want to learn about makepkg

nornn · 2003-11-13 16:52:05

Hello.

I would like to be able to contribute to arch linux. The thing is I am not a programmer but if there was some good documentation as to how to make packages for abs than I would certainly do my best to make packages that would be availabe for all. I use slackware and have a test box with archlinux, but I have not found any documentation on par with makepkg or checkinstall that are available for slackware both from slackware and third parties. So if anyone can point me to some kind of how to or decent documentation about pkgbuild, makepkg and make world for arch linux then I would very much like to learn more about it.

Jagged · 2003-11-13 16:58:50

http://archlinux.org/docs/archdoc_us.ht … 0000000000

nornn · 2003-11-13 18:18:06

Thank you jagged.

But I was looking for documentation that was a little more specific and detailed in regards to the pkgbuild.proto sample. Something in the realm of a howto or a mini howto.

Jagged · 2003-11-13 18:30:53

man makepkg

sarah31 · 2003-11-13 18:40:14

just look at the multitude of packages in /var/abs

you should be able to understand how to set up your PKGBUILD.

nornn · 2003-11-13 19:09:55

man makepkg and the archlinux doc for abs and makepkg are alright if you have a high degree of compentency with bash programming but for those who want to learn about using makepkg it would be nice if there was somewhere that one could read about the fundemental knowledge to make there own package. A detailed explanation of making your own PKGBUILD with examples would be very helpful. On the same note I was wondering how one updates the /var/abs directory?

Jagged · 2003-11-13 19:19:33

just run abs again

abs works via a type of cvs so it only updates what needs to be updated

nornn · 2003-11-13 19:28:18

thanks jagged I have used cvsup with freebsd but arch uses the abs script to do the same thing. However, in freebsd makeworld is used to rebuild the src but I have no idea as to the function of makeworld in archlinux. The documentation in freebsd is a bit more detailed than what is available for arch linux. I think it would be great for arch linux to have good docs and howtos so that it will become a popular distro in the same vein as debian.

deepfreeze · 2003-11-13 19:58:21

I'm also not a programmer but I have been able to pick up how to make packages for Arch by reading the manpage for makepkg (it's a little cumbersome if you're not intimitely aware of bash scripting). However, most of my knowledge came from running ABS and then looking at the multitude of PKGBUILD files that have already been created for those packages. They are very helpful to see how to include dependencies and how to make your package.

I know that it can be intimidating, but don't be afraid of studying the examples and then trying to make your own. These forums are the most helpful forums I have ever been a part of and there is always someone either here or on the IRC channel that is more than willing to help you if you go astray

sarah31 · 2003-11-13 21:29:05

when i started making packages i was told to look at the PKGBUILDs in abs for examples. there is no science to writing a PKGBUILD that requires a separate howto there are examples all over abs for just about any scenario you can imagine for building a package.

similarily makepkg is very straight forward. all you really need to know are the various options you can use. if you want to rebuild your system with different optimizations all you do is change makepkg.conf then rebuild your system using makeworld (which is simple too if you take a few minutes to hash out the proper ordering of the options and arguments).

look over abs then start trying out building packages (use the fakeroot option so you can build as user). you will learn quickly how easy it can be.

(trust me. i am not a programmer i have absolutely no formal computer training at all)

jedthehumanoid · 2003-11-14 03:12:37

did you read this thread yet:
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=1590

that pretty much gave me all the basics. i learned how to make packages throughout the course of the last week. it's so much easier than you think!

nornn · 2003-11-14 10:35:52

I had already seen and gone through the instructions of the link you sent me. The only problem I found with the instuctions were that the package being build was already in /var/abs that is he/she takes the PKGCONFIG from /var/abs/aterm and copy it to their aterm directory in /var/abs/local/aterm. The instructions are excellent in that it shows how to use fakeroot and makepkg so that you can create packages in your /var/abs/local as a regular user, but there are no details in so far as building your own PKGCONFIG from per se a tar.gz package.

jedthehumanoid · 2003-11-15 16:52:10

well the important thing is weather or not you were able to build the aterm package with that guide. if it worked then it is safe to assume that your good to go. So the next step after that would be to:

mkdir /var/abs/local/app-you-want-to-build
cd /var/abs/local/app-you-want-to-build
cp /var/abs/PKGBUILD.proto /var/abs/local/app-you-want-to-build/PKGBUILD

then edit the PKGBUILD file for your app.

basically just fill in the info as needed.
pkgname=app-you-want-to-build
pkgver=version number
pkgrel=1 (because this is your first attempt)
pkgdesc="what this app does is _____"
url="the application's home page"
depends=(list any you know of for sure and after you build the app the first time, you use namcap to proof your list of dependancies.)
source=(pkgname) -note: I found the easiest way to get the url for the source, was to find it in mozilla or your browser of choice and go from thier. It might be a little tricky but you can test the url by using wget at a prompt.
md5sums can be found by using makepkg -g

then just give it a shot. you're not root, what's the worst that can happen?

Arch Linux

#1 2003-11-13 16:52:05

want to learn about makepkg

#2 2003-11-13 16:58:50

Re: want to learn about makepkg

#3 2003-11-13 18:18:06

Re: want to learn about makepkg

#4 2003-11-13 18:30:53

Re: want to learn about makepkg

#5 2003-11-13 18:40:14

Re: want to learn about makepkg

#6 2003-11-13 19:09:55

Re: want to learn about makepkg

#7 2003-11-13 19:19:33

Re: want to learn about makepkg

#8 2003-11-13 19:28:18

Re: want to learn about makepkg

#9 2003-11-13 19:58:21

Re: want to learn about makepkg

#10 2003-11-13 21:29:05

Re: want to learn about makepkg

#11 2003-11-14 03:12:37

Re: want to learn about makepkg

#12 2003-11-14 10:35:52

Re: want to learn about makepkg

#13 2003-11-15 16:52:10

Re: want to learn about makepkg

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