Re: Setup.exe v2.56

[Brian Keener <bkeener at thesoftwaresource dot com>]

Earnie Boyd wrote:
> > > Each time you do a Download from Internet or an Install from
> > > Internet  - yes.
> > 
> > More of a problem is that once setup understands dependencies, a
> > setup.ini will be mandatory. The directory structure is really moot vs
> > the need for setup to have accurate metainformation.
> > 
> 
> Hmm...  However, if a setup.ini doesn't exist then setup should still
> work as it did in previously which was to install any .tar.gz file in
> the directory and sub-directories recursively that setup.exe resides in.
>

This became increasingly more difficult to accomplish when I added the 
additional logic checks for what to display in the package chooser window at 
any given point in time.  What with the buttons for Prev, Current, and Test and 
attempting to make the chooser display what it should it became pretty evident 
we needed a setup.ini to tell us which packages were Prev, Curr, or Test.  What 
I wanted to do (but was not sure that the package struct would handle it) was 
to have setup see every file in the subdirectories as you mentioned and keep 
adding them to the structure.  Bear in mind now - that means for any given 
package (if someone never cleans up their files - cause setup won't) the 
operator might see 6+ different versions to select from whereas now it is only 
based on what versions setup.ini says are available and setup can actually find 
(ie at max 3 choices). 

I wasn't sure how to work with package structure such that I could keep adding 
values without blowing memory or stepping on something - remember I am new to 
this.

Setup is now also more closely tied to installed.db in /etc/setup if it exists. 
Remember part of this effort was to make setup more intelligent for users not 
totally familiar with its functions to allow it to lead them on a bit more.  
The downside to setup installing everything it finds is that in a case like 
mine I have a lot of other directories for packages which may or may not be 
Cygwin installable below my download archive directory for Cygwin packages and 
if setup found all of these I am sure it would barf on many of the file names 
trying to determine a package and or version or whatever else it might need 
from the file name.

Also Roberts comment on dependencies and if we try to come up with categories 
that the packages belong to will both make it imperative that there be a local 
control file.  If you are going to download 20 packages and move them some 
where on your network and then install 20 different times I think you are going 
to need something like a setup.ini and whatever else we come up with for 
categories and dependencies to make it work in that environment.

bk



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