[Pkg-octave-devel] Hello, some doubts and ideas

[Rafael Laboissiere]

Hello Andreu,

Thanks for your message.

* Andreu Correa Casablanca <castarco at gmail.com> [2015-04-22 11:09]:

> I'm working on a proposal to improve the Octave's package management system 
> (pkg.m) to make it more flexible. I've recently discovered this group while 
> doing a little bit of research, and I think it would be interesting to know 
> your opinions before and after the proposal is written in the Octave's wiki.

In which framework will you develop your project?  Will you do it under 
the supervision of the Octave upstream authors?  I am asking these 
questions because we (the DOG) usually adapt ourselves to whichever 
design decisions are taken upstream, and not the other way around.

> I've seen you are using a package (octave-pkg-dev) to make easier 
> creating Octave's packages for Debian. Since it's probable that my 
> proposal will introduce backwards incompatibilities, I think it's very 
> important to do it with your agreement and taking into account your 
> advices.

The octave-pkg-dev package was created in order to automate the creation 
of Octave-Forge packages for Debian.  It is a collection of hacks based 
on CDBS and using calls to the pkg command, essentially collected into a 
single Makefile (octave-pkg.mk).  Even though it has been pretty 
successful since its inception, the creation of the octave-pkg-dev 
package was not based on a clear and well thought design.

So, I think that we will have to adapt anyway to any future changes in 
the behavior of the pkg command.

> One of my ideas is to add another "per-project" packages in addition to 
> the global and local packages.
>
> Another idea is to handle every "project" (a directory with Octave 
> code) as a package itself ("anonymous" package if there isn't metadata 
> available, and named package if the metadata is available). This point 
> may introduce subtle changes in the package directory structure.

I have some difficulties in understanding designs without seeing actual 
code and how it acts.  In particular, I cannot tell how the changes above 
would affect the Debian packaging.

I would say, then, go ahead with your project and we will catch up later.

Best,

Rafael