Desperately seeking MORE packagers - please join hands

[gseaman]

I applaud this effort. I often felt when I started that the information I needed was hidden just around the corner. I do not want to sound discouraging, but a manual can only get things started. What a packager needs almost immediately is strategies to solve complex problems in a reasonable time. How do you package a program that uses cmake, or java, or python, etc.? You can't cover it all. But you can look for examples of other specfiles with similar build systems, or find examples of that package from other distros. Then, you can't get away from reading the "fine" manual. This may be the man page for a command, for rpm itself, or for the rpm macros that are pre-defined for PCLinuxOS. Then, of course, I draw on the wisdom of the other packagers to help when things get tough!

I knew almost nothing when I started not that long ago, so I know that there are many others who can do it.

Galen

[Neal ManBear]

Note: new packagers should spend some time in Packagers section. A new topic should be started with the name of the package you are building as the title or a part of the title. A link to download your SRPM (when you have it built) should be included. This is so that other packagers can run a test build and test your rpm and so that you can benefit from their feedback.    

Access to our Dropbox Pack folder will be granted only after the new packager has shown himself/herself able to create packages to PCLinuxOS standards.      

edit: forgot to say -- never be afraid to ask questions. An unasked question is an unanswered question.     

[DutchWolfie]

another one here:
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-rpm1/

there are 3 parts (1-2-3)

And this one i mentioned some time ago, http://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/Fedora_Draft_Documentation/0.1/html/RPM_Guide/index.html

[Just17]

I looked at doing this some time ago, and decided it was not for me.
At least I tried ......  and would encourage others to try also ....  you might find it satisfying, and the work will be appreciated by all PCLOS users.

I would like to make a suggestion ....

because new packagers must meet a certain standard, it would be very useful (IMO) if there were specific packages listed for them to build .....  say 10 packages, each one in the list a little more difficult than the last .....

I suggest this because I would have found that useful.

The new packager would be able to gauge their own progress against the list.
The experienced packagers who would help with problems would also have some idea of the progress being made by the new packager.

Anyway .....  just an idea and if useful would need to be fleshed out etc.

I wish the best to those who at least try.

[sling-shot]

Thanks for the feedback. I have already got a few ideas for improving the current guide. Please keep those comments coming. We will get it done eventually...

In the meanwhile, those who have even a 5% interest in learning packaging, please start. Let us do this together.

[Ray2047]

I notice in the instructions it says to set up a separate partition for packaging. Can this be done in Virtualbox? I understand reasoning behind not testing in VB but if I could have my main computer up and packaging environment up also and just switch between the two without rebooting it would be a lot more convenient.

[frazelle09]

"I have considered packaging as a hobby now that I'm retired but the info I found in the forum just wasn't on a level I could understand and seemed scattered in different places. I'd love to read a well written complete tutorial that started very basic and worked its way up with examples to help me understand."

At first i was at the above stage...  Now, that there appears to be a tutorial, i'll give it a try.

Have a great morning! 

[daniel]

Can this be done in Virtualbox?

In one word YES ...

[Ray2047]

In one word YES ...

In one word GOOD.

Thank you.

[sling-shot]

I have a small suggestion regarding the source .iso for packaging:
- If you are planning a virtual setup, do go with the MiniMe. This should allow you a lighter setup with less baggage.
- If you are planning a separate packaging installation, please go with the full KDE .iso. You may need the additional software for various purposes including research. Also it will allow you to work on something else while the build runs etc.

[sling-shot]

Embarrassed to admit it but got as far as:

Go to http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/pclinuxos/pclinuxos/apt/pclinuxos/2010 and scroll down to the SRPMS.(*) sections. Clicking any of those links will open that section, where you will find SRPMs for PCLinuxOS.
These are the best src.rpms to start out with learning to package upto PCLinuxOS standards. Study them. Look closely at how the spec files are written.

And then stalled out. Couldn't figure out what to do with the links those links took me to or what I was supposed to see when I opened the links at the links above. Hopefully pictures/screenshots would help.

NOTE : Please go through comments by Neal about the following information over here http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,111231.msg950256.html#msg950256

Please read through the complete guide. Parts of the guide are verbatim or barely modified posts from the forum by the authors referred. Considering the high level of knowledge of the respective authors, it might seem intimidating at first. (I had a similar experience too). Just read the rest of the guide.

Once you have set-up the packaging environment, you need to have something to try. (This is from a school of experimental learning rather than theoretical learning).
SRPM or .src.rpm is a source packaging containing the actual source code and the .spec file which is the most important thing about packaging.
Most of the guides linked on the page will talk about .spec file.
The above particular link is the link to those SRPMs which PCLinuxOS uses to build its packages for end users.
The different sections may approximately mean the following:

• base - the most basic software needed for PCLinuxOS to run.
• main - most of the software included in the default .iso release.
• updates - the software which gets added after an .iso is released. This would include both new software and updates to existing software.
• kde / xfce etc - software specific to desktop environments.
• non-free - software distributed in the form of precompiled binaries such as graphic drivers, adobe reader etc.

[If I am wrong please correct me.]

All you need to do is to enter any of these subdirectories by clicking on them and then just examine the list seen there. Click and download any one of your choice. Once it is downloaded locally, right click on the downloaded file.
You will have an option called "Install for build"
This will open a terminal window which can be closed later.
Now if you go and check inside /src/rpm/SPECS and /src/rpm/SOURCES directories of your user account you would find the respective .spec and .tar.xz files.

[frazelle09]

Thanks, sling-shot...

You know..., two humble suggestions...

The ongoing need for new testers should be a part of or located somewhere where all?? new PCL users go.  It should include something (or the same) text as what appears at the beginning of this thread.  Hopefully this will help us always have new testers coming on-board.

i forgot suggestion number two - geez.  Aha!  Someone mentioned a partnering idea - very good, or something along the lines of a master (lol) - and apprentice type of cooperation setup might be really cool.

Have a wonderful morning!

[Ray2047]

Once you have set-up the packaging environment, you need to have something to try. (This is from a school of experimental learning rather than theoretical learning).

You read my mind. I work better if I try first than I know what I don't know (at least somewhat) and I can have little "ahh-haw" moments as I read that make it stick.

[frazelle09]

i'm stuck at allocating more of my /home partition to the new partition.  How much do i need to allocate - 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 gigs?

How is this done?

Have a super morning! 

[sling-shot]

You may need about 15 GB for a second installation exclusively for packaging.
The /home partition of package setup could be just selfcontained within that.