So, I want to become a packager(newbie questions, please be kind)

[Agent Smith]

Gentlemen,
PCLOS is a great distro, but there are missing programs and packages. Since the community is encouraged to help, I do intent to help PCLOS to become even better than it already is.
So, I want to package programs, and make them available for others.
I'm no way an expert in C, C++, and, so far, had few successes compiling programs, but the ones I could make work inspire me to continue ahead, and, overcome the problems and advance.
But there are some questions that raised in the process and, as there was not a FAQ about packaging, I'm asking these questions here:

1-Using Alien to convert DEB packages, is it allowed or not ? Since Alien works great, it would be of great use to increase the number of available packages for PCLOS.

2-There are some programs that don't come with the source, just the executable, and these would be packaged very easily, is there any problem packaging them ?

3-Is there a list of acceptable programs ? Or I can package whatever I want ?

4-What about icons, wallpapers and fonts ? Can I package them too ?

Well, these are my newbie questions, that raised at the moment, and I would like someone(some kind soul) to help me with them.
I did not find any other place in the forums these matters were discussed, so I asked them here.
I hope I'm not breaking any rule or stuff, and, I believe other questions will raise in the process.

Awaiting for your response,

I send my best regards,

[rubentje1991]

1 You've to send a SRPM (Source RPM) to Texstar's Dropbox folder; if you can get that by using Alien, go go - but I think they prefer manually configured SPEC-files and packages (quality is very important)

2 Depends on the license of the programs...

3 Package what you want - as long as you're packaging legal apps, no malware or other crap, etc etc with enough quality, it will be included afaik... There IS a list of apps if you don't have any inspiration: package suggest (but still closed at the moment, please have some patience)

4 Yep, that's possible; but I don't know how / when that will be included => do you mean for a specific Desktop Environment?

[Neal ManBear]

1) Spend some time reading through this section of the forum.     
2) Download and read the packager's guide linked to in this section of the forum. - Yes, it is old but study it anyway.     
3) Install the appropriate pkgutils package. - For kde or the thunar package.     
4) Package the source tarball. - Convert to tar.xz first. If the source isn't available, do not package it.     
5) Download some PCLinuxOS SRPMs, extract and study them.
6) Once you've created your first RPM, put your src.rpm (SRPM) in your dropbox or minus and provide a link to it in a new topic here in Packagers. Ask for other packagers to test it.     
7) Learn from what other packagers tell you.     
8 ) Do not use a package converter! A proper spec file is required. We do not want any deb files or configuration for some other system in our packages.     
9) When you have been "vetted," submission of SRPMs may be possible.     

[KernelKarter]

In response to item #3, I'd just like to make a polite and friendly observation that came to light whilst very recently installing 32-bit and 64-bit build environments:

The 64-bit version of pkgutils-kde4 (0.1.6-1pclos2011) works straight out of the box, whereas the 32-bit version (0.1.5-3pclos2011) does not. To get the 32-bit version to work, tweaks are required to /usr/share/kde4/services/ServiceMenus/build-spec.desktop and /usr/bin/addpkg.

Hope you don't mind me mentioning this but perhaps I may have missed something?

-- Eddie

[Neal ManBear]

In response to item #3, I'd just like to make a polite and friendly observation that came to light whilst very recently installing 32-bit and 64-bit build environments:

The 64-bit version of pkgutils-kde4 (0.1.6-1pclos2011) works straight out of the box, whereas the 32-bit version (0.1.5-3pclos2011) does not. To get the 32-bit version to work, tweaks are required to /usr/share/kde4/services/ServiceMenus/build-spec.desktop and /usr/bin/addpkg.

Hope you don't mind me mentioning this but perhaps I may have missed something?

-- Eddie

     
Download its SRPM, fix the problem, rebuild the RPM/SRPM with appropriate release number (up by one from previous) and post here in packagers for testers. Link to your SRPM - dropbox is good for this.     

[KernelKarter]

I can't find the SRPM for pkgutils-kde4 (0.1.5-3pclos2011) 

-- Eddie

[Neal ManBear]

All in one:     
http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/pclinuxos/pclinuxos/apt/pclinuxos/2010/SRPMS.updates/pkgutils-0.1.5-3pclos2011.src.rpm     

[KernelKarter]

Ah, that's why I couldn't find it - thanks for that.
Unfortunately, I've run out of time for today, so I'll have to get back to it tomorrow.

-- Eddie

[KernelKarter]

In response to item #3, I'd just like to make a polite and friendly observation that came to light whilst very recently installing 32-bit and 64-bit build environments:

The 64-bit version of pkgutils-kde4 (0.1.6-1pclos2011) works straight out of the box, whereas the 32-bit version (0.1.5-3pclos2011) does not. To get the 32-bit version to work, tweaks are required to /usr/share/kde4/services/ServiceMenus/build-spec.desktop and /usr/bin/addpkg.

Hope you don't mind me mentioning this but perhaps I may have missed something?

-- Eddie

     
Download its SRPM, fix the problem, rebuild the RPM/SRPM with appropriate release number (up by one from previous) and post here in packagers for testers. Link to your SRPM - dropbox is good for this.     

Done: http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,102648.0.html

-- Eddie

[Agent Smith]

Gentlemen,
I apologize for taking so long to respond, but I've been busy(Mr. Neal knows ;-)).

Well, there are some nice programs that come already compiled, and, would be very easy to package.
Some are the following:
pSX(http://psxemulator.gazaxian.com/) a nice Playstation emulator
Kega Fusion(http://www.eidolons-inn.net/tiki-index.php?page=Kega) a very powerful Sega emulator(Sega Mark 3, Genesis and 32X emulator)
SSVNC(http://www.karlrunge.com/x11vnc/ssvnc.html) - Enhanced TightVNC Viewer, with both 32 and 64 bits versions already compiled
nbtscan - NETBIOS nameserver scanner (http://www.unixwiz.net/tools/nbtscan.html) a nice tool to work with windows machines on a lan(the red hat version works out-of-the-box on PCLinuxOS)

And I would like to ask if I could try to package these programs, since they would be very easy to package.
I know the requirement for source code, but since there are programs like Skype, that don't come with the source code, I thought I could give these a shot. Of course, I am asking first, to do not do anything wrong and infringe the rules of the community and the distro .

Thanks a lot for your time and patience, I'm working in other package, and I intend to release it soon.

[Neal ManBear]

Check the licensing.     
Check to see if redistributing is allowed.     

[Agent Smith]

Check the licensing.     
Check to see if redistributing is allowed.     

Ok, I did so, some fall under the freeware category. And I've submitted some packages I built(two of them, with the priceless help of Leiche - TYVM Man!), and I would like to know how long for them to be in the repos, after testing and stuff.
Ok ?

Best regards!