[maemo-developers] Creating a Debian package - clarifications required

[From: David Hazel]

I'm trying to follow the instructions in the "How To" section of the
Maemo website, and I'm finding that there are several questions that
don't seem to be addressed. I'm hoping that someone can answer these for
me.

1. The application I'm packaging up is not intended to be built from
source by users, but to be supplied "as-is" in binary form on a memory
card (specifically for the N800). I am hoping that this means I don't
need to supply a Makefile, but the instructions aren't clear on this
point. Can I elect not to supply a Makefile if I don't intend to supply
sources for the user to build the application? All I want the
Application Manager to do, when it reads this package, is copy the
binary and other files from the memory card to the right locations and
do whatever else is needed to make the application appear in the
navigator menu.

2. I originally started off with my source directory containing mixed
upper and lower case letters, as well as the version number. However,
db_make complained about this and I've now changed the directory name.
Do I also need to change the names of the binary, icon file and desktop
file to match? Again, this isn't clear from the instructions.

3. Does the application name used for the source directory need to
correspond with the name by which the application will be known to OSSO?
For example, if my source directory is abc-1.0.0, does this mean that
OSSO will have to know the service as "abc.nokia.com" and that the OSSO
application name will have to be "abc"?

4. Does the name of the icon file have to correspond with the name of
the binary file in any way? For example, if it is a 26x26 icon, and the
binary name is abc, does the icon have to be called abc_icon_26x26.png?
This is kind of suggested in the documentation, but it isn't stated
explicitly.

5. Will dh_make automatically uuencode the icon and place it in the
control file, or do I have to manually run uuencode and copy the text
in?


Sorry for so many questions in one go, but my first attempt to follow
the instructions didn't really clarify these points.


David Hazel