This is the README file for MLDBM, the Perl module that can be used to store multidimensional hash structures in tied hashes (including DBM files). This is version 2.00. It requires: Perl Version 5.004 or later. The Data::Dumper package from CPAN, version 2.08 or later. If you were able to install Data::Dumper with its XSUB extension, MLDBM will perform significantly faster. Optionally, you can also switch to other serializing packages such as FreezeThaw and Storable. Storable provides much greater speeds, and the performance of FreezeThaw is comparable to Data::Dumper. Support for this was added by Raphael Manfredi. Many thanks! See the embedded documentation in the module for more details. As always, feedback is very welcome. - Sarathy. gsar@umich.edu ---------------------------------------------------------------------- INSTALLATION You must install the Data::Dumper package first. Optionally, you may want to install one or more of Storable and FreezeThaw as well. (Storable-0.5@8 and FreezeThaw-0.3 have been tested, earlier versions may not work.) From the MLDBM source directory: perl Makefile.PL make test make install is all that will be needed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CHANGES 2.00 (10 May 1998) Added support for multiple serializing interfaces. (courtesy Raphael Manfredi ) Split serializer wrappers into multiple files, and regularized the interface some. Underlying TIEHASH object and serializer can now be set at runtime (with care). Miscellaneous pod tweaks. 1.25 (7 December 1997) Add RemoveTaint flag. require 5.004. require Data::Dumper 2.08.