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Software News : APMS |
| posted by Anonymous on 21-May-2005 10:54:57 (6883 reads) |
This coming week will see the release of Amiga Package Management System. This is an API and command line tool for AmigaOS4 users to keep their Amiga installations and packages up to date with a given package server. Currently the only package server we have is the os4depot mirrors.
Why bring this up now? Well its the weekend and a lot of you who wouldn't normally browse here will be doing so and have a chance to input or volunteer to help maintain and enhance the codebase.
You can get your packages to use APMS for not just synchronising packages but to cover install and removal itself once programmers start to adhere to the apms install/uninstall mechanism. Until then it can be used just as a way of keeping in sync with os4depot updates.
The first release covers maintaining your system in line with files on os4depot.net or any mirror. The underlying technique is below but you will be able to:
apms update
- automatically updates all packages you have installed, if a newer one is available.
apms install ( package name )
- downloads, unpacks and installs ( or prompts for user action to install if no apms.install script is found ) the package that matches ( package name ). If there is more than one package matching that name you are prompted for which one you meant.
apms remove ( package name )
- if there is an apms.uninstall script in the package itself, that is called. If not, it removes the local copy of the archive and marks it as uninstalled in the database.
apms query ( query string )
- run a complex query on APMS's local package database and even any remote data.
The power to do much more is available in the tool, including updating only security fixes, operating system components etc. But until a common install/uninstall format is put together for AmigaOS the tool is limited by our scenes packaging practices.
APMS was discussed, designed on #amigadev in 2003, 2004 and 2005 in bits and bobs. Only now have we all the tools required to finish it off. Reply here if you wish to get involved in public beta-testing of the tool.
What else remains to be done?
- Get packages to run an installer script in apms.install and apms.uninstall
- Add handlers for all unarchiving types available rather than the limited set we have.
- Get someone to do a gui tool 
What should developers do?
- Just package as normal and ignore this, thats fine.
- Implement an apms.install script and an apms.uninstall script in the base directory of your archive that covers those two processes.
- Get in touch.
Credits to:
- Orgin, Nicomen, Sibbi, GuruMeditation and anyone else from #amigadev who pitched in the original discussions.
The packaging tool is Freeware, and self updating. The APMS tool source is available to anyone who downloads APMS and runs the apms tool to request the source using apms install apms_src.
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| Poster | Thread |  syrtran
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Re: APMS
Posted on 22-May-2005 2:04:59
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Cult Member
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Joined: 27-Apr-2003
Posts: 835
From: Farther upstate than Upstate NY | | |
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| @wegster
Quote:
| Well, there are a couple of factors in this, but bear in mind package management is something that STILL hasn't been 'done 100% right' IMO..dependencies being the big problem generally. |
Somebody here hasn't seen IBM's MSHP.
Of course, on their mainframe OSs, IBM has -absolute- say on where -everything- is located.
_________________
Tony T.
People who generalize are always wrong.
1989 - 500 / 1991 - 3000 / 1997 - Genesis Flyer 1200T / 2003 - A1XE
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| | Status: Offline |
| | wegster
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Re: APMS
Posted on 22-May-2005 4:14:08
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Elite Member
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Joined: 29-Nov-2004
Posts: 8554
From: RTP, NC USA | | |
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| Quote:
| Somebody here hasn't seen IBM's MSHP. |
Nope, I haven't, may google on it now. I have, however, seen 'Stow' come out of IBM, which is pure evil and wrong
_________________
Are we not done with the same silly arguments and flames yet??!
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| | Status: Offline |
| | Coder
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Re: APMS
Posted on 22-May-2005 6:37:09
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Team Member
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Joined: 15-May-2003
Posts: 4523
From: The Netherlands | | |
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| @CodeSmith
Quote:
| This is a great idea! I can't remember how many times I've downloaded something from Aminet and the readme just said "needs foobar.library 44.1" with no indication of where to get it from. |
You go girl!
One thing I hate so much is when I try a program I need to search for all those mui libs. Sure you got links sometimes but they are broken. I don't even bother with programs that have me search for it.
Coder
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| | Anonymous
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Re: APMS
Posted on 22-May-2005 6:44:45
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| | Because of the way it all works at the moment, it copes with non APMS packages in the means outlined in the news story.
To cope with manifest information, a manifest file generator is available that you just run inside your package ( developers ) to produce an apms.xml file. This lists versions and whatnot of all files.
Finally getting it working with installer to automatically produce an uninstall script from your selections is some way off, but a target. |
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| | CodeSmith
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Re: APMS
Posted on 22-May-2005 22:56:30
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Elite Member
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Joined: 8-Mar-2003
Posts: 3045
From: USA | | |
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| @Coder:
Um. Slight clarification needed there, that should be "go dude" or some other similar male-themed expression  |
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