Arch Linux

shpelda

Member

Registered: 2008-08-07

Posts: 59

packaging windows programs

Hey

I think it would be great to invent some way to package windows applications with pacman.
As those numerous applications need various versions and patches of wine, i imagine that wine would
be part of installation of that windows application.

I am aware of playonlinux, but i don;t really like their way.

Basically i want a package that would
1) install and patch wine so that miltiple wine versions can be on system // or declare a dependency on some particular version of it
2) install windows application(W) somewhere in /usr
3) provide a startup script in /usr/bin that would  create WINEPREFIX folder $XDG_DATA_HOME/.(W) on first start.
4) in $WINEPREFIX there would be almost nothing.. maybe symlinks somewhere into /usr

It's clear that this wastes disk space, but i don;t care.

Any thoughts?

/dev/zero

Member

From: Melbourne, Australia

Registered: 2011-10-20

Posts: 1,247

Re: packaging windows programs

Any thoughts?

I think if you aur it and people vote on it, it will make its way into community.

OTOH, if you think it could run orthogonally to arch's pacman/aur/abs type schema, then run it orthogonally.

I predict this will go no-where - but you're most welcome to prove me wrong .

bsilbaugh

Member

From: Maryland, USA

Registered: 2011-11-15

Posts: 141

Re: packaging windows programs

Would licensing of the windows apps be an issue here?

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desm0tes

Member

From: 127.0.0.1

Registered: 2012-02-04

Posts: 233

Website

Re: packaging windows programs

In what way is this different to PlayOnLinux, that
1. Installs a seperate WINEPREFIX with all the necessary patches and libraries and an independent version of wine as needed by the application
2. Installs the application whereever you want it
3. provides a startup script
?

For example, I got all my games and WINEPREFIXES and other wine- and playonlinux-configs on a seperate Games-partition...~/.wine and ~/.PlayOnLinux are symlinked.

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kokoko3k

Member

Registered: 2008-11-14

Posts: 2,458

Re: packaging windows programs

check also q4wine

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Avant-texte

Member

Registered: 2012-02-13

Posts: 136

Re: packaging windows programs

Pacman + Makepkg already support this. Include where to get the program and what directives need to be run to install it in the PKGBUILD. Makepkg will set it up and Pacman will install / keep track of it. ...as for a Windows pkg making it directly into the binary repos, it depends on the lisencing (assuming there's even enough demand in the Arch community).

Honestly though, you'll find a lot people averted to adding win bins to the repos. If it's open and not on linux, it should just be ported. If the software developer is open to a linux userbase but doesn't wan't to open their code, they'll probably try releasing binary version for Linux (ex: see NVidia). Otherwise if a software developer doesn't want to open their software and don't want port it themselves, you'll either see the community try to make an FOSS replacement or Makepkg will be your only route. There's nothing else that can be done nor can you expect the community to do.

shpelda

Member

Registered: 2008-08-07

Posts: 59

Re: packaging windows programs

Maybe i am a bit misunderstood here... I don;t want to code any pacman extension.
I am just wandering if packaging windows app as arch package makes sense or not.
If i create something, it will most propably end up as a set of guidelines - some howto.

I don;t really care about licencing and binary stuff in repos.. i'd just be happy if my favorite
windows games are available on aur. No licensing there as it is not redistribution, right?:)

@desm0tes 
the differences are
  -  that the program is handled by package manager.
     -  that you have all the convenience you are used to.. no messing with winetricks, no manual wine patching etc. 
  -  that program is not installed per-user but per system.

For example, I got all my games and WINEPREFIXES and other wine- and playonlinux-configs on a seperate Games-partition...~/.wine and ~/.PlayOnLinux are symlinked.

- and no weird setups needed:). Programs are installed where they are supposed to be(/usr).

Go technical people.. Are there reasons why it can't work?

Last edited by shpelda (2012-03-08 00:14:14)