Convert::IBM390 -- functions for manipulating mainframe data


How to Install
==============

This distribution includes two versions of the code: Perl-only and
Perl with XS and C.  Ordinarily, you will probably want to install the
latter (with XS), since the functions are written in C and run quite
a bit faster.  You, however, may prefer the Perl version -- if, for
instance, you do not have access to the C compiler that was used to
build Perl, or if you just prefer to have pure Perl code in your
libraries.

If you want the Perl/XS version, begin thus:
	perl Makefile.PL
If you want the Perl-only version, begin thus:
	perl Makefile.PL noxs

The complete shtick:

	perl Makefile.PL [noxs]
	make
	make test
	make install

If your C compiler defaults to signed rather than unsigned char (many
do), you may see some warnings about type mismatches, although I believe
I have corrected all such problems.  Anyhow, the mismatches are
harmless.  As long as the C code compiles correctly, the module should
work.

If you have to build the module a second (third, fourth, ...) time, run
"make clean" before running the above commands.


Debugging Option
================

This module should work on most platforms, but if you have trouble with
it (during "make test", for instance), you can compile the Perl/XS
version with a debugging flag.  This will produce a number of messages
in stderr at run time.

The Perl-only version ignores this flag, but you can run it with the
standard Perl debugger (-d) if you wish.

Note the following lines in Makefile.PL:
       'DEFINE' => '',
  #    'DEFINE' => '-DDEBUG390',    # if debugging is desired

To enable debugging, just comment out the first line (add a '#' to the
front) and uncomment the second line (delete the first '#').  Then
rebuild the module, starting with "make clean".  E-mail me if you need
help interpreting the debugging output.

Be sure to rebuild *WITHOUT* debugging before installing the module for
general use.


Geoffrey Rommel
August 1999
