Re: Source Builds

[Shaul Karl <shaul@actcom.net.il>]

On Wed, Aug 06, 2003 at 07:43:15AM -0400, Tom Allison wrote:
> Is there a link that describes how to go about building packages from the 
> deb-src files 


  I am not aware to such a link. That of course doesn't mean that there
is not any.


>               and how I might identify packages for source build only?


  You might start with the Build fields of the debian/control file.
However those fields are likely to mention only immediate dependencies,
not packages that are dependencies for those that are mentioned. In
addition, there are the build-essential packages that are assumed to be
available. As such, they don't need to be mentioned in the Build fields,
even if they are first level dependencies. Yet I believe that there is
an apt-build utility which target your question. It could be that it
also has a --simulation flag. However I have only heard about
apt-build, never used it myself. It could be that I even don't remember
correctly its name.
  In case you have good network access and you are not tight with disk
space you might look at pbuilder.
  Hand tools for building debs from source is dpkg-buildpackage and
friends. The devscripts automates the dpkg-buildpackage process but
messing with the build dependencies is not in their jurisdiction.


> 
> An example might be to change XFree and my Window Manager to compiled 
> packages to take advantage of the chipset graphics instructions.

-- 

    Shaul Karl,    shaul @ actcom . net . il