General documentation.

    use Bio::EnsEMBL::Analysis::Config::General;
    use Bio::EnsEMBL::Analysis::Config::General qw();

    General analysis configuration.

    It imports and sets a number of standard global variables into the
    calling package. Without arguments all the standard variables are set,
    and with a list, only those variables whose names are provided are set.
    The module will die if a variable which doesn\'t appear in its
    %Config hash is asked to be set.

   The variables can also be references to arrays or hashes.

         Edit %Config to add or alter variables.

         All the variables are in capitals, so that they resemble environment
         variables.

sub import {

    my ($callpack) = caller(0); # Name of the calling package
    my $pack = shift; # Need to move package off @_

    # Get list of variables supplied, or else all
    my @vars = @_ ? @_ : keys(%Config);
    return unless @vars;

    # Predeclare global variables in calling package
    eval "package $callpack; use vars qw("
         . join(' ', map { '$'.$_ } @vars) . ")";
    die $@ if $@;


    foreach (@vars) {
	if (defined $Config{ $_ }) {
            no strict 'refs';
	    # Exporter does a similar job to the following
	    # statement, but for function names, not
	    # scalar variables:
	    *{"${callpack}::$_"} =\$ Config{ $_ };
	} else {
	    die "Error: Config: $_ not known\n";
	}
    }
}

1;

}