---
name: "Pod::Html::Util"
section: "3p"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Pod::Html::Util"
---

# Pod::Html::Util(3p)

helper functions for Pod-Html

## NAME

Pod::Html::Util - helper functions for Pod-Html

## SUBROUTINES

**Note:** While these functions are importable on request from *Pod::Html::Util*, they are specifically intended for use within (a) the *Pod-Html* distribution (modules and test programs) shipped as part of the Perl 5 core and (b) other parts of the core such as the *installhtml* program.  These functions may be modified or relocated within the core distribution -- or removed entirely therefrom -- as the core's needs evolve. Hence, you should not rely on these functions in situations other than those just described.

### process\_command\_line()

Process command-line switches (options).  Returns a reference to a hash.  Will provide usage message if `"--help"` switch is present or if parameters are invalid.

Calling this subroutine may modify `@ARGV`.

### usage()

Display customary Pod::Html usage information on STDERR.

### unixify()

Ensure that *Pod::Html*'s internals and tests handle paths consistently across Unix, Windows and VMS.

### relativize\_url()

Convert an absolute URL to one relative to a base URL. Assumes both end in a filename.

### html\_escape()

Make text safe for HTML.

### htmlify()

```
    htmlify($heading);
```

Converts a pod section specification to a suitable section specification for HTML. Note that we keep spaces and special characters except `"", ?"` (Netscape problem) and the hyphen (writer's problem...).

### anchorify()

```
    anchorify(@heading);
```

Similar to `htmlify()`, but turns non-alphanumerics into underscores.  Note that `anchorify()` is not exported by default.

### trim\_leading\_whitespace()

Remove any level of indentation (spaces or tabs) from each code block consistently.  Adapted from: https://metacpan.org/source/HAARG/MetaCPAN-Pod-XHTML-0.002001/lib/Pod/Simple/Role/StripVerbatimIndent.pm