NAME

Bio::GMOD::Util::CheckVersions - Find current versions of GMOD installations

SYNOPSIS

use Bio::GMOD::Util::CheckVersions;
my $gmod   = Bio::GMOD::Util::CheckVersions->new(-mod => 'WormBase');
my $live   = $gmod->live_version();
my $dev    = $gmod->development_version();
my $local  = $gmod->local_version();

DESCRIPTION

Bio::GMOD::Util::CheckVersions provides several methods for determining the current live and development versions of a MOD. In addition it includes several methods for fetching locally installed version as well as versions of installed packages, useful for updating and archiving purposes.

By providing live_url annd version_cgi_live in the MOD adaptor defaults -- as well as installing a suitable CGI, no additional subclassing will be necessary. Likewise, to provide easy access to development versions, provide the development_url and version_cgi_dev variables.

Alternatively, you may provide custom methods for live_version, development_version, and local_version by subclassing Bio::GMOD::Util::CheckVersions, using the name of the MOD.

PUBLIC METHODS

CHECKING REMOTE VERSIONS

Bio::GMOD::Util::CheckVersions->new(-mod => 'WormBase')

Create a new Bio::GMOD::Util::CheckVersions object.

$mod->live_version()

Fetch the version of the current live release. Called in scalar context, this method returns the corresponding version; otherwise it returns a hash with keys of:

status        The status of the version check request
url           The URL of the site checked
title         The title of the database
description   A brief description of the MOD
version       The installed version at the site
released      The date the current version was released

live_version() fetches the version from the master WormBase site at www.wormbase.org,

$mod->development_version()

Fetch the version of the current development release. Behaves as live_version() described above but for the development server of the current MOD, if one exists. Called in scalar context, development_version() returns the version, otherwise it returns the same hash described for live_version();

$mod->mirror_version(-site=>http://www.wormbase.org')

Check the version and release date for any of the generic mirror site. Called in scalar context, mirror_version() returns the installed version, otherwise it returns the same hash described for live_version();

Required options:
-site   url for site to fetch the version from (http://caltech.wormbase.org/)
-cgi    the relative path to the version CGI (ie /cgi-bin/version)

CHECKING LOCAL VERSIONS

$mod->local_version()

local_version() should be supplied by a MOD specific CheckVersions subclass.

$mod->read_symlink($path)

Read the symlink at the provided path. This is useful, for example, when an installation uses a top-level symlink to point at the currently installed version of a release. In these cases, read_symlink() can be used to fetch the currently installed version.

PRIVATE METHODS

_check_version_cgi($site,$path_to_cgi);

Check the version at the provided site returning a hash of status, title, version, released, and site. This subroutine relies on the small CGI script located at /db/util/dump_version on each site.

BUGS

None reported.

SEE ALSO

Bio::GMOD

AUTHOR

Todd Harris <harris@cshl.edu>.

Copyright (c) 2003-2005 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.