Perl Version 5.6-1
      for OpenVMS Alpha

      Update 03

      Release Notes

      April 2004

      ----------------------------------------------

      Problems Corrected
      ------------------


      This update contains all fixes from Perl 5.6-1 Update 01 and
      Update 02.  These fixes include:

      1. perldoc issues DCL errors

      The PERLDOC.COM command procedure used for displaying module
      documentation issues DCL errors before it runs.  The command
      continues to work, but the errors are unsightly.  These have
      been removed.


      2. CSWS (based on Apache) fails on a restart

      On some OpenVMS versions a restart of the Secure Web
      Server (CSWS) fails if CSWS_PERL (mod_perl) is enabled.  The
      problem is actually in Perl where a cleanup of a linked list
      is not being done.  Once the cleanup was added, the restart
      started working.


      3. Index "0" of environment variable returns all indecies

      New code was added for the CSWS project to have long values
      for envirnmenet variables. It was accomplished by using the
      indexing or search list feature of logical names.  The ability
      to access a single index was also left as a feature.  The
      all individual indecies could be obtained except index "0".
      This is now fixed so that the entire list can be returned if
      you do not specify an index or each individual equivalence
      can be returned.

        e.g.
             $ SHOW LOGICAL TEST
                "TEST" = "ONE" (LNM$PROCESS_TABLE)
              = "TWO"
              = "THREE"
             $
             $ PERL -e "print $ENV{'TEST'}"
             ONETWOTHREE
             $
             $ PERL -e "print $ENV{'TEST;0'}"    !This was fixed
             ONE
             $ PERL -e "print $ENV{'TEST;1'}"
             TWO
             $ PERL -e "print $ENV{'TEST;2'}"
             THREE
             $



      4. C Runtime environment not searched

      When a sub process running Perl is created from a C program
      and the C program sets up a series of environment variables.
      The search in the sub process ends with logical names and
      does not proceed into the C runtime environment.

      5. FIND.PM has possible invalid directory syntax

      In the subroutine _find_dir a "chdir" is issued to a sub
      directory specification.  If the the directory name happens
      to be a logical name, the resulting SET DEFAULT goes to the
      wrong directory.  This was fixed by adding "./" in front of
      the sub directory specification.


      This update also includes new fixes which fix the following:

      1. Upgrade of the CGI package

      Perl V5.6-1 is shipped with V2.752 of the CGI package.  In
      order for Mod_Perl V1.99.x to work with Apache 2.0 and Perl
      V5.6-1, the CGI package must be upgraded to V2.87 or newer.
      This patch upgrades the package to V3.00.  Note that V3.00
      of the CGI package is also compatible with CSWS V1.3 using
      Mod_Perl V1.25 (CSWS_PERL V1.1).


      Installation instructions
      -------------------------

      This patch kit can either be installed directly to the Perl V5.6-1
      kit or on top of the Perl Update 01 or 02 kit.  This kit includes
      all fixes from both Perl Update 01 and Update 02.

      To install the kit, type the following:

        $ PRODUCT INSTALL PERL561_UPDATE


      Post Installation
      -----------------

      After the patch has been installed and you are running CSWS,
      the Apache server must be stopped and restarted to complete
      the installation of this kit:

        $ @SYS$STARTUP:APACHE$SHUTDOWN
        $ @SYS$STARTUP:APACHE$STARTUP

      This allows CSWS_PERL to bring in the patched copy of PERLSHR.EXE


      ----------------------------------------------

      Complete documentation for Perl and CSWS_PERL including
      installation guide and release notes can be found at:

  http://h71000.www7.hp.com/openvms/products/ips/apache/csws_modperl.html
$