Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2011 09:41:33 +0100
From: Natanael Copa <ncopa@alpinelinux.org>
To: alpine-devel@lists.alpinelinux.org
Subject: [alpine-devel] The install_if feature in apk-tools
Message-ID: <20110104094133.1b4895c5@ncopa-desktop.nor.wtbts.net>
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Hi,

We are implementing a feature that we call "install_if" which will make
it possible to do proper language subpackages.

If we take squid as example, you have squid main application and a
subpackage with error messages. In the subpackage squid-lang-se you
have:

install_if="squid=$pkgver lang-se"

this means if you have squid installed (or pulled in as dependency) and
have added the 'lang-se' virtual package, you will automatically get
squid-lang-se pulled in.

In other words, you can do: 'apk add lang-se' and all packages that has
support for swedish language/locale will be pulled in.

This is alos useful for kernel flavours and 3rd party drivers.
Forexample, dahadi-linux-grsec could have:

install_if="linux-grsec=$_kernelver dahdi"

so if you install dahdi and have linux-grsec installed, then will the
dahdi-linux-grsec package be pulled in too. If you replace the
linux-grsec with linux-vserver then will also the kernel driver be
replaced with the proper driver package for that kernel.

Now I have a couple of questions:

* 1 language packs. Some packages has pretty many different locales.
  For example gtk+ has 107 different. I wonder if we should group them
  some how to keep number of packages down. Ideas on how to group the
  sanely? Or we accept that we suddenly get 1 zillion language packages?

* Do we want use-flags like features for things like mysql, radius etc?
  For example, if you install a virtual 'mysql-support' package, then
  will all packages that has a mysql plug automatically pull those in?
  For example, i you install php you'll get php-mysql pulled in. If you
  install asterisk and postfix will also asterisk-mysql and
  postfix-mysql be pulled in. If you uninstall the virtual
  'mysql-support' then will php-mysql, asterisk-mysql and postfix-mysql
  go with it. I am not sure how useful such 'mysql-support' feature
  will be.

Thoughts?




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