Re: shlibs in binary packages allowed at all or no?
apharris@burrito.onshore.com (Adam P. Harris) writes:
> "Scott K. Ellis" <storm@gate.net> writes:
> > On Sat, Jul 04, 1998 at 02:16:59PM -0400, Gregory S. Stark wrote:
> > > "Scott K. Ellis" <storm@gate.net> writes:
> > > > You have libpkg, it is included in the apt package. Run ldconfig.
> > >
> > > Uhm, shared libraries are supposed to be in separate packages with
> > > the soname version in their names. Packaging them in the same
> > > package as the binaries that use them is asking for trouble and
> > > violates policy.
> >
> > Nothing else uses the shared libraries (they are only used between
> > the various apt binaries). In addition, the package was originally
> > constructed to make it easy to download out of experimental and
> > install. Finally, I offer as precident, the dpkg package.
Uhm, i expect dpkg probably predates the policy.
In any case libpkg has been suggested at least once to a developer wanting to
manipulate the dpkg databases and i expect it's likely he or someone else will
eventually do so. When he does and you find you want to bump the soname
version you will have the same nightmare the libpaper maintainer recently
faced.
> There are other examples, including two packages I maintain:
> mh (libmh)
> sp (libsp)
> nmh
> communicator4
>
> My feeling was that if a shlib was not used nor ever likely to be used
> by any other packages, then it's ok to package it along with binaries.
> Reading policy, no such allowance is made.
I understand, but the problem is that if ever you make a mistake you are in
trouble. The e2fsprogs maintainer was quite surpised when I uploaded zephyr
and kerberos, which used libss and libcom_err neither of which had any uses
previously. And I expect libpkg to eventually have users.
It ought to be possible to have debhelper automatically split off library
package, the contents are very predictable. Then it should be possible to
have the APT GUI automatically install and deinstall needed libraries --
without prompting the user. That should make all of this pretty painless
both for the maintainer and the user.
greg
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