Perl is one of my favorite scripting languages for quickly automating small tasks. For better or for worse, it's still my go to language when I need to do something quick and dirty like parsing XML and sending an email based on the results (just try doing that in a batch file!). Using XPath and the Lib:XML Perl module I can parse anything out of an XML file instantly. Unfortunately, the more recent versions of ActiveState Perl on Windows platforms don't come with a Lib::XML module for you to download so you have to compile it yourself. It wasn't as straightforward as with other modules since Lib::XML has several dependencies and seems to be mostly maintained with Linux users in mind. For easy-to-follow instructions on installing Lib::XML Perl Module on Microsoft Windows, please refer to the steps below.
Lib::XML on ActiveState Perl 5.20 Install Steps
Environment
Windows 7 Pro 64-bit
ActivePerl-5.20.1.2000-MSWin32-x64-298557
1. Download LibXML Win32 64 bit binaries
http://www.zlatkovic.com/libxml.en.html
iconv = iconv-1.14-win32-x86_64.7z
zlib = zlib-1.2.8-win32-x86_64.7z
libxml2 = libxml2-2.9.2-win32-x86_64.7z
2. Download gettext-tools 64 bit binaries
http://ftp.gnome.org/pub/gnome/binaries/win64/dependencies/gettext-tools-dev_0.18.1.1-2_win64.zip
3. Download Lib::XML
https://cpan.metacpan.org/authors/id/S/SH/SHLOMIF/XML-LibXML-2.0118.tar.gz
4.Copy the 5 packages to a working directory
For example:
C:\perl_libxml\gettext-tools-dev_0.18.1.1-2_win64.zip
C:\perl_libxml\iconv-1.14-win32-x86_64.7z
C:\perl_libxml\libxml2-2.9.2-win32-x86_64.7z
C:\perl_libxml\XML-LibXML-2.0117.tar.gz
C:\perl_libxml\zlib-1.2.8-win32-x86_64.7z
5.Extract everything out into nice directories here.
When finished there should be 5 folders for each package. Inside each folder should be the all the bin/lib/source stuff.
For example:
C:\perl_libxml\gettext\lib
C:\perl_libxml\iconv\lib
C:\perl_libxml\libxml2\lib
C:\perl_libxml\XML-LibXML\lib
C:\perl_libxml\zlib\lib
...etc...
6. Create another folder called "merged"
For example:
C:\perl_libxml\merged
7. Merge the contents of gettext, iconv, libxml2 & zlib into this new folder.
For example:
C:\perl_libxml\merged\lib\libgettextlib.dll.a
C:\perl_libxml\merged\lib\libiconv.dll.a
C:\perl_libxml\merged\lib\libxml2.dll.a
C:\perl_libxml\merged\lib\libz.a
8. Move the libxml folder up one directory
Located in C:\perl_libxml\merged\include\libxml2, cut it, go up, paste it.
When done with this step the following path should exist:
C:\perl_libxml\merged\include\libxml\c14n.h
9. Install dmake
ppm install dmake
10. Install MinGW
ppm install MinGW
11. Install Dependencies
ppm install XML::NamespaceSupport
ppm install XML::SAX
12. Rename libz to zlib
libz.a -> zlib.a
13. Create the make file
Open a command line & Navigate to C:\perl_libxml\XML-LibXML
Run the command:
> Makefile.PL INC=-IC:\perl_libxml\merged\include LIBS=-LC:\perl_libxml\merged\lib
14. Run dmake
(errors out at the end)
15. Remove the static libXML library
Rename libxml2.a => _libxml2.a
16. Create the make file again
Makefile.PL INC=-IC:\perl_libxml\merged\include LIBS=-LC:\perl_libxml\merged\lib
17. Run dmake again
(Success!)
18. Run dmake test
(Success!)
Files=70, Tests=2503, 16 wallclock secs ( 0.53 usr + 0.16 sys = 0.69 CPU) Result: PASS
19. Run dmake install
Now you can run whatever script to test that it works.
Hopefully, the above steps will make installing Lib::XML Perl on a Windows device a little less time-consuming. Now you can easily analyze an XML file!
