NAME

       makeppbuiltin -- Stand-alone access to builtin commands in makepp

DESCRIPTION

       ?: -?,  A: -A,
         --args-file,
         --arguments-file,  D: $DIRECTNAMEFLAGS,  H: -h,
         --help,  I: -I,
         --include,
         --include-dir,  M: -M,
         $MAKEPPBUILTINFLAGS,
         --module,  V: -V,
         --version

       makeppbuiltin [ metaoption ... ] command -?|--help

       mppb [ metaoption ... ] command -?|--help

       makeppbuiltin [ metaoption ... ] command [ option ... ] [ argument ... ]

       mppb [ metaoption ... ] command [ option ... ] [ argument ... ]

       or

       ln makeppbuiltin command

       command -?|--help

       command [ option ... ] [ argument ... ]

       This command allows you to call the builtin commands makepp provides, from outside makepp as well.  This
       could be necessary if you've installed things with Makeppfile targets that use &install, but there is no
       corresponding &uninstall target.  Or you need a feature not usually found in the Unix counterparts like
       "ln -r".  That's what this command is for.

       The commands get a simple additional "--help" option, which their builtin counterparts lack.  This works
       by parsing the command's option declaration.  It cannot however find out, what other arguments the
       command expects.

       The metaoptions allow loading your own command or helper functions, but only if it comes from a module.
       Valid options are:

       -A filename
       --args-file=filename
       --arguments-file=filename
           Read the file and parse it as possibly quoted whitespace- and/or newline-separated options.

       -?
       -h
       --help
           Print out a brief summary of the options.

       -I directory
       --include=directory
       --include-dir=directory
           Add directory to Perl load path @INC.

       -M module[=arg,...]
       --module=module[=arg,...]
           Load module and import any functions it exports.

       -V
       --version
           Print out the version number.

DIRECT CALL

       If you like to call such a command more frequently, you can call it directly, by linking "makeppbuiltin"
       to the name of that command.  The name of the builtin can occur anywhere within the file-name without
       directory.  So any of the following links would invoke the builtin "template" command (but the last would
       need to be escaped from the Shell):

       template
       template.pl
       makepptemplate
       templatepp
       &template

DIFFERENCES

       There are a few notable differences between the usual call within a Makeppfile rule, and a stand-alone
       call:

       Syntax
           Builtin commands are not parsed by the Shell within makepp.  There are subtle differences in how
           makepp quotes work, e.g. dollar signs are expanded by makepp even within single quotes, and need to
           be doubled to escape them.  Various characters, like "*", "&" or "|" are not special to makepp and
           need not be escaped.

           Difference: To start the command stand-alone you are probably using a Shell.  Here you must adapt
           such special cases to the syntactical requirements of the Shell.

       Variables and Functions
           Before makepp executes the rule actions, they will already have undergone expression expansion of
           makepp variables and functions.

           Difference: When called from the Shell, you will instead get unprotected Shell variables and
           expressions expanded, before the comand is called.

       Perl Code
           Each Makeppfile lives in its own (anonymous) Perl package.  Anything you do therein is available when
           running builtin commands.  For example, you can set variables or define functions, and use them
           within the Perl code of those commands that accept it.

           Difference: In stand-alone usage there is no such context.  Everything you need, must be in the Perl
           code you pass the command, or in modules you use.

ENVIRONMENT

       Makeppbuiltin looks at the following environment variables:

       $MAKEPPBUILTINFLAGS
           Any flags in this environment variable are interpreted as command line options before any explicit
           options.  Quotes are interpreted like in makefiles.

       $DIRECTNAMEFLAGS
           This variable is used instead of $MAKEPPBUILTINFLAGS when makeppbuiltin is linked to directname as
           explained under "DIRECT CALL".

AUTHOR

       Daniel Pfeiffer (occitan@esperanto.org)