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Activity Team/Packaging Ideas (view source)
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== Goal ==
== Goal ==
Installing activities on every sugarized GNU/Linux distribution (not only XO)
Installing activities on every sugarized GNU/Linux distribution (not only the XO)
just by clicking on icon in activities.sugarlabs.org.
just by clicking on an icon in activities.sugarlabs.org is the goal.
== Problems to solve ==
== Problems to solve ==
* Install proper dependencies. Most activities rely on a standard set of Sugar dependencies like PyGTK, Squeak, GStreamer, and PyGame. But others have special dependencies which need to be installed on the target system before the activity can run.
* Install proper dependencies. Most activities rely on a standard set of Sugar dependencies like PyGTK, Squeak, GStreamer, and PyGame. But others have special dependencies that need to be installed on the target system before the activity can run.
* Install the activity itself.
* Install the activity itself.
** Blobs in activities. Some activities (Colors, Oficina, Bounce, WikiBrowse) include compiled code, like executables or Python extension modules.
** Blobs in activities. Some activities (Colors, Oficina, Bounce, WikiBrowse) include compiled code, like executables or Python extension modules.
=== Distro teams should take care of it ===
=== Distro teams should take care of it ===
It could be a meta package which is linked to frequently used dependencies(like csound/pygame/etc).
It could be a meta package that is linked to frequently used dependencies (like csound/pygame/etc.).
Pro
Pro
* thats enough for XO [[User:Alsroot|alsroot]] 12:36, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
* That's enough for the XO [[User:Alsroot|alsroot]] 12:36, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
* Many activities just rely on the standard Sugar dependencies, it's really just a few special ones.
* Many activities just rely on the standard Sugar dependencies, it's really just a few special ones.
Contra
Contra
* thats not enough for the rest of distros <br> each distro team has to work out the same work <br> like inventing theirs own mechanisms to treat activity dependencies etc. [[User:Alsroot|alsroot]] 12:36, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
* That's not enough for the rest of the distros <br> each distro team has to work out the same work <br> like inventing their own mechanisms to treat activity dependencies, etc. [[User:Alsroot|alsroot]] 12:36, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
=== Invent-own/reuse-existing packaging format ===
=== Invent-own/reuse-existing packaging format ===
Con
Con
* what about variety of possible dependencies, should we pre-install them all ? [[User:Alsroot|alsroot]] 12:36, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
* What about the variety of possible dependencies, should we pre-install them all? [[User:Alsroot|alsroot]] 12:36, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
=== Use distro-specific activities installer ===
=== Use distro-specific activities installer ===
This is a kind of [[#Invent-own/reuse-existing packaging format]] packaging format, but it moves the center of gravity to a distro-specific installer from the packaged activity itself.
This is a kind of [[#Invent-own/reuse-existing packaging format]] packaging format, but it moves the center of gravity to a distro-specific installer from the packaged activity itself.
The activity.info file would include a list of dependency names which come from a predefined list. The distro-specific installer backend would be responsible for parsing the list and installing the correct dependencies.
The activity.info file would include a list of dependency names, which come from a predefined list. The distro-specific installer backend would be responsible for parsing the list and installing the correct dependencies.
Pro
Pro
* dependencies in activity could be format in simple way (like 'Require: pygames') and installer should resolve it to proper native package(s); on that way it demands common naming scheme [[User:Alsroot|alsroot]] 12:36, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
* Dependencies in activity could be formatted in a simple way (like 'Require: pygames'), and the installer should resolve it to the proper native package(s); in that way, it demands a common naming scheme [[User:Alsroot|alsroot]] 12:36, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
Contra
Contra
* that says nothing about installing activity itself [[User:Alsroot|alsroot]] 12:36, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
* That says nothing about installing activity itself. [[User:Alsroot|alsroot]] 12:36, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
=== combined Source+Binary package ===
=== combined Source+Binary package ===
This is a new package format fitted to the special needs of Sugar. Unlike Java (where - at least in theory - compiled bytecode
This is a new package format fitted to the special needs of Sugar. Unlike Java (where--at least in theory--compiled bytecode
suffices), we need to cope with architecture-dependent files.
suffices); we need to cope with architecture-dependent files.
Some of the ideas are already mentioned in other solutions outlined above, but each on its own doesn't solve the whole problem.
Some of the ideas are already mentioned in other solutions outlined above, but each on its own doesn't solve the whole problem.
Using a whole new format (even if recycling parts of other formats, e.g. the current Bundle format) will require some
Using a whole new format (even if recycling parts of other formats, e.g., the current Bundle format) will require some
engineering, but [[User:Sascha_silbe|I]]MO trying to fit existing formats to our will take nearly as much time near-term and
engineering, but [[User:Sascha_silbe|I]]MO trying to fit existing formats to ours will take nearly as much time near-term, and
cause more trouble long-term. If designed properly, it might even get used as a standard interchange format for other systems.
cause more trouble, long-term. If designed properly, it might even get used as a standard interchange format for other systems.
==== Package contents ====
==== Package contents ====
==== Software dependencies ====
==== Software dependencies ====
Dependencies are a rather hard problem. We need to ensure that the right package (naming) in exactly the right version
Dependencies are a rather hard problem. We need to ensure that the right package (naming) in exactly the right version
(forward and backwards compatibility), linked against the right libraries (recursive dependencies) with a matching
(forward and backwards compatibility), linked against the right libraries (recursive dependencies) using a matching
ABI (architecture dependency) is used.
ABI (architecture dependency).
The easiest way to ensure this is to bundle all dependencies with the Activity. But this might have severe drawbacks:
The easiest way to ensure this is to bundle all dependencies with the Activity. But this might have severe drawbacks:
* old, buggy versions of libraries might get used (can be quite annoying)
* old, buggy versions of libraries might get used (can be quite annoying)
Thus is makes sense to let at least some of the dependencies get handled by the underlying OS. The new bundle format will
Thus, it makes sense to let at least some of the dependencies get handled by the underlying OS. The new bundle format will
contain a dependency tree with the following information for each entry:
contain a dependency tree with the following information for each entry:
* generic package name (usually the name chosen by the original author)
* generic package name (usually the name chosen by the original author)
* source code URL (optional, but recommended)
* source code URL (optional, but recommended)
Part of the installer will be OS-dependent: the generic name needs to be translated to an OS specific one (e.g. according
Part of the installer will be OS-dependent: the generic name needs to be translated to an OS specific one (e.g., according
to Debian Python Policy) and dependencies need to be resolved (e.g. via apt for Debian). If there's internet connectivity,
to Debian Python Policy) and dependencies need to be resolved (e.g., via apt for Debian). If there's Internet connectivity,
it might try to download the source from the given URL (advanced voodoo: check for new versions as well) if no OS package
it might try to download the source from the given URL (advanced voodoo: check for new versions as well), if no OS package
is available.
is available.
==== Hardware dependencies ====
==== Hardware dependencies ====
Some Activities require special hardware (e.g. sensor module) or are known not to work on certain (sets of) architectures, e.g.
Some Activities require special hardware (e.g., sensor module) or are known not to work on certain (sets of) architectures, e.g.,
because the code is not 64bit-clean. When trying to install an Activity, it's better to warn the user about this than wasting his/her time
because the code is not 64-bit-clean. When trying to install an Activity, it's better to warn the user about this than wasting his/her time
(but of course with the option to install anyway so it could be adapted to the available hardware).
(but of course, with the option to install anyway, so it could be adapted to the available hardware).
==== Prebuilding ====
==== Prebuilding ====
just ensure that source changes cause a rebuild.
just ensure that source changes cause a rebuild.
Sites like addons.sugarlabs.org might provide several packages, each prebuilt for a different platform (using buildbots) or none at
Sites like activities.sugarlabs.org might provide several packages, each prebuilt for a different platform (using buildbots), or none at
all to reduce download size.
all to reduce download size.
=== Sugar Platform ===
=== Sugar Platform ===
Maybe most reasonable decision(at least for 0.84) is declaring "Sugar Platform" like a set of all non-sugar components that activity developers could rely on.
Maybe most reasonable decision (at least for 0.84) is declaring "Sugar Platform" to be a set of all non-sugar components that activity developers could rely on.
[[Category:Activity Team]]
[[Category:Activity Team]]
[[Category:Idea]]
[[Category:Idea]]