What is Wendy module?

Wendy modules are extension packages, they can contain handlers, Perl modules, resources, templates, etc. Modules can be relatively simple, as Captcha module, which provides only Wendy::Modules::Captcha Perl module, or more complex, like News module, with internal templates, and administration interface.

Wendy module contents

Module package contains:
<module name>.wpm file, with module info, resources description, etc. All additional files go to <module name>.data directory. Example:

$ ls /var/www/wendy/var/modules

hello.wpm
hello.data/

$

Where are modules placed

Module files must be placed to <wendy dir>/var/modules. Wendy looks for .wpm files, archives or anything else will not be recognized.

.wpm file contents

.wpm (Wendy Perl Module) file is Perl code file. Lets look at hello.wpm inside:

# Generic module installation.

use strict;

# Package name must be eq to module name
package hello;

use File::Spec::Functions;
use File::Path;
use Wendy::Db;

# Module information
our $MODULENAME = 'hello';
our $DESCRIPTION = 'Generic module';
our $AUTHOR = 'Eugene Kuzin, eugenek@45-98.org';

# This proc must be defined
sub module_info
{
        return ( 'Description' => $DESCRIPTION,
                 'Author' => $AUTHOR );
}

# Package contents
our @CONTENTS = (
                 {
                         fname => 'mod_hello.pl',
                         destination => '%HOSTLIBDIR%'
                 },
                 {
                         fname => 'Hello.pm',
                         destination => '%MODULESDIR%',
                         onlyonce => 'true'
                 },
                 {
                        fname => 'teddy.jpg',
                        destination  => '%MODRESDIR%'
                 }
                 );

our @MOREDIRS = ();
our @REQLIST = ();
our $CREATEADDRS = 0;

# Installation handlers must present also
sub install
...
sub uninstall
...

# Return true for perl require
1;

This module carries three files, as listed in @CONTENTS : mod_hello.pl, Hello.pm and teddy.jpg. When module will be installed, install procedure will be called, and copy them according to destination atribute.

Unfinished yet.