[Slackbuilds-users] couple questions

[Alan Hicks]

Aleksandar B. Samardzic wrote:
> Got some questions regarding creating build scripts:
> 
> 1. What would be the best way to handle the software which source code
> is available trough CVS only?

We try to stick with the most current release and avoid CVS/SVN whenever
possible.  With that said, some source code is only available through
SVN.  I don't think we have a current policy in place regarding this, so
allow me to state what I feel would be best practice guidelines with the
understanding that this is not in any way an official consensus of the
admins.

1. Mark SVN sources by date.  Example: foo-svn20070801
2. If possible, host the source code you downloaded somewhere stable and
point the DOWNLOAD variable in foo.info to that location.  This keeps
everyone on the same page.
3. The fact that the script uses code from SVN *must* be documented in
the README to inform the user.  The DOWNLOAD link will of course not
work with wget, so include in the README the necessary steps to download
the source code.  That will only take a couple seconds, and will save
people that don't routinely use this tool several minutes of man page
reading and trail-and-error.
4. If you can't host a source tarball yourself, at least note in the
README what revision of the source code you downloaded.  If your script
doesn't work with later versions in SVN, then the user can at least
attempt to download the same revision.

> 2. What would be the best way to report changes needed for build
> scripts (and links from SB.o site) when new package version appears
> (for example, current SQLite version is 3.4.1, containing some rather
> important updates, while build script, and link from SB.o site, point
> to version 3.3.14) - to ask for change on this list, to send patch, or
> something else?

We use the same practice that most of the BSD's use for their ports
branches.

- Contact the submitter.  This person is the ideal guy to go-to since he
wrote the script.  He (or she of course) may have already tried later
versions and found inconsistencies or incompatibilities with Slackware
and decided not to update the script for a later version for very good
reasons.
- If you are unable to contact the submitter, then mail this list.

> 4. There are lots of build scripts here:
> http://www.slackware.com/~alien/slackbuilds/, some of which are not
> available here at SB.o, so - are there any plans to integrate these

No, there are no plans at this time to integrate these scripts.  Eric
will tell you that his scripts are very different in flavor and tone
from what we are aiming for at SBo.  SBo scripts are to be
rock-solid-simple.  We aim to have our scripts easily understood by
anyone, as uncomplicated as possible, and as error-free as possible.
Eric's focus on his personal scripts (if I may speak for him here) is to
make things as simple for himself.  Those scripts will automagically
download the source code, configure it the way he wants it configured,
and build the package.  We don't use Eric's scripts because we feel they
are inferior, but rather because they have a different tone, flavor, or
style.

-- 
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise,
Than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Ecclesiastes 7:5

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: OpenPGP digital signature
Url : http://lists.slackbuilds.org/pipermail/slackbuilds-users/attachments/20070801/a2483a8e/attachment-0002.bin