signature_ok()

This will test that the "Module::Signature" generated signature is valid for the distribution. It can be given two optional parameters. The first is a name for the test. The default is "Valid signature". The second is whether a lack of "Module::Signature" should be regarded as a failure. The default is 0 meaning 'no'.

    # Test with defaults
    signature_ok()
    # Test with custom name
    signature_ok( "Is the signature valid?" );
    # Test with custom name and force C<Module::Signature> to exist
    signature_ok( "Is the signature valid?", 1 );
    # Test without custom name, but forcing
    signature_ok( undef, 1 );

signature_force_ok()

This is equivalent to calling "signature_ok( $name, 1 )" but is more readable.

    # These are equivalent:
    signature_force_ok( "Is our signature valid?" );
    signature_ok( "Is our signature valid?", 1);
    # These are equivalent:
    signature_force_ok();
    signature_ok( undef, 1 );

MANIFEST and MANIFEST.SKIP

It is imperative that your MANIFEST and MANIFEST.SKIP files be accurate and complete. If you are using "ExtUtils::MakeMaker" and you do not have a MANIFEST.SKIP file, then don't worry about the rest of this. If you do have a MANIFEST.SKIP file, or you use "Module::Build", you must read this.

Since the test is run at "make test" time, the distribution has been made. Thus your MANIFEST.SKIP file should have the entries listed below.

If you're using "ExtUtils::MakeMaker", you should have, at least:

    #defaults
    ^Makefile$
    ^blib/
    ^blibdirs$
    ^pm_to_blib$

These entries are part of the default set provided by "ExtUtils::Manifest", which is ignored if you provide your own MANIFEST.SKIP file.

If you are using "Module::Build", there is no default MANIFEST.SKIP so you must provide your own. It must, minimally, contain:

    ^Build$
    ^Makefile$
    ^_build/
    ^blib/

If you don't have the correct entries, "Module::Signature" will complain that you have:

    ==> MISMATCHED content between MANIFEST and distribution files! <==

You should note this during normal development testing anyway.

Use with Test::Prereq

"Test::Prereq" tends to get a bit particular about modules. If you're using the force option with "Test::Signature" then you will have to specify that you expect "Module::Signature" as a prerequisite. "Test::Signature" will not have it as a prerequisite since that would defeat the point of having the force variant.

If you are using "ExtUtils::MakeMaker" you should have a line like the following in your Makefile.PL:

    'PREREQ_PM' => {
        'Test::Signature'   => '1.04',
        'Module::Signature' => '0.22',
        'Test::More'        => '0.47',
    },

If using "Module::Build", your Build.PL should have:

    build_requires => {
        'Test::Signature'   => '1.04',
        'Module::Signature' => '0.22',
        'Test::More'        => '0.47',
    },

If you just want the default behaviour of testing the signature if and only if the user already has "Module::Signature" installed, then you will need something like the following code. The example uses "Module::Build" format but it should be trivial for you to translate to "ExtUtils::MakeMaker".

    #!/usr/bin/perl -w
    use strict;
    use Module::Build 0.18;
    my @extra_build;
    eval { require Module::Signature };
    if (!$@ or $Test::Prereq::VERSION)
    {
        push @extra_build, "Module::Signature" => '0.22'
    }
    my $m = Module::Build->new(
        dist_name => 'WWW-Yahoo-Groups',
        dist_version => '1.7.7',
        license => 'perl',
        requires => {
            # various modules
            'perl'             => '5.6.0',
        },
        build_requires => {
            'Test::More'          => 0.47,
            'Test::Prereq'        => 0.19,
            'Test::Prereq::Build' => 0.04,
            'Test::Signature'     => 1.04,
            @extra_build,
        },
    );
    $m->create_build_script;

If you have any questions on using this module with "Test::Prereq", just email me (address below).

Use with Module::Install

"Module::Install" is a module to assist in the bundling of build prerequisite modules in packages. Well, among other things.

"Test::Signature" is a perfect candidate for such a module. As it's a module aimed purely at those writing modules rather than those using them.

Here's a good way to use it:

Make a test file (say, t/00sig.t) that contains the following:

    use lib 'inc';
    use Test::More tests => 1;
    use Test::Signature;
    signature_ok();

In your Makefile.PL (or Build.PL if appropriate) add:

    include 'Test::Signature';

And that's it! You don't have to specify it as a prerequisite or anything like that because "Module::Install" will include it in your distribution. And you don't have to worry about size because "Module::Install" strips out all this waffling POD.