/2000/P/PL/PLICEASE/Alien-Base-0.010.d/log-20150217T080630.txt

and the dashboard in case I type it wrong again:

https://code.activestate.com/ppm/Alien-Base/

[plicease]

@jberger Agree with your comment but I think that the inline* tests do their bests to ensure the inline integration works, but at the same time not break real life installs. This PR just makes the testing a little more complete. We could make them developer only tests, but then we loose any feedback from cpantesters.

[zmughal]

This makes sense, but it seems a little too specific.

How about having an invalid dist_dir throw an exception when you try to use Acme::Alien::DontPanic? Can this logic be applied to any child class of Alien::Base? Since the dist_dir is used for anything with a share install_type, it would be good to have an indication that something went wrong early on.

[plicease]

@zmughal Good suggestion. In fact just reading your response reminded me that Acme::Alien::DontPanic can be installed as install_type=system ... in fact it does this in travis as one of its permutations.

[plicease]

Just to explain if it isn't clear File::ShareDir::dist_dir already croaks with that message if the directory isn't there. I've just updated it so that it also dies if not finished_installing and working_directory is not there. Then calling it in void context in import will throw the exception as discussed above.

[zmughal]

It would be good to add a comment on why this line is called here (e.g., "Sanity check in order to ensure that dist_dir can be found. This will throw an exception otherwise.")

[zmughal]

Other than my comment (just for documentation purposes), this looks good to me.

Merge: Aye

[mohawk2]

Likewise: please add that comment. Then: aye.

[plicease]

This is on its way to CPAN as 0.010_01. I expect to do a production release in a day or two.