[Solved] Development "methodology"

gauthma · 2014-02-23 18:27:40

This is not strictly speaking, a programming question, but this section of the forum seemed the more appropriate. So, say you want to start developing pacman, or vim, or (to stretch the question), KDE. How do you set up your environment? For pacman I would modify the source and do something like makepkg --noextract (but do speak up if there are better ways!). I guess this could also work for vim but, and for KDE? Chroot? Virtual machine?

And even for "simpler" things like vim, I don't think it's possible to install say, vim alongside a vim-devel version... is it? Again, are there better alternatives?

Thanks in advance for the help, and my apologies for such a "broad" question...

Last edited by gauthma (2014-03-25 23:28:22)

moetunes · 2014-02-23 21:17:29

If I am going to try and change something in the code for an app I use I put the source in a directory in my home directory and make changes and build it there and run it from that directory using the full path. Saves having any conflicts with an installed app.
HTH

gauthma · 2014-03-01 10:19:29

I suppose that should work for "simple" (size-wise) programs, but I'm still left wondering what do to with behemoths like KDE

drcouzelis · 2014-03-01 15:05:42

Remember, all pacman (and PKGBUILD) files do is automate the installation of software. You can run the same commands yourself just by typing what you see in the PKGBUILD file into Bash. Also, you can alter where you install it in order to test it out.

Let's use Vim as an example: Vim uses the standard "./configure && make && make install" build instructions. So, first get a copy of the Vim source code. (Now, since you have a developer's version of the source instead of a packager's version, you may need to run "autoconf" now.) Next, build and install it into a personal location like this:

./configure --prefix=~/tmp/vim-dev && make && make install

Now, edit the source code, re-run "make && make install", and run it with "~/tmp/vim-dev/bin/vim". That personal copy of Vim will ONLY use the files that are under "~/tmp/vim-dev".

I don't know how to configure, build, and install KDE, but (in theory) it will be a similar process. Just read the PKGBUILD file for it.

Does that help?

gauthma · 2014-03-25 23:27:00

Yes drcouzelis, that was most helpful! (a much delayed) thank you!

Arch Linux

#1 2014-02-23 18:27:40

[Solved] Development "methodology"

#2 2014-02-23 21:17:29

Re: [Solved] Development "methodology"

#3 2014-03-01 10:19:29

Re: [Solved] Development "methodology"

#4 2014-03-01 15:05:42

Re: [Solved] Development "methodology"

#5 2014-03-25 23:27:00

Re: [Solved] Development "methodology"

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