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== Abstract == | == Abstract == | ||
This OEP refers to Octave's design of the pkg system. The purpose of this system | This OEP refers to Octave's design of the pkg system. The purpose of this system | ||
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This document attempts to design a solution for this. | This document attempts to design a solution for this. | ||
The main idea | The main idea of the solution is to keep database files with each package location | ||
and dependencies, and allow for the merge of such files. | |||
To allow reinstallation of the packages, we propose to keep the source of the package. | |||
This would also make it easier to run the tests of packages. | |||
== Rationale and examples == | |||
This design is meant to allow the following: | |||
* keeping multiple versions of the same package installed and load a specific one | |||
* keep packages installed for multiple versions of Octave, specially in the case of | |||
.oct files which need to be rebuilt for each octave function | |||
== | * reinstall a package from its cache after installing new octave version | ||
* run the tests from packages (find tests in .cc sources) | |||
* clean the package cache | |||
* usage of alternate database files | |||
* usage of packages in remote directories which may not be available at all | |||
times | |||
packages. | |||
== Package names == | == Package names == | ||
For | For parsing of the commands and files, some limitations on package names are required. This will | ||
limit what pkg commands can do. For example, if a package name is allowed to use | limit what pkg commands can do. For example, if a package name is allowed to use score, then | ||
commands such as "pkg load image-2.0.0" can no longer be used to load a specific package version. | commands such as "pkg load image-2.0.0" can no longer be used to load a specific package version. | ||
Something such as "pkg load image::2.0.0" would have to be used. Using this alternative syntax | Something such as "pkg load image::2.0.0" would have to be used. Using this alternative syntax | ||
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Also, supporting multiple packages versions means that the word "all" to refer to all | Also, supporting multiple packages versions means that the word "all" to refer to all | ||
packages has new limitations. Should we load only the latest version of each package? | packages has new limitations. Should we load only the latest version of each package? | ||
And if there's multiple packages with the same version on | And if there's multiple packages with the same version on varios db, which one should | ||
be loaded? I'd propose the default to be: | be loaded? I'd propose the default to be: | ||
- load the latest version | - load the latest version availale | ||
- load the local install of the package | - load the local install of the package | ||
- load the global install of the package | - load the global install of the package | ||
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For package names, the proposal is to limit package names to the same as variable | For package names, the proposal is to limit package names to the same as variable | ||
names (makes it even easier to check | names (makes it even easier to check validaity with isvarname). So package name | ||
must start with a letter, and otherwise be comprised of alphanumeric and underscores | must start with a letter, and otherwise be comprised of alphanumeric and underscores | ||
characters. Unlike variable names, package names will not be case sensitive since | characters. Unlike variable names, package names will not be case sensitive since | ||
it would create problems when installing packages in filesystems that are not case | it would create problems when installing packages in filesystems that are not case | ||
sensitive (creating directories named Image and image would not be possible in FAT | sensitive (creating directories named Image and image would not be possible in FAT or HFS systems). | ||
systems | |||
== Types of package installs == | |||
== User cases == | == User cases == | ||
=== | === Case 1 === | ||
Denise installs Octave 3.4.3 and installs the latest version of the financial (1.0.4) and | Denise installs Octave 3.4.3 and installs the latest version of the financial (1.0.4) and | ||
image (2.0.0) package with "pkg install -forge financial image". After installing the packages, | image (2.0.0) package with "pkg install -forge financial image". After installing the packages, | ||
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tests in the package (using the cached package to run the tests in the .cc files). | tests in the package (using the cached package to run the tests in the .cc files). | ||
Later, Denise installs Octave 3.6.2 but keeps the previous version of Octave on the | Later, Denise installs Octave 3.6.2 but keeps the previous version of Octave on the | ||
system since some of her old code no longer runs correctly. Loading the financial | system since some of her old code no longer runs correctly. Loading the financial | ||
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While using Octave 3.6.2, Denise installs the new version of the package | While using Octave 3.6.2, Denise installs the new version of the package | ||
"pkg install -forge financial". The files for the previous version of the package | "pkg install -forge financial". The files for the previous version of the package | ||
are kept | are kept altough "pkg load financial" will only load the latest version. However, when | ||
Denise is using Octave 3.4.3, as financial 1.2.0 requires Octave 3.6.0, pkg load | Denise is using Octave 3.4.3, as financial 1.2.0 requires Octave 3.6.0, pkg load | ||
will only load financial 1.0.4. | will only load financial 1.0.4. | ||
=== | ==== comments ==== | ||
shouldn't `rebuild` be used instead of `reinstall` ? | |||
=== Case 2 === | |||
Owen is stuck using the financial package 1.0.4 because some of his code no | Owen is stuck using the financial package 1.0.4 because some of his code no | ||
longer works in the latest versions. However the latest version of financial | longer works in the latest versions. However the latest version of financial | ||
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while "pkg load financial" always loads the latest version of the package. | while "pkg load financial" always loads the latest version of the package. | ||
=== | === Case 3 === | ||
Lisa is using Octave in a remote machine on the biochemistry department. The | Lisa is using Octave in a remote machine on the biochemistry department. The | ||
system administrator installed Octave 3.6.2, signal package 1.2.0, and | system administrator installed Octave 3.6.2, signal package 1.2.0, and | ||
general 1.0.0. | general 1.0.0. Lisas uses all of them but she also requires the image package. | ||
However, the system administrator does not have time to access security issues | However, the system administrator does not have time to access security issues | ||
with the package and tells her to install that package locally. She runs "pkg | with the package and tells her to install that package locally. She runs "pkg | ||
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When Octave 3.6.3 is released, Lisa wants to use the new version since it fixes | When Octave 3.6.3 is released, Lisa wants to use the new version since it fixes | ||
one bug that has been | one bug that has been aanoying her for a long time but the system administrator | ||
does not want to make the update and tells her to build it herself locally | does not want to make the update and tells her to build it herself locally | ||
=== | === Case 4 === | ||
Diana is a student that wants to run her code in the departmental cluster. However, | Diana is a student that wants to run her code in the departmental cluster. However, | ||
the system does not have an installation of Octave and she needs to install it on | the system does not have an installation of Octave and she needs to install it on | ||
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to her own list of available packages. which she can load. | to her own list of available packages. which she can load. | ||
=== | ==== comments ==== | ||
:Why not store the "packages.db" together with the packages? instead of loading the a packages database file. Then, Diana could just say {{Codeline|pkg addpath ~Ligia/octave}} | |||
:: Because she might want to use some of her packages, not all. This adding the .db file to her instance of Octave will not load the package, she still needs to load it. And she may want to load only some of them. | |||
=== Case 5 === | |||
John is a professor of biomechanics and uses Octave on his classes. Most of the | John is a professor of biomechanics and uses Octave on his classes. Most of the | ||
exercises he gives to the class require the use of multiple packages in Octave | exercises he gives to the class require the use of multiple packages in Octave | ||
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metapackage for his student listing all required packages. The students install | metapackage for his student listing all required packages. The students install | ||
it with "pkg install -url path-to-his-metapackage". The metapackage has no file | it with "pkg install -url path-to-his-metapackage". The metapackage has no file | ||
it simply lists a bunch of package | it simply lists a bunch of package has dependencies. Since pkg solves this | ||
dependencies automatically, a message showing which packages will be installed | dependencies automatically, a message showing which packages will be installed | ||
is displayed before doing it. | is displayed before doing it. | ||
= | === Where to install things === | ||
== Where to install things == | |||
These should not be hardcoded and taken from octave_config_info. There's many paths there whose purpose is explained on octave sources [http://hg.savannah.gnu.org/hgweb/octave/file/default/build-aux/common.mk buil-aux/common.mk] (see the ''Where To Install Things'' and ''Octave-specific directories'' sections on that file.) | These should not be hardcoded and taken from octave_config_info. There's many paths there whose purpose is explained on octave sources [http://hg.savannah.gnu.org/hgweb/octave/file/default/build-aux/common.mk buil-aux/common.mk] (see the ''Where To Install Things'' and ''Octave-specific directories'' sections on that file.) | ||