[Bioperl-l] Optional 'circular dependency' ok?

[Nathan S. Haigh]

Chris Fields wrote:
> My point was, is there any way we can have two sets of modules: one set that
> is 'required', and another that is 'optional' (for additional functionality,
> but not installed)?  And have Makefile.PL test for all of them?  
>   
I've just seen Module::Install that may well do this type of checking of 
dependencies. See 
http://search.cpan.org/~audreyt/Module-Install-0.64/lib/Module/Install.pod#SYNOPSIS

Might be worth a look?
Nathan
> If we can have both, Sendu could have the Ensembl API be 'optional' (not
> installed by default) but checked upon installation.  There are a few others
> 'dependencies' which are critical for only one or two modules that could
> also be considered optional, such as Ace, Convert::Binary::C,
> Spreadsheet::ParseExcel, Bio::ASN1::EntrezGene, etc.
>
> If it's too much of a pain to worry about we can just have Sendu designate
> the Ensembl requirement in the POD like he suggests. 
>
> Christopher Fields
> Postdoctoral Researcher - Switzer Lab
> Dept. of Biochemistry
> University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
>
>