[Distutils] More documentation for setup meta-data

[Richard Jones]

On Sat, 1 Mar 2003 11:00 pm, M.-A. Lemburg wrote:
> Richard Jones wrote:
> > My argument is that the download file spec system would be quite complex
> > for the end user to work with. Well, at least I can't think of a
> > reasonable setup - but perhaps you have :)
>
> Not at all: by letting the distutils command read the spec
> file, it can make most if not all decisions automatically.
>
> In the end, the end user will just issue:
>
> python pypi.py install pyxml
>
> and the system will do the rest (talk to the PyPI server,
> fetch the download spec, identify the right download URL,
> find a usable mirror, download the prebuilt binary
> distribution and install it).

Sorry, I wasn't clear. The end user I was referring to was the package=20
maintainer. We discuss this below though...


> >>Perhaps it needs to be renamed to 'download_spec_url'.
> >
> > Hurm - we could just accept that a download url with a specific suffix =
is
> > a spec (eg. .pkgspec)? We could go as far as say that if it's an XML fi=
le
> > (ie. .xml), then it's a download spec. I'm pre-supposing XML, of course,
> > when the INI format would probably be enough. Again, I think I'd like to
> > see some more flesh on your proposal (especially the bits about making =
it
> > as simple as possible for the package maintainer) before I jump on the
> > band-wagon :)
>
> Have a look at the ActiveState PPD format (used by their PPM
> system to find the right download files):
>
> """
> <SOFTPKG NAME=3D"egenix-mx-base" VERSION=3D"2,1,0">
>          <TITLE>eGenix mx Extensions for Python - Base Distribution</TITL=
E>
>          <ABSTRACT>The eGenix mx Extension Series are a collection of
> Python extensions written in ANSI C and Python
> which provide a large spectrum of useful additions
> to everyday Python programming.
>
> The Base Distribution includes the Open Source subpackages
> of the series and is needed by all other add-on
> packages of the series.
>
> This software is brought to you by eGenix.com and
> distributed under the eGenix.com Public License.
> </ABSTRACT>
>          <AUTHOR>Marc-Andre Lemburg (mal@egenix.com)</AUTHOR>
>          <IMPLEMENTATION>
>                  <PYTHONCORE VERSION=3D"2.1.3" />
>                  <OS VALUE=3D"linux-i686" />
>                  <ARCHITECTURE VALUE=3D"i686-linux-thread-multi" />
>                  <CODEBASE
> HREF=3D"http://www.egenix.com/files/python/egenix-mx-base-2.1.0.linux-i68=
6.gz
>tar" /> </IMPLEMENTATION>
> </SOFTPKG>
> """
>
> I think we can build on that.

Hopefully by making it significantly simpler. Preferrably with no hand-edit=
ing=20
of XML. One of my goals with PyPI registration was to make the operation as=
=20
simple and transparent as possible.

Hurm. I suppose the download spec file generation could be automated at the=
=20
time the dist (either source or binary) file is generated, or perhaps using=
 a=20
switch to the dist command. At a minimum, we could produce a skeleton that=
=20
the package maintainer needs to edit. Again, not necessarily XML, as that=20
requires - well, editing XML, which I see as an unreasonable barrier to=20
entry.


    Richard