Re: [Caml-list] Library installation procedure (for use with OPAM)?

[Francois Berenger <berenger@riken.jp>]

On 12/10/2013 06:36 AM, Anthony Tavener wrote:
> Thanks for the input, everyone! I see there's not quite one-true-way.
> This was part of my confusion when I tried searches and looking at
> existing packages. It helps to know that OCamlMakefile or ocamlbuild use
> ocamlfind, but hide this detail. From my perspective when this is hidden
> it just looks like there are even more packaging mechanisms.
>
> I can understand Daniel's tact: choose one sensible method. This helps
> to force an evolution rather than building up cruft. Certainly making a
> META file along with descr/opam/url is somewhat redundant. Isn't it?
>
> For now though, I'll do my install steps with ocamlfind using a META file.

OASIS can automatically generate the META file for you, if I remember well.

> It wasn't clear to me that ocamlfind is appropriate for installation, or
> even how you would use it. Searching, I mostly get matches for using
> ocamlfind to install existing packages, not make something installable.
> The "install" subsection of ocamlfind really gives the impression of an
> end-user tool, not for a library creator. References are made to the
> META file but no description of this file.
>
> Searching for the META file related to OCaml doesn't fare too well
> either. Then I realized "man META" actually gives me exactly what I was
> looking for. I didn't expect that, since I'd expect other systems could
> have a configuration file called META.
>
> Anyway, thanks! If there isn't an explanation of packaging libraries
> somewhere, maybe I'll make a blog post: "How to share your library".
> It's the kind of thing which might seem like nothing once you know it.
>
>   -Tony
>
>
> On Mon, Dec 9, 2013 at 2:04 PM, Daniel Bünzli
> <daniel.buenzli@erratique.ch <mailto:daniel.buenzli@erratique.ch>> wrote:
>
>
>
>     Le lundi, 9 décembre 2013 à 21:22, Stéphane Glondu a écrit :
>
>      > Yes, but the existing stuff too. And the packaging work is
>     (should be)
>      > mainly adding metadata and integrating with the other packages,
>     which is
>      > hardly automatable. What you are talking about is package building,
>      > which can already be automated with the standard "./configure &&
>     make &&
>      > sudo make install" interface.
>
>     Why not but then provide me *convenient and easily understandable*
>     tools that allow me to implement this interface in a reliable way. I
>     don't want to replicate install logic in my twelve and growing
>     packages, I used to do that but it's too costly in terms of
>     maintenance. I now found a way of delegating the install logic to a
>     tool in what I suppose is the main distribution channel for my
>     packages (and that shouldn't be too hard for other distribution
>     channels to use), I'm not going back unless something better and as
>     convenient emerges.
>
>      > > > http://xkcd.com/927/
>      > > So what's your proposal then ?
>      >
>      > I am not proposing anything new. You are.
>
>     Joke for joke. Besides I'm not proposing anything, I responded to
>     the original poster's question on how I proceed to install libraries
>     with OPAM.
>
>     Best,
>
>     Daniel
>
>
>
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>


-- 
Best regards,
Francois Berenger.