[Pythonmac-SIG] Re: Pythonmac-SIG digest, Vol 1 #893 - 3 msgs

Gordon Worley redbird@rbisland.cx
Sat, 10 Nov 2001 12:25:44 -0500


http://www.stepwise.com/Articles/Technical/Packages/InstallerOnX.html
On Saturday, November 10, 2001, at 12:20:26 +0100, Just van Rossum wrote:

> Dinu Gherman wrote:
>
>> I'm working on a little Python tool creating OS X packages
>> (extension .pkg), that Installer.app can use to install any-
>> thing, sources or binary files, anywhere. These packages are
>> basically directory wrappers containing an archive created
>> with pax (instead of tar) plus a few additional resources and
>> option files presented and/or used during installation.
>>
>> If anybody is keen on giving it a try, please email me. There
>> are a couple of issues left, like generating multi-volume
>> packages that some more experienced people might be able to
>> help me with, localised installation resources, and the like.
>
> I'd like to learn more about it: right now I know zip about packages. 
> It would
> be really nice to have a .pkg that installs UnixPython 2.1.1 
> (especially now
> that it doesn't build anymore under 10.1...).

Well, don't get to excited.  You should probably read this Stepwise 
article first:  
http://www.stepwise.com/Articles/Technical/Packages/InstallerOnX.html.  
Due to some of the reasons mentioned in the article, the Mac GPG project 
was forced to abandon the .pkg and go with good old fashion tar 
installers.  Not that nice, but it's safe.  One thing we have discussed, 
but not done yet, is use the installer's ability to run a script that is 
supposed to be for cleanup and use it instead to install via tar like we 
do now, but so that the user doesn't have to figure out how to use 
gnutar (we try to keep it simple, but there are always a few ...).  The 
effects of packages are real and have affected mine and other user's 
systems, too many to safely ignore.  I should note all the problems lie 
in pax and those .bom files, not the rest of the installer.

--
Gordon Worley                     `When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty
http://www.rbisland.cx/            said, `it means just what I choose
redbird@rbisland.cx                it to mean--neither more nor less.'
PGP:  0xBBD3B003                                  --Lewis Carroll