Re: Package, a future replacement for setup.rb and mkmf.rb

Le 4/6/2005, "Christian Neukirchen" <[e-mail]> a 馗rit:
>
>Hello,
>
>During a discussion on IRC, I started to wonder if Ruby's install
>scripts are state of the art, what could be done better and how.
>
>Ruby's mkmf.rb and Aoki's setup.rb probably have their roots in the
>oldest pieces of Ruby source still in use.  While setup.rb had some
>changes in the latter time, mkmf.rb more or less stayed the same.
>
>I have looked into how other languages install source and compile
>extensions, and the library I liked best so far is Python's distutils.
>I'm not very familiar with Python, but I like the general approach and
>the essence of API.  Basically, you create a file, setup.py, like
>this:
>
>  from distutils.core import setup
>
>  setup (name = "Distutils",
>         version = "0.1.1",
>         description = "Python Module Distribution Utilities",
>         author = "Greg Ward",
>         author_email = "[e-mail]",
>         url = "http://www.python.org/sigs/distutils-sig/",
>
>         packages = ['distutils', 'distutils.command'])
>
>In Ruby, this would maybe look like that:
>
>  require 'package'
>
>  setup {
>    name "Distutils"
>    version "0.1.1"
>    description "Python Module Distribution Utilities"
>    author "Greg Ward"
>    author_email "[e-mail]"
>    url "http://www.python.org/sigs/distutils-sig/"
>
>    packages ['distutils', 'distutils/command']
>  }
>
>Given this file, we can simply run:
>
>  python setup.py install
>
>and the files will get installed where they belong to.  distutils can
>also handle different prefixes, installing into home directories, and
>complex cases like putting scripts to /usr/bin, but libraries to
>/opt/local and whatever.
>
>Python's distutils also handles compiling extensions:
>
>  name = 'DateTime.mxDateTime.mxDateTime'
>  src = 'mxDateTime/mxDateTime.c'
>  setup (
>    ...
>    ext_modules =
>      [(name,
>       { 'sources': [src]
>         'include_dirs': ['mxDateTime'] }
>      )]
>  )
>
>Here, something like this would be possible in Ruby (I'm not yet sure
>about exact semantics of the Python version):
>
>  setup {
>    # ...
>    extension("DateTime/mxDateTime/mxDateTime") {
>      sources "mxDateTime/mxDateTime.c"
>      include_dirs "mxDateTime"
>    }
>  }
>
>Of course, more complex build descriptions can be represented too:
>
>  extension("foolib") {
>    sources "foo.c", "bar.c"
>    if have_library("foo", "fooble")
>      define "HAVE_FOO_H"
>      cflags << `foo-config --cflags`
>      ldflags << `foo-config --libs`
>    else
>      fail "foolib is needed"
>    end
>  }
>
>Whether this will generate a Makefile (like mkmf.rb), a Rakefile
>or compile directly (like distutils) is still an open question.
>
>To allow for an easy conversion of setup.rb usage, Package will
>provide convenience methods that will make it behave like setup.rb
>with respect to the directory structure.
>
>Package doesn't try to conquer the world, however, it aims to be just
>a tool that would be useful if it was standard and everyone could
>build on due to it's policy-neutrality
>
>What advantages will Package have over setup.rb and mkmf.rb, as
>they are now?
>
>* simple, clean and consistent working
>* unified library to handle both extensions and libraries
>* lightweight approach (if included in the standard library)
>* easy adaption
>* more flexible directory layout: especially small projects
>  profit from this, as setup.rb's directory layout is quite
>  bulky by default and not very customizable
>* easier packaging by third-party packagers due to simple
>  but flexible and standardized invocation
>
>What do we need to get a wide adoption of Package?
>
>* inclusion in the standard library so it doesn't need to be
>  shipped with every package (as setup.rb unfortunately is).
>* backing from the community to make use of Package.
>* acceptance from packaging projects like RPA, RubyGems and
>  distributions like Debian, FreeBSD and PLD.
>
>Coding of Package has not started yet (the name is also not set into
>stone yet, so if you have better ideas, please tell me) because it
>would be pointless without a strong feedback from the community.  I
>expect to get a first version done rather quickly, possibly borrowing
>code from setup.rb and mkmf.rb, but Package will not depend on these
>both.  If anyone is interested in helping development, please mail me;
>helpful hands are always of use.  Also, there will be need for testers
>on all and even the most weird platforms.
>
>But now, I'll ask you: Are you satisfied with the way installing Ruby
>extensions and libraries works?  Do you think there is a place for
>Package?  Do you have further improvements or can provide alternative
>ideas?

No. setup.rb is OK but inflexible. Package management (gems etc.)
nor build management (Rant, Rake) should not be in any way incorporated
in 'Package', either.

Might be a good idea to have the extension builder as a completely
separate tool, too.

Just a simple, easy packager/setup utility, please!
(I will help, too, if I can!)


>Christian Neukirchen

E

--
template<typename duck>
void quack(duck& d) { d.quack(); }