[Opengrads-devel] Automatic updates for OpenGrADS Bundles?

[Arlindo da S. <da...@al...>]

On Fri, May 29, 2009 at 11:43 AM, Mike Fiorino <mfi...@gm...> wrote:

> hi arlindo,
>
[snip]

>
> 2) will this -P Extensions be the standard way to get deal with the
> extensions?  vice Grads/extensions?
>

Not with API 0 because these extensions (like extensions in python, perl)
are tied to a particular version of grads. (If data structures in grads.h
get changed you can really mess things up if you mix and match versions).

The only point of a standalone Extensions module is for sharing latest
patches with advanced users such as Kevin. For the general grads user having
a consistent, zero-conf opengrads bundle is the simplest to explain, install
and maintain.

The main problem with this approach is that as GrADS v2.0 matures the
extensions may need to be updated on a more frequent basis. What I was
thinking is to start producing updates (perhaps even automatically) for a
base opengrads version. For example, grads-2.0.a5.oga would exist as a full
download, and it would come with a script to perfom updates, mostly
associated with revisions in the extensions.


> kevin, i could just copy the 1.10 Extensions into 2.0 and update that
> version of the package, but it seems the better way to go is to keep the
> grads-version independent code separate... so, i'll wait until arlindo
> defines how to deal with the extensions code before announcing to
> gradsusr...
>


Until we have an update infrastructure (which would require building the
updates on all supported platforms, something I do not have time for right
now) the best solution may be to have the standalone Extension *sources*
posted on sf.net, properly versioned:

gex-2.0.a5.oga.5.p1.tar.gz
gex-1.10.r2.oga.p1.tar.gz

which means "patch 1" of the extensions in the corresponding bundle.
Interested users who cannot wait for the next bundle release would then
build from sources. There is nothing preventing you or someone else from
posting binaries, but will need to come with very careful directions of
where to insert these into the bundle.
(I have a half-finished script under bundle/ for this: bundle_install.pl).
As I said, an update script would be very nice, but we need to find a
solution for the builds --- we need more building volunteers!

I'm cc'ing the opengrads development list to open this up for discussion.

   Cheers,

       Arlindo


-- 
Arlindo da Silva
da...@al...



-- 
Arlindo da Silva
da...@al...