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Re: [Pkg-octave-devel] Hello, some doubts and ideas



Hello Andreu,

Thanks for your message.

* Andreu Correa Casablanca <castarco@gmail.com> [2015-04-22 11:09]:

I'm working on a proposal to improve the Octave's package management system (pkg.m) to make it more flexible. I've recently discovered this group while doing a little bit of research, and I think it would be interesting to know your opinions before and after the proposal is written in the Octave's wiki.

In which framework will you develop your project? Will you do it under the supervision of the Octave upstream authors? I am asking these questions because we (the DOG) usually adapt ourselves to whichever design decisions are taken upstream, and not the other way around.

I've seen you are using a package (octave-pkg-dev) to make easier creating Octave's packages for Debian. Since it's probable that my proposal will introduce backwards incompatibilities, I think it's very important to do it with your agreement and taking into account your advices.

The octave-pkg-dev package was created in order to automate the creation of Octave-Forge packages for Debian. It is a collection of hacks based on CDBS and using calls to the pkg command, essentially collected into a single Makefile (octave-pkg.mk). Even though it has been pretty successful since its inception, the creation of the octave-pkg-dev package was not based on a clear and well thought design.

So, I think that we will have to adapt anyway to any future changes in the behavior of the pkg command.

One of my ideas is to add another "per-project" packages in addition to the global and local packages.

Another idea is to handle every "project" (a directory with Octave code) as a package itself ("anonymous" package if there isn't metadata available, and named package if the metadata is available). This point may introduce subtle changes in the package directory structure.

I have some difficulties in understanding designs without seeing actual code and how it acts. In particular, I cannot tell how the changes above would affect the Debian packaging.

I would say, then, go ahead with your project and we will catch up later.

Best,

Rafael



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