Pkg-config method doesn't work anymore

[hoytech]

If I try to install Alien::LMDB on a system with liblmdb already installed it doesn't work. I tested on Ubuntu 18.04, and here is the same problem on cpantesters:

http://www.cpantesters.org/cpan/report/97f44fce-6ace-11e8-bf50-ee4c4956e891

Also I don't see anywhere in the docs a way to force disable the pkg-config stuff?

[plicease]

You can force a system install by using the ALIEN_INSTALL_TYPE environment variable. pkg-config is just one method that you can use to probe for system libraries so there isn't a generic "turn pkg-config" off option:

% env ALIEN_INSTALL_TYPE=share cpanm Alien::LMDB

As far as I can tell the pkg-config probe is working correctly. The problem here is with the test, AlienLoaded isn't populated for a system install

https://metacpan.org/source/PLICEASE/Alien-Build-1.48/lib/Alien/Base.pm#L22

I don't think it has ever been populated for a system install--it is there to specifically handle dynamic libraries on a share install. Arguably this is an internal interface since it isn't documented, but at the very least it is deprecated since it isn't portable.

I recommend using Test::Alien which tests your alien in the way that it will actually be used, ie builds a toy XS and tries to call it from Perl. This will catch a lot of corner cases that you simply cannot test in any other way.

[hoytech]

Ahh thanks for the pointer to ALIEN_INSTALL_TYPE.

OK got it on the AlienLoaded, not sure how I found that in the first place. I'll check out Test::Alien which I get a little time to spare.

Thanks!

[plicease]

np. Let me know if you run into any road blocks with Test::Alien!