Packaging process observations

[rick0612]

Hi,

The packaging process may have a few points to consider.

When you right-click on the .srpm and chose Install SRPM for Build, there is no indication the process is completed. One could sit for a long while before deciding to cross your fingers and close the terminal.

When you right-click on the .spec file, some of the defaults may need to be changed. Shouldn't you always update?

When you right-click on the .spec file and choose Build all, Create logfile, nothing happens. If you then open a terminal and build from there an error generates.
error: Your intltool is too old. Need 0.40.0 or later.
The file is in Synaptic and easy enough to install but shouldn't this be updated in the pkgutils-kde install? After updating intltool, the right-click Build all, Create logfile still didn't work but Build All does work.

Looking forward to trying some packaging. Right now I am practicing on programs I normally install after a Minime install. Only have one done so far.

Rick

[Neal ManBear]

Hi,

The packaging process may have a few points to consider.

When you right-click on the .srpm and chose Install SRPM for Build, there is no indication the process is completed. One could sit for a long while before deciding to cross your fingers and close the terminal.

     
When the process shown in xterm has stopped, the SRPM has been extracted; i.e. feedback is generated until the process has completed. Look in your SPECS directory. The spec won't be there until the process has completed.     

When you right-click on the .spec file, some of the defaults may need to be changed.

     
Your statement is too general. Which defaults need to be changed? How should they be changed? Why do you think they should be changed?     

Shouldn't you always update?

     
Yes, you should. This is true whether you package RPMs or not.     

When you right-click on the .spec file and choose Build all, Create logfile, nothing happens.

     
No, when I choose that option, the build process starts (shown in terminal) and a build log is created. It can be opened in any text editor.     

If you then open a terminal and build from there an error generates.
error: Your intltool is too old. Need 0.40.0 or later.
The file is in Synaptic and easy enough to install but shouldn't this be updated in the pkgutils-kde install?

     
I refer you to your update question. Why hadn't you updated?     

After updating intltool, the right-click Build all, Create logfile still didn't work but Build All does work.

     
You seem to be missing something.     

Looking forward to trying some packaging. Right now I am practicing on programs I normally install after a Minime install. Only have one done so far.

Rick

[rick0612]

OK, let me try this again.

I did a fresh install of KDE-MiniMe 2012.12 on The Averatec laptop listed below, again. I'm writing this as I am doing it. I want to try packaging and had this machine sitting around. After the install, I went to Synaptic and did the reload, do updates thing. No updates available. OK, good to go.

Then I installed the pkgutils-kde4 file from Synaptic. OK, good to go.
Because I had the problem with intltool too old, I checked the repository and saw that intltool-0.41.1 was not installed but available. Didn't install at this time. (Following the instructions on the Wiki page)

Then I went over to ibiblio and got the .srpm for gweled (I like the game and would install it anyway).

Wait, Firefox was installed before going to ibiblio.

Right-clicked on downloaded file and left-clicked on Install SRPM for Build. Konsole opened and showed program name and string of pound signs with 100% at end. I'm assuming there is only one file because after waiting a while nothing else happened so I closed the Konsole window.
Suggestion: The word Done at the return would be nice.

Right-clicking the spec file then left-clicking the Install Dependencies option, opened a Konsole window and gave this question: Do "apt-get update" first? [y/N]
As far as I know the capital N means it is the default answer. Shouldn't the default be Y?
I entered y and after entering root password the system started updating? Anyway this question was next:
The following 6 packages will be installed:

gtk+2-devel librsvg-devel libgnomeui2-devel libglade2.0-devel libmikmod-devel ImageMagick

Are you sure? [y/N]
Again, shouldn't the default be Y? I entered y
This next question may have the correct default:
Save list of files? [Y/n] I just pressed the ENTER key
The script again asked for the root password
The system then proceeded to install 88 packages. When all was said and done the word Done was at the end... almost. There was a line about a remove file generated after Done. I figured it was safe to close the terminal.

Right-clicking the spec file and choosing Build all, Create logfile does nothing. Installed xterm per Terry's suggestion and that fixed that problem.
Suggestion: include xterm in pkgutils-kde4. (Maybe pkgutils-thunar as well?)

The build stopped at this error:
checking for intltool >= 0.40.0... ./configure: line 5537: intltool-update: command not found
  found
configure: error: Your intltool is too old. You need intltool 0.40.0 or later.
Went back to Synaptic and found that intltool 0.41.1 is still there but not installed, there is no other intltool listed in Synaptic.
Suggestion: Following the instructions, intltool is never installed; add it to pkgutils-kde4 and pkgutils-thunar maybe?
Anyway I installed intltool-0.41.1. Now right-clicking the spec file and choosing Build all, Create logfile opens the xterm window and gives me an exit 0.

When running gbd, this question is asked:
Update apt package list? [y/N]
Shouldn't the default be Y? I entered y and the script completed.

Entered Synaptic, found my package and installed it.
Yeah!! it installed, created Games/Puzzles in the menu and put the program there. It even works!!!

I'm not trying to be irritating just reporting what I did, how I did it and what I found.

Rick.

[pags]

I'm not a packager, so I won't comment on it, per what should or shouldn't be included (as dependencies?)...

However, regarding the (y/N) issues...

When scripting (or, programming), and seeking verification from the user, it is generally accepted to offer the "safe" option as the default, in the event it was selected in error (or, is ignored and a timeout occurs), that the least damage might be incurred...

Therefore, presenting "N" as the default for any operation that has the potential to make considerable change to an environment is safer that assuming the user intends it, and breaking something in the process...

[sling-shot]

[rick0612]

Congratulations on deciding to take up packaging. You seem to have a methodical approach with an eye to the details.
Please give your opinion / comments on the Packaging page over here http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,107765.msg952516.html#msg952516 or here http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,111231.0.html

------------------

Since we need to keep the packaging environment as pristine as possible, may I suggest use of Portable Firefox?

Also I believe it is generally safe to answer explicitly to any question rather than go with ENTER to use defaults.

[kjpetrie]

It also illustrates the reason for trying to keep a packaging environment simple. The most likely reason for the previous packager not specifying it was that he'd just built something else that used it so it was already installed. If the build process doesn't complain the packager doesn't know it's needed.

[sling-shot]

Why is 'xterm' so needed here? Why not just use Konsole which is already present in the MiniMe? Is Konsole not capable of saving the output?

[Neal ManBear]

Maybe it's just me, but I've never had a problem with using konsole rather than xter in a kde build environment.    

edit: BTW, I have never had gbd (genbasedir) ask me to update the packages lists. genbasedir is the scriptto generate those packages lists.     

[Texstar]

Maybe it's just me, but I've never had a problem with using konsole rather than xter in a kde build environment.     

It is not just you. I've always used konsole instead of xterm in a kde build environment.

[Neal ManBear]

Maybe it's just me, but I've never had a problem with using konsole rather than xter in a kde build environment.     

It is not just you. I've always used konsole instead of xterm in a kde build environment.

     
Thanks for verifying, big guy.      

[pinoc]

what is xterm? 

[rick0612]

Hi all

Thanks for the inputs.

About the defaults, I don't understand why the questions are asked in the first place. If you say NO won't the process stop there? The whole idea is to package and fix problems. IMHO, a line in a log file telling you what happened would work just as well.

sling-shot - From what I could find, Portable Firefox requires Wine to run in Linux. I don't think installing Wine could be considered pristine. Did I miss a pure Linux version? Google didn't find one.

Neal and Texstar - How do I make Konsole work for the Build all, Create logfile option? I checked the settings in Konsole but didn't see anything to change that would allow that or stop it for that matter. Or is it something in the spec file? Konsole worked for everything I tried even Install dependencies and that option output a *.remove file.

How do I clean up and get my pristine environment again? I have a *.remove file, does that have something to do with it?

Thanks

Rick.

[sling-shot]

Maybe it's just me, but I've never had a problem with using konsole rather than xter in a kde build environment.     

edit: BTW, I have never had gbd (genbasedir) ask me to update the packages lists. genbasedir is the scriptto generate those packages lists.     

Then please consider updating pkgutils-kde such that it will use Konsole rather than xterm.
THOUGHT: The use of xterm may be a hangon from days of Tin*Me or something where KDE was not present.

'gbd' always asks to update package lists here on 2 different packaging installations.

[sling-shot]

Just go to www.mozilla.org, get Firefox for Linux, extract the archive to your home directory making sure that directory hierarchy is maintained by ticking that option. Go into this new firefox directory and click on 'firefox'.

[rick0612]

sling-shot - Got firefox like you said. Decided to try it on a flash drive. It works great. Am posting this from the flash drive now. The only issue is that bookmarks stay on the ~/.mozilla directory. That can be copied to the flash drive if needed.

Rick.