[Solved] archlinux-appstream-data: How to get a AUR package into it?

buhtz · 2024-02-20 13:17:35

Hello,

I checked the content of "archlinux-appstream-data" and realized that "backintime" (aka "backintime-common" or "backintime-qt") is not contained it it.
That might be that Arch do not support backintime. There are only some AUR packages of backintime.

Is there a rule or path how to get AUR packages into the AppStream catalog?

I don't have an Arch at hand. So I can not check it myself. Might it be that Arch users can not see AUR packaged software in there "software centers" because it is not contained in "archlinux-appstream-data"?

Kind
Christian Buhtz
Upstream maintainer of Back In Time

Last edited by buhtz (2024-02-20 15:13:34)

Lone_Wolf · 2024-02-20 13:36:32

AUR packages are managed by pacman, not some 3rd party "software center" .

Follow the links in the colored box of https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Pacman … #Graphical for background info.

buhtz · 2024-02-20 13:45:24

Thanks for your reply.

I know that pacman do manage the packages. But there are "software centers" offering a more user friendly app-store like interface. These "centers" do use pacman (at Arch) or apt (at Debian) in the back as well. The point is that these "centers" do use AppStream meta data to display information about the software in their catalog. Without such meta data the software is not listed in the catalog no matter that the package exists or not. That is what AppStream is about.

The used package manager and the used "center" front end doesn't matter at the end. The important question is if and how to get AUR packages into the Arch software catalog (the AppStream meta data managed by Arch in the package I mentioned).

Last edited by buhtz (2024-02-20 13:47:37)

V1del · 2024-02-20 14:07:13

These centers do not display data about software that's not packaged in the repository of said distribution. You are not going to get an AUR package into the appstream data redistribution of Arch Linux. None of these catalogs can directly install from the AUR, the AUR is unsupported by nature. The best way to get to that is either finding a TU that's interested enough so it gets packaged as part of the distribution itself which will also allow for appstream integration, or going through the motions of becoming that TU yoursefl (or someone from your team that's using Arch)

Also more generally speaking, the packagekit integration for pacman is very lackluster and it's often discouraged to use the graphical UIs that do this on Arch because they can't reliably show news about potential manual instructions or so.

Arch is as a distribution not the best for the target you have in mind. The best option you have to make this show up there (if you do not have the goal of getting the package into the repo officially) is to provide e.g. a flatpak of your application or so, so the relevant flatpak/flathub backends will pick it up as a flatpak.

See also https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Arch_User_Repository and https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Arch_U … epository?

Last edited by V1del (2024-02-20 14:25:29)

buhtz · 2024-02-20 15:13:17

Thanks for your reply and explanation.

I also experience AUR more as an PPA which is an extern 3rd party (unsupported) source. But I also experience some Arch users handling AUR like it is part of Arch. Say say to me "I installed your software from Arch" and things like this.

V1del wrote:

flatpak of your application

Oh, no. Not while I am member of the maintenance team. Upstream won't support flatpack. But we support every extern contributor who want to provide one. But I also would encourage such contributors to invest there energy in making it an official distro package instead of creating another unsupported-3rd-party-source.

V1del · 2024-02-20 15:21:30

That's definitely a stance I can get behind but yeah, the AUR is indeed more like a PPA and by nature unsupported, sadly many newbies dilute that distinction by opting for an AUR helper before they understand the relevant difference - if they ever do - and then make incorrect assumptions.

Arch Linux

#1 2024-02-20 13:17:35

[Solved] archlinux-appstream-data: How to get a AUR package into it?

#2 2024-02-20 13:36:32

Re: [Solved] archlinux-appstream-data: How to get a AUR package into it?

#3 2024-02-20 13:45:24

Re: [Solved] archlinux-appstream-data: How to get a AUR package into it?

#4 2024-02-20 14:07:13

Re: [Solved] archlinux-appstream-data: How to get a AUR package into it?

#5 2024-02-20 15:13:17

Re: [Solved] archlinux-appstream-data: How to get a AUR package into it?

#6 2024-02-20 15:21:30

Re: [Solved] archlinux-appstream-data: How to get a AUR package into it?

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