Announcement: magpie (package doc tool); needs maintainer
I am pleased to announce the initial public release of 'magpie', a
GPL program that reads the Debian package information and produces
(IMHO) nicely formatted and cross-referenced documentation. A sample
HTML and man(10) page are attached.
Unpublished modules will produce TexInfo, DocBook and DebianDoc
formatted output. These modules are *not* currently supported due
to the ludicrious resource requirements - few systems can process
the 10,000+ page documents produced by the "all packages" routines.
On my system, even "installed packages" documents routinely top
1000 pages.
This package needs a Debian maintainer.
The software (source and unofficial debian package) should be available
at http://www.dimensional.com/~bgiles/magpie_0.1-1_i386.deb (and the
obvious variations) by 0000 UTC or soon afterwards. I appear to have
made a stupid mistake while adding some checks for ENOSPC, so it's a
30 second fix followed by another 20 minute run under the debugger to
verify there isn't a second lurking stupid error. :-(
Bear Giles
bgiles@coyotesong.com
---------
README for Magpie 0.1:
WARNING: THIS IS THE FIRST PUBLIC RELEASE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
This program reads the Debian package database and produces three
classes of documentation:
- HTML pages with extensive cross referencing,
- "man" pages for each package,
- an XML representation of the package information. This could
be used with an XST and XML-aware browser.
The HTML and "man" pages contain augmented package information:
- reverse listings for "depends", "recommends" and "suggests"
("required by", "recommended by" and "suggested by")
- package lists are expanded to include the package summary
(if known) and installed package version.
The HTML pages include a number of "augmented index" pages that
group related packages together and reproduce the package description.
It also includes a one-line index of packages grouped by source,
maintainer, etc.
The "man" pages do not currently use the ".IX" tag, but they could
include keywords extracted from the package description. This would
allow something like "man -k mp3" to return a list of packages which
refer to MP3.
This program takes many minutes to complete and should probably
be run via a cron job. It also requires nearly 20 MB of disk space
for the compressed files, plus working space.
The long term plans include support for local "plugins," and all
real work is already done by modules following a simple API.
(They are statically linked, however.) Plugins could handle tasks
like validating MD5 checksums, identifying setuid files and
associated them with a Debian package, or identifying "unexpected"
files in a directory.
$Id: README,v 1.3 2000/02/14 18:33:39 bear Exp $
---------
$ zcat /var/cache/magpie/html/details/a/apache.html.gz
---------
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">
<html>
<head>
<title>Detailed Information for 'apache'</title>
</head>
<body bgcolor=#FFFFFF TEXT=#000000>
<h1>Detailed Information for 'apache'</h1>
The most popular server in the world, Apache features a modular
design and supports dynamic selection of extension modules at runtime.
Some of its strong points are its range of possible customization,
dynamic adjustment of the number of server processes, and a whole
range of available modules including many authentication mechanisms,
server-parsed HTML, server-side includes, access control, CERN httpd
metafiles emulation, proxy caching, etc. Apache also supports multiple
virtual homing.
<p>
Separate Debian packages are available for PHP3, mod_perl, Java
Servlet support, Apache-SSL, and other common extensions. More
information is available at http://www.apache.org/.
<p>
<!-- package details -->
<table border=1>
<tr><th>Name</th><td>apache</td></tr>
<tr><th>Summary</th><td>Versatile, high-performance HTTP server</td></tr>
<tr><th>Version</th><td>1.3.9-10</td></tr>
<tr><th>Section</th><td>main/web</td></tr>
<tr><th>Priority</th><td>optional </td></tr>
<tr><th>Filename</th><td>dists/frozen/main/binary-i386/web/apache_1.3.9-10.deb</td></tr>
<tr><th>Maintainer</th><td><a href="../../maintainers.html.gz#Johnie Ingram <johnie@debian.org>">Johnie Ingram <johnie@debian.org></a></td></tr>
<tr><th>Depends</th><td><table border=1>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/l/libc6.html.gz">libc6</a> (>= 2.1) <font color="00CC00">[2.1.3]</font>
GNU C Library: Shared libraries and Timezone data</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/l/libgdbmg1.html.gz">libgdbmg1</a> <font color="00CC00">[1.7.3]</font>
GNU dbm database routines (runtime version). [libc6 version]</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/m/mime-support.html.gz">mime-support</a> <font color="00CC00">[3.9]</font>
MIME files 'mime.types' & 'mailcap', and support programs</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/a/apache-common.html.gz">apache-common</a> (>= 1.3.9) <font color="00CC00">[1.3.9]</font>
Support files for all Apache webservers</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/a/apache-common.html.gz">apache-common</a> (<< 1.3.10) <font color="00CC00">[1.3.9]</font>
Support files for all Apache webservers</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/p/perl.html.gz">perl</a>
Fake package used for a smooth upgrade<br>perl5
</td></tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Required by</th><td><table border=1>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/d/docbook-stylesheets-doc.html.gz">docbook-stylesheets-doc</a> <font color="00CC00">[1.49]</font>
Modular DocBook stylesheets documentation</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/j/jitterbug.html.gz">jitterbug</a>
A cgi-bin tool for problem reporting and tracking</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/l/listar-cgi.html.gz">listar-cgi</a>
CGI front-end for Listar</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/m/mailman.html.gz">mailman</a>
Powerful, web based list processor</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/o/onshore-timesheet.html.gz">onshore-timesheet</a>
A complete, Open Source, Web-based Time-Billing solution</td></tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Recommended by</th><td><table border=1>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/g/gnats2w.html.gz">gnats2w</a>
Yet another Web interface to GNATS.</td></tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Suggests</th><td><table border=1>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/a/apache-doc.html.gz">apache-doc</a> <font color="00CC00">[1.3.9]</font>
Apache webserver docs</td></tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Suggested by</th><td><table border=1>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/a/apache-common.html.gz">apache-common</a> <font color="00CC00">[1.3.9]</font>
Support files for all Apache webservers</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/a/apache-dev.html.gz">apache-dev</a> <font color="00CC00">[1.3.9]</font>
Apache webserver development kit</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/a/apache-doc.html.gz">apache-doc</a> <font color="00CC00">[1.3.9]</font>
Apache webserver docs</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/b/browser-history.html.gz">browser-history</a>
User daemon that tracks URL's looked at and logs them.</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/g/global.html.gz">global</a>
Source code search and browse.</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/h/hns2.html.gz">hns2</a>
Hyper Nikki System (perl version)</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/h/horde.html.gz">horde</a>
Core elements for the Horde Web Application Suite</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/i/imp.html.gz">imp</a>
Web Based IMAP Mail Program.</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/n/namazu.html.gz">namazu</a>
Full text search engine</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/j/jserv.html.gz">jserv</a>
Java Servlet 2.0 engine with an optional Apache module</td></tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Provides</th><td><table border=1>
<tr><td>
httpd
</td></tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Replaces</th><td><table border=1>
<tr><td>
apache-modules
</td></tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Conflicts</th><td><table border=1>
<tr><td>
apache-modules
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
<a href="../../details/l/libapache-mod-perl.html.gz">libapache-mod-perl</a> (<= 1.17-1)
Integration of perl with the Apache web server</td></tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Size</th><td>355872</td></tr>
<tr><th>Installed Size</th><td>650k</td></tr>
<tr><th>MD5sum</th><td><code>ed043bea4e02a83afafb212aec634cee</code>
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Bugs</th><td><a href="http://cgi.debian.org/cgi-bin/pkgreport.cgi?archive=no&pkg=apache";>http://cgi.debian.org/cgi-bin/pkgreport.cgi?pkg=apache</a></td></tr>
</table>
<hr>
Automatically generated by magpie.<br>
Created on 2000-02-14<br>
Author: Bear Giles <a href="bgiles@coyotesong.com"><bgiles@coyotesong.com></a>
<!--
This document was generated by 'magpie,' copyright (C) 2000 by
Bear Giles <bgiles@coyotesong.com>. The author waives all rights
to this document as a 'derived work.'
Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and
its documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted,
provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and
both the copyright notice and this permission notice appear in
supporting documentation. This software is provided "as is" without
express or implied warranty.
-->
</body>
</html>
---------
zcat /var/cache/magpie/man/man10/apache.10.gz
---------
.TH "APACHE" "10" "2000-02-14" "" "DEBIAN"
.IX apache
.SS "NAME"
apache \- Versatile, high\-performance HTTP server
.SS "DESCRIPTION"
.PP
The most popular server in the world, Apache features a modular
design and supports dynamic selection of extension modules at runtime\&.
Some of its strong points are its range of possible customization,
dynamic adjustment of the number of server processes, and a whole
range of available modules including many authentication mechanisms,
server\-parsed HTML, server\-side includes, access control, CERN httpd
metafiles emulation, proxy caching, etc\&. Apache also supports multiple
virtual homing\&.
Separate Debian packages are available for PHP3, mod_perl, Java
Servlet support, Apache\-SSL, and other common extensions\&. More
information is available at http://www\&.apache\&.org/\&;.
.SS "VERSION"
.PP
1\&.3\&.9\-10
.SS "MAINTAINER"
.PP
Johnie Ingram <johnie@debian\&.org>
.SS "DEPENDS"
.PP
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
libc6 \- GNU C Library: Shared libraries and Timezone data
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
libgdbmg1 \- GNU dbm database routines (runtime version)\&. [libc6 version]
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
mime-support \- MIME files 'mime\&.types' & 'mailcap', and support programs
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
apache-common \- Support files for all Apache webservers
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
apache-common \- Support files for all Apache webservers
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
perl \- Fake package used for a smooth upgrade
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
perl5
.SS "REQUIRED BY"
.PP
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
docbook-stylesheets-doc \- Modular DocBook stylesheets documentation
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
jitterbug \- A cgi\-bin tool for problem reporting and tracking
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
listar-cgi \- CGI front\-end for Listar
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
mailman \- Powerful, web based list processor
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
onshore-timesheet \- A complete, Open Source, Web\-based Time\-Billing solution
.SS "RECOMMENDED BY"
.PP
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
gnats2w \- Yet another Web interface to GNATS\&.
.SS "SUGGESTS"
.PP
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
apache-doc \- Apache webserver docs
.SS "SUGGESTED BY"
.PP
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
apache-common \- Support files for all Apache webservers
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
apache-dev \- Apache webserver development kit
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
apache-doc \- Apache webserver docs
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
browser-history \- User daemon that tracks URL's looked at and logs them\&.
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
global \- Source code search and browse\&.
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
hns2 \- Hyper Nikki System (perl version)
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
horde \- Core elements for the Horde Web Application Suite
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
imp \- Web Based IMAP Mail Program\&.
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
namazu \- Full text search engine
.TP 0.2i
\(bu
jserv \- Java Servlet 2\&.0 engine with an optional Apache module
.SS "ARCHITECTURE"
.PP
i386
.SS "FILENAME"
.PP
dists/frozen/main/binary\-i386/web/apache_1\&.3\&.9\-10\&.deb
.SS "SIZE"
.PP
355872
.SS "INSTALLED SIZE"
.PP
.PP
650 KB
.SS "AUTHOR"
This manpage was automatically generated from the Debian package database.
.\" This document was generated by 'magpie,' copyright (C) 2000 by
.\" Bear Giles <bgiles@coyotesong.com>. The author waives all rights
.\" to this document as a 'derived work.'
.\"
.\" Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and
.\" its documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted,
.\" provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and
.\" both the copyright notice and this permission notice appear in
.\" supporting documentation. This software is provided "as is" without
.\" express or implied warranty.
Reply to: