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Re: design of an apt-src program



On Sun, Jun 16, 2002 at 08:40:02PM -0400, Joey Hess wrote:
> This is very incomplete but I think it explains the basic ideas.

> Requirements:

> 1. Simple command to install a source tree.
> 2. Simple command to remove a source tree.
> 3. Customizable source tree locations. Put it wherever you want it.
> 4. A way to query for the location of a source tree, so software that needs
>    to include stuff from it to build, or build parts of it, can work.
> 5. An upgrade command that updates the source trees, ideally first checking
>    for local modifcations to each and aborting if so (or generating forward
>    patches).
> 6. Use by regular users, but also usable by root to install in canoical
>    locations (/usr/src).
> 7. Sources installable from CD, etc.
> 8. An interface familiar to anyone who knows apt.
> 9. A way to list available source trees and their locations.
> 10. Handle source dependencies amoung source trees; build-dep satisfaction on
>     tree install and upgrade.

As part of #10, I think it's important that the archive software support
tracking of source build dependencies.  Without this feature, it's a
step back for at least one of the packages cited below:
toolchain-source may contain versions of binutils and gcc that don't
correspond to any binary packages in the archive.  So how does the
archive software know how long to keep a source package around in such a
case?

Also, I believe the toolchain-source package includes a number of
patches that are primarily of interest to people doing cross-building.
Perhaps more to the point, the toolchain-source package has a different
maintainer than the binutils and gcc source packages.  What's the best
way to reconcile this?

Steve Langasek
postmodern programmer


> Some interesting packages to look at in research this include:
> 	busybox-source-0.60.0
> 	cmucl-source
> 	mpe-source
> 	ocaml-source
> 	toolchain-source
> 	sawfish-lisp-source
> 	tetex-src?
> 	mindterm (an edge case; the binary package includes full source for
> 	          legal reasons..)
> 	pine (only source package avilable; pine-tracker; etc)

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