This is the README file for Data::Dumper, the Perl
data-structure printing/stringification module.

This is Version 2.07.  See the "Changes" file for details on
the new features and fixes in this release.

Perl Version 5.002 or later is required, if you wish to compile
the XSUB extension.  Otherwise, 5.001 should suffice.

You may find this module useful if you:

   * are writing an application that must display perl data
     structures.

   * want to store some data structures to disk, in either a
     compact or perl readable format (Dumper outputs pure perl,
     so you don't have to invent your own portable data format, or
     parse it;  simply "do FILE" or read the data back in with 
     perl and eval() it).  See the MLDBM module for an example of
     one such use.

   * want a simple, yet powerful, persistence engine that can be
     quickly integrated into your application, and is a breeze to
     debug.

   * want a facility to make copies of data, or quickly find
     differences between data structures.

Dumper can be efficient if you are on a system supported by MakeMaker
and xsubpp, the perl extension building tools.  In this case, Dumper 
will build a XSUB extension that will be much faster than its perl 
counterpart (in my tests, about 4 to 5 times).  In either case, 
you should be able to use this module without loss of functionality.

See the embedded documentation in the module for more details.

Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

 - Sarathy.
   gsar@umich.edu

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INSTALLATION

Do either 1a, or 1b, or 2.

1. If your platform is supported by MakeMaker (most UNIX platforms and others):

   a. If your platform has a C compiler AND is supported by xsubpp AND you 
      have perl version 5.002 or later:

   	 zcat Data-Dumper-2.07.tar.gz | tar xvf -
   	 cd Data-Dumper-2.07
   	 perl Makefile.PL
   	 make test                              # this will run 40 tests
   	 make install

   b. If you have no C compiler OR if you don't want the XSUB extension 
      OR you're running some version > 5.001 but not quite 5.002 (no loss of 
      functionality, only speed):

   	 zcat Data-Dumper-2.07.tar.gz | tar xvf -
   	 cd Data-Dumper-2.07
         ./flip                                 # flips to non-xsub version
   	 perl Makefile.PL
   	 make test                              # this will run 20 tests
   	 make install

      If the "perl Makefile.PL" step fails due to very old MakeMaker, you can
      simply copy Dumper.pm to your $PERL5LIB/Data/  directory.

      If you decide to go back to compiling the XSUB extension after this,
      just do:

         make distclean
         ./flip                                 # flips back to xsub version
         perl Makefile.PL
         make test
         make install

2. If your platform is NOT supported by MakeMaker: (Win(%, WinNT)

         Extract the tar file after gunzipping it.

         Simply copy the file Dumper.pm.NOXSUB to 
         "$YOUR_PERL_LIB_DIR/Data/Dumper.pm".  That's it.

