[openbeos] Package Management System.
- From: "Travis Smith" <sage@xxxxxxxx>
- To: <openbeos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2001 00:29:15 -0500
Ok, here's what I've thought of so far.
Ignoring the exactly interface for the moment:
You open up your package management software: BePKG or what ever.
Point BePKG to an address of a pkg_index.xml file, ie:
http://www.my_package_server.org/packages/pkg_index.xml
This file will contain entries like:
base http://www.my_package_server.org/packages
gz develope/gnu/gcc-3.0
pkg servers/print_kit-1.4
pkg servers/app_server-3.2
zip apps/aim-0.3beta
I am thinking this could be a plain text, not even needed to be xml.
So let's start at the beginning. The base explains what the base url for
the packages is. So if the file is local, and merged with other files,
it will be able to tell the location of packages apart.
The first item of the other lines is the package type:
gz/pkg/zip/tgz/tar/bz2 or what ever else we find useful.
Then we are looking at the general path (minus the extension) for the
packages themselves. So gcc-3.0 would really be:
http://www.my_package_server.org/packages/develope/gnu/gcc-3.0.gz
There would also be a config file for the package:
http://www.my_package_server.org/package/develope/gnu/gcc-3.0.xml
This file would contain the following
* Package information
* Package dependences
* Package Author
* Package website?
* Package file list w/ locations of the files after install, including
config and save files that are created.
* name of pre/post install/remove scripts
So the user downloads the new package index, then the index pulls the
xml lists from the locations listed. The user can then look at package
information, including the exactly file contents, and exactly where the
files will be installed. Overriding the 'base' directories if the user
so wishes.
If Joe (the users) decides to install a package, the package is then
downloaded and installed, with a copy of the .xml file moved to a safe
location where it will be used to remove the application when the user
wishes - completely if the user wishes as well because the xml file will
know where config files are as well.
********
This is what I have so far. I want everyone who has anything to say, say
it. This is an open discussion. There are a couple possible problems
with this approach as I see it, but maybe they can be over come with
input from others.
Enjoy everyone.
----
Travis Smith
sage at ieee dot org
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