Absolute beginner interested in packaging - need step by step help

[sling-shot]

I have set up a separate fully updated install of PCLinuxOS 2010.12 KDE.
I have installed pkgutils-kde

My goal is to get this updated Synaptic driver
http://cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/driver/xf86-input-synaptics/

We have 1.1.3 in our repos while 1.4.0 is available there which is needed by the latest Synaptiks touchpad management software.

Now that is the background.

As to how much I know about packaging, I only know that it is done by someone else!
I am looking for a step by step help to begin this.
I have downloaded xf86-input-synaptics-1.4.0.tar.gz.

How to proceed?

[MBantz]

Hey Sling-Shot,

it is not recommended to use your day-to-day system for packaging, either reserve a spare computer for this or even better install VMWare or Virtualbox and perform the building there. The reason is that during testing and installation of development packages (lots, and lots, and lots) your system can easily become unstable,

I recall there was a packaging guide somewhere when I started out as packager, don't know the status of this - but a very nice introduction to packaging - eventually try and search/google after an introduction to RPM packaging for PCLinuxOS,

your first step should be to setup a virtual environment or a spare system, then read all the sticky threads (one is about setting up vmware btw.) in this section (packagers),

report back then ;-)

have fun :-)
/MBantz

[Neal ManBear]

Documentation for PCLinuxOS RPM building is available here. It is old, so you may need to ask some questions about things.

[sling-shot]

I guess I am missing something here. All the guides I have read have a lot detailed descriptions about specifications etc. They seem to be good for someone who has already built something somewhere.
I have been a user all my life. And that too a Windows user where all I did was search for the software, download the .exe, double click to install. PCLinuxOS made that even easier - all I had to do was fire up Synaptic, search and mark, apply.

Here I just want to know like the exact steps one would need to follow in an ideal setup.

Eg.
Step 1. Setup your system - done
Step 2. Download source - done
Step 3. Extract source - to be do or not
Step 4. Open terminal. Type "convert source.tar > package.rpm -r -st:exact copy"
  I am particularly missing step 3 and step 4.

[Neal ManBear]

sling-shot,
Download and read the document linked to in my previous post.

As MBantz said, read the sticky topics here in the Packagers section.

There is more to packaging than:

Step 3. Extract source - to be do or not
Step 4. Open terminal. Type "convert source.tar > package.rpm -r -st:exact copy"

Those are not steps in packaging.

If you do the reading, you will learn about what is needed.

[travisN000]

An over-view of the steps for a quick and easy re-package / package update can be found here:

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,62707.msg507302.html#msg507302

..you can download the current .src.rpm file for that package (aka SRPM) from any of the PCLOS repo mirrors using your web browser:   http://ftp-srv2.kddilabs.jp/Linux/packages/pclinuxos/pclinuxos/apt/pclinuxos/2010/SRPMS.main/

[Joble]

Make sure you read this one from Tex too, specially if you plan on submiting it to him.
http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,82165.0.html