| Warning |
As of PEAR version 1.4.3, the required format for custom file roles has been changed due to a minor security vulnerability. All custom file roles must now define a Role.xml file in order to properly declare a custom file role. See the example below for more information. |
One of the programming features that the PEAR installer enforces is the separation of files into separate categories, and the important idea that files of a similar category are always installed into the same location, or at least handled the same way, as in the case of role="src" for PECL packages.
This has been quite successful for smaller library-style packages, but complete applications cannot function without customized installation locations. For instance, some files may be intended for use in a public web frontend, others for library location. PEAR 1.4 introduces the possibility of defining custom installation roles to fill this void.
To use a custom installation role that another programmer has written, there are three steps that are necessary. First, the <usesrole> tag should be used to define each custom role that is used in the package.xml. Next, the role should simply be used for the files it pertains to. Finally, a dependency on the package that provides the custom role should be added to the package.xml, just for completeness.
Pretty simple!