Re: build deps

[sharkey@superk.physics.sunysb.edu]

> I was wondering if Build Deps in a source package follow dependencies.
> For example, if I build a package that requires libgnome-dev to
> compile, do I need to specify the myriad of other packages that are
> automatically installed when I install libgnome-dev? 

This came up a few months ago.

If you maintain package X which has a dependency (build or otherwise)
on package A, and package A depends on package B, but you don't depend
on B directly, then list only A.  If you depend directly on both A
and B, then list them both.

The (build-)depends field just lets you know what packages you need to have
installed to compile/use a package.  The process of installing those
packages always follows dependencies unless the administrator is
deliberately trying to avoid that.

This works well if A is ever rewritten to no longer need B, X will still
work.  If you had declared B without needing it, you'd have an unnecessary
dependency, and if you hadn't declared it when you did need it, then you'd
have a missing dependency.

> Also, if something depends on say, libgtk1.2-dev, do I need to specify
> xlibs? Technically, you don't /have/ to have xlibs if you use an
> alternate target (like upstream CVS libgtk1.2 which supports the
> framebuffer)

If it's not necessary and there is a way to work without it, you don't
need a dependency.  You might want to Recommend xlibs, though, since
most people would want it.

Eric