[Distutils] [Announce] stdeb - Python to Debian source package conversion utility

Mon Jun 19 18:13:33 CEST 2006

I would like to announce the initial public release of stdeb, which may
be found at http://stdeb.python-hosting.com/ . The rest of this email is
copied directly from that web-page.

stdeb - Python to Debian source package conversion utility
==========================================================

stdeb_ ("setuptools debian") produces Debian source packages from
Python packages via a new distutils command, ``sdist_dsc``, which
produces a Debian source package of a Python package.  Automatic
defaults are provided for the Debian package, but many aspects of the
resulting package can be customized via a configuration file.

.. _stdeb: http://stdeb.python-hosting.com/

News
----

2006-06-19: Version 0.1 Released. See the `download page`_.

Invocation
----------

All methods eventually result in a call to the ``sdist_dsc`` distutils
command. You may prefer to do so directly::

  python -c "import stdeb; execfile('setup.py')" sdist_dsc

Alternatively, two scripts are provided::

  stdeb_run_setup [options] # calls "python setup.py sdist_dsc [options]"

  py2dsc [options] mypackage-0.1.tar.gz # uses pre-built Python source
package

In all cases, a Debian source package is produced from unmodified
Python packages. The following files are produced:

 * ``packagename_versionname.orig.tar.gz``
 * ``packagename_versionname-debianversion.dsc``
 * ``packagename_versionname-debianversion.diff.gz``

These can then be compiled into binary packages using the standard
Debian machinery (e.g. dpkg-buildpackage).

Download
--------

Files are available at the `download page`_.

.. _download page: http://stdeb.python-hosting.com/wiki/Download

The subversion repository is available at
https://svn.stdeb.python-hosting.com/trunk

Background
----------

For the average Python package, its source distribution
(python_package.tar.gz created with ``python setup.py sdist``)
contains nearly everything necessary to make a Debian source
package. This near-equivalence encouraged me to write this little
distutils extension, which executes the setup.py file to extract
relevant information. This process is made significantly easier
through the use of setuptools_.

.. _setuptools: http://peak.telecommunity.com/DevCenter/setuptools

setuptools is used because of the opportunities it provides, although
many of these features are currently un(der)-utilized. For example,
setuptools could make the job of "Debianizing" python console and gui
scripts much easier.

I wrote this initially to Debianize several Python packages of my own,
but I have the feeling it could be generally useful. It appears
similar, at least in theory, to easydeb_ and `Logilab's Devtools`_.

.. _easydeb: http://easy-deb.sourceforge.net/
.. _Logilab's DevTools: http://www.logilab.org/projects/devtools

Prerequisites
-------------

 * Python_ 2.3 or greater
 * setuptools_
 * subprocess.py_ (included with Python 2.4, backwards compatible with
Python 2.3)

.. _Python: http://www.python.org/
.. _subprocess.py:
http://svn.python.org/view/python/trunk/Lib/subprocess.py?rev=46651&view=log

Customizing the produced Debian source package
----------------------------------------------

stdeb will attempt to provide reasonable defaults, but these are only
guesses.

To customize the Debian source package produced, you may write config
files of the format understood by ConfigParser_. When building each
package, stdeb looks for the existance of a ``stdeb.cfg`` file in the
``.egg-info`` directory. You may specify an additional config file
with the command-line option --extra-cfg-file.

.. _ConfigParser: http://docs.python.org/lib/module-ConfigParser.html

Here's an example .cfg file which builds several packages::

 [DEFAULT]
 Debian-Version: 0ads1

 [setuptools]
 Source: python-setuptools

 [numpy]
 Source: python-numpy
 Upstream-Version-Prefix: 0.9.8+
 Build-Depends: python-dev, refblas3-dev, lapack3-dev
 Build-Conflicts: atlas3-base, atlas3-base-dev

 [matplotlib]
 # matplotlib doesn't incorporate its SVN version number into
sdist-built tarballs.
 # Therefore, if building the SVN version, substitute the version into the
 # "Upstream-Version-Suffix" variable and use py2dsc.
 # (For some reason, "debuild -sa" won't build matplotlib because tk.h
isn't found.)
 Source: python-matplotlib
 Upstream-Version-Suffix: .dev2500
 Build-Depends: python-dev, python-numpy, python-numarray,
python-numeric, python-gtk2-dev, tk8.4-dev, libwxgtk2.4-dev
 Depends: python-gtk2, python-numpy, python-numeric, python-numarray
 Suggests: gs-gpl

 [scipy]
 Source: python-scipy
 Upstream-Version-Prefix: 0.4.9+
 Build-Depends: python-numpy
 Depends: python-numpy

.. _numpy: http://scipy.org/NumPy

Using stdeb on stdeb
--------------------

There is a chicken-and-egg problem when trying to make a Debian
package of stdeb with stdeb. Here's a recipe to avoid it::

 # in the stdeb distribution directory (with setup.py)
 python setup.py sdist
 python setup.py build
 PYTHONPATH="build/lib" python stdeb/py2dsc.py dist/stdeb-VERSION.tar.gz

TODO
----

* Make output meet `Debian Python Policy`_ specifications or the `new
  python policy`_. This will include several things, including:

  - the ability to make custom changelogs
  - the ability to patch upstream source
  - the ability to include project-supplied documentation (including
    license information) as a -doc package
  - the ability to include project-supplied examples, tests, and data
    as a separate package
  - much more not listed

* Support python-central_ and/or python-support.

* Create (better) documentation

* Log output using standard distutils mechanisms

* Allow distribution-specific configuration parameters (e.g. numpy-dapper)

.. _debian python policy:
http://www.debian.org/doc/packaging-manuals/python-policy/
.. _new python policy: http://wiki.debian.org/DebianPython/NewPolicy
.. _python-central:
http://python-modules.alioth.debian.org/python-central_howto.txt

Call for volunteers
-------------------

I don't have a lot of time for this. This project stands a very real
chance of being only a shadow of its potential self unless people step
up and contribute. There are numerous ways in which people could
help. In particular, I'd be interested in finding a co-maintainer or
maintainer if the project generates any interest. Secondarily, I would
appreciate advice from Debian developers or Ubuntu MOTUs about the
arcane details of Python packaging.

License
-------

See the LICENSE.txt file provided with the source distribution for
full details.

Authors
-------

Andrew Straw, California Institute of Technology <strawman at astraw.com>