CPAN(1)		       Perl Programmers Reference Guide		      CPAN(1)



NAME
       cpan - easily interact with CPAN from the command line

SYNOPSIS
	       # with arguments, installs specified modules
	       cpan module_name [ module_name ... ]

	       # with switches, installs modules with extra behavior
	       cpan [-cimt] module_name [ module_name ... ]

	       # without arguments, starts CPAN shell
	       cpan

	       # without arguments, but some switches
	       cpan [-ahrv]

DESCRIPTION
       This script provides a command interface (not a shell) to CPAN.pm.

       Meta Options

       These options are mutually exclusive, and the script processes them in
       this order: [ahvr].  Once the script finds one, it ignores the others,
       and then exits after it finishes the task.  The script ignores any
       other command line options.

       -a  Creates the CPAN.pm autobundle with CPAN::Shell->autobundle.

       -h  Prints a help message.

       -r  Recompiles dynamically loaded modules with CPAN::Shell->recompile.

       -v  Print the script version and CPAN.pm version.

       Module options

       These options are mutually exclusive, and the script processes them in
       alphabetical order.

       c   Runs a 'make clean' in the specified module's directories.

       i   Installed the specified modules.

       m   Makes the specified modules.

       t   Runs a 'make test' on the specified modules.

       Examples

	       # print a help message
	       cpan -h

	       # print the version numbers
	       cpan -v

	       # create an autobundle
	       cpan -a

	       # recompile modules
	       cpan -r

	       # install modules
	       cpan -i Netscape::Booksmarks Business::ISBN

TO DO
       * add options for other CPAN::Shell functions autobundle, clean, make,
       recompile, test

BUGS
       * none noted

SEE ALSO
       Most behaviour, including environment variables and configuration,
       comes directly from CPAN.pm.

AUTHOR
       brian d foy 



perl v5.8.5			  2006-08-12			      CPAN(1)

UNIX/Linux commands referenced on this page:

1. script
2. make
3. test
4. install