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

[From: Miko Nieminen]

On 21/09/2007, David Hazel <david.hazel at enchaine.com> wrote:
>
> 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.



When you create debian packaging for your application, you can provide only
the binary package to users. Then users don't need to build anything and you
don't have to provide sources.

You should read Debian New Maintainers' Guide if you'r about to create
debian packages. Maemo's packaging howto is just simplification of those
instructions and it doesn't explain things very deeply.


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
>
>
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> maemo-developers at maemo.org
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>



-- 
Miko Nieminen
miko.nieminen at iki.fi
miko.nieminen at gmail.com
miko.nieminen at nomovok.com
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