Re: [Refdb-devel] refdb-elisp

[David N. <dav...@sw...>]

Hi Markus,

> > If you do not do this the documentation is split between 
> > /usr/share/doc/refdb-elisp and /usr/share/doc/refdb-elisp-1.0.  Further, 
> > the debian (dwww) document registration script gets confused.
> > 
>
>Why is it "split"? What does end up in /usr/share/doc/refdb-elisp? I
>thought this install directory is safe to use as we use the same in
>libdbi and in RefDB.
>

 From memory, the pdf and html manual files ended up in 
refdb-elisp-1.0.  Other doc files such as changelog.Debian.gz, NEWS.gz, 
changelog.gz, README and copyright ended up in refdb-elisp.  It looks 
silly and, as I mentioned, appeared to confuse the Debian document 
registration script.

> > 6.  ?? Failure
> > 
> > After installation of the package I was unable to load either mode.  
> > This could easily be due to my _complete_ ignorance of emacs.
> > 
>
>Did you try to handle refdb-configure.el automatically? This needs to
>be inserted into your site-lisp.el file, or into ~/.emacs. I believe
>Debian has a site-lisp.d directory where apps can dump these startup
>code fragments. Without the code in refdb-configure.el emacs does not
>load the modes.
>

I presume you meant 'refdb-mode-config.el'?  Turns out the emacsen build 
scripts expect to find that file in the /debian subdirectory and called 
'emacsen-startup'.  The build process then installs the startup file in 
/etc/emacs/site-start.d as '50<PACKAGE>', in this case '50refdb-elisp'.

After doing this the refdb and ris modes work correctly in emacs.  The 
debian package now appears to be usable.  I'll send it to you off list.

I'll now automate the build process.  Unless and until you incorporate 
the changes to refdb-mode.el and the makefile, the build process will 
include a fair bit of search-and-replacing.  If you want to take over as 
maintainer of the refdb-elisp debian package I can email you the 
relevant files.  The debian build process would then be as simple as 
running the build script.  If I recall correctly the 'dpkg-dev' package 
includes all the tools needed by the build script.

Finally, there is one other problem with the current autotools distribution:


7.  No ChangeLog file

Debian policy requires a 'ChangeLog' file that tracks changes to the 
original sources -- not to be confused with the 'changelog' file in the 
/debian subdirectory which tracks packaging-related changes.  The dummy 
ChangeLog file I've added simply contains the following:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005-11-15  Markus Hoenicka <mho...@us...>

<TAB>* Initial autotools packaging

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

>And thanks a lot for touching Emacs in the first place.
>

I'll shower afterwards ;-) .

Regards,
David.