Re: pybuild (Re: image-file-in-usr-lib)

[Ben Finney <ben+debian@benfinney.id.au>]

Ole Streicher <olebole@debian.org> writes:

> Ben Finney <ben+debian@benfinney.id.au> writes:
> > Ole Streicher <olebole@debian.org> writes:
> > Installing the non-program files to ‘/usr/share/foopackage/images/’ (for
> > example) is simple enough, using ‘dh_install’.
>
> I am using pybuild, and I am wondering why it doesn't do this
> automatically (maybe with some help)?

Short answer: Because the upstream source does not distinguish which
files should be installed where.

The help that would be needed is for the upstream source (i.e. the
Distutils metadata) to distinguish between executable program files
versus non-executable files.

> Generally: pybuild seem to install all files into /usr/lib/?

Yes, because that's what will allow the program to work.

We're fighting against an essentially incompatible installation
philosophy (“install everything in one dump”) which needs to be
untangled in order to meet Debian policy.

That can't be done reliably by an automated tool, unless there is some
help from metadata set in the upstream source.

> What is the best way here, also to explain this in a tutorial to an
> absolute newcomer?

I don't have a good answer. The incompatible approaches to installing
files, by the disparate packaging systems (Python Distutils versus
operating system package managers) needs to be reconciled.

-- 
 \       “First things first, but not necessarily in that order.” —The |
  `\                                              Doctor, _Doctor Who_ |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney