+ @configure.com
+
+from the top of an unpacked perl source directory. You will be asked a
+series of questions, and the answers to them (along with the capabilities
+of your C compiler and network stack) will determine how perl is custom-
+built for your machine.
+
+If you have any symbols or logical names in your environment that may
+interfere with the build or regression testing of perl then F<configure.com>
+will try to warn you about them. If a logical name is causing
+you trouble but is in an LNM table that you do not have write access to
+then try defining your own to a harmless equivalence string in a table
+such that it is resolved before the other (e.g. if TMP is defined in the
+SYSTEM table then try DEFINE TMP "NL:" or somesuch in your process table)
+otherwise simply deassign the dangerous logical names. The potentially
+troublesome logicals and symbols include:
+
+ COMP "LOGICAL"
+ EXT "LOGICAL"
+ FOO "LOGICAL"
+ LIB "LOGICAL"
+ LIST "LOGICAL"
+ MIME "LOGICAL"
+ POSIX "LOGICAL"
+ SYS "LOGICAL"
+ T "LOGICAL"
+ THREAD "LOGICAL"
+ THREADS "LOGICAL"
+ TIME "LOGICAL"
+ TMP "LOGICAL"
+ UNICODE "LOGICAL"
+ UTIL "LOGICAL"
+ TEST "SYMBOL"
+
+As a handy shortcut, the command:
+
+ @configure "-des"
+
+(note the quotation marks and case) will choose reasonable defaults
+automatically. Some options can be given explicitly on the command line;
+the following example specifies a non-default location for where Perl
+will be installed:
+
+ @configure "-d" "-Dprefix=dka100:[utils.perl5.]"
+
+Note that the installation location would be by default where you unpacked
+the source with a "_ROOT." appended. For example if you unpacked the perl
+source into:
+
+ F<DKA200:[PERL-5^.18^.0...]>
+
+Then the F<PERL_SETUP.COM> that gets written out by F<configure.com> will
+try to DEFINE your installation PERL_ROOT to be:
+
+ F<DKA200:[PERL-5^.18^.0_ROOT.]>
+
+More help with configure.com is available from:
+
+ @configure "-h"
+
+If you find yourself reconfiguring and rebuilding then be sure to also follow
+the advice in the "Cleaning up and starting fresh (optional)" and the checklist
+of items in the "CAVEATS" sections below.
+
+=head2 Changing compile-time options (optional) for Perl on VMS
+
+Most of the user-definable features of Perl are enabled or disabled in
+configure.com, which processes the hints file config_h.SH. There is
+code in there to Do The Right Thing, but that may end up being the
+wrong thing for you. Make sure you understand what you are doing since
+inappropriate changes to configure.com or config_h.SH can render perl
+unbuildable; odds are that there's nothing in there you'll need to
+change. Note also that non-default options are tested less than default
+options, so you may end up being more of a pioneer than you intend to be.
+
+=head2 Socket Support (optional) for Perl on VMS
+
+Perl includes a number of functions for IP sockets, which are available if
+you choose to compile Perl with socket support. It does this via the socket
+routines built into the CRTL regarless of which TCP/IP stack your system
+has.
+
+=head1 Building Perl
+
+The configuration script will print out, at the very end, the MMS or MMK
+command you need to compile perl. Issue it (exactly as printed) to start
+the build.
+
+Once you issue your MMS or MMK command, sit back and wait. Perl should
+compile and link without a problem. If a problem does occur check the
+"CAVEATS" section of this document. If that does not help send some
+mail to the VMSPERL mailing list. Instructions are in the L<"Mailing Lists">
+section of this document.
+
+=head1 Testing Perl
+
+Once Perl has built cleanly you need to test it to make sure things work.
+This step is very important since there are always things that can go wrong
+somehow and yield a dysfunctional Perl for you.