[Pythonmac-SIG] buildpkg.py

[Dan Grassi]

On Thursday, September 12, 2002, at 10:45  AM, Dinu Gherman wrote:

>> The "InstallationCheck"

> You mean it's one more script, then?

Yes

>> preflight Is a combo of <pkg>.pre_install and <pkg>.pre_upgrade
>> postflight Is a combo of <pkg>.post_install and  <pkg>.post_upgrade
>> postinstall
>> preinstall
>
> I'm not sure I get that. Aren't all these just optional scripts in
> the Contents/Resources folder? What do you mean by "combo"?

In many (most) cases one is not sure if it will be an install or  
update, these cover both cases.

>> The "rootVolumeOnly" is not documented in 10.0.x of 10.1.x but is  
>> used by Apple in their pre-10.2 developer tools installers.  In the  
>> 10.2 installer it is mentioned but that installer uses XML  
>> (IFPkgFlagRootVolumeOnly) and it currently does work in the 10.2  
>> format, see 10.2 Info.plist in DevTools.pkg.  "rootVolumeOnly" does  
>> work on 10.2 in the pre-10.2 format.
>
> Sorry, but I'm confused again. I'm not aware of any new (XML?) format
> in the 10.2 installer. Could you give an example of a publically avail-
> able package using it? Or a pointer to a document describing it?

Sure, 10.2 DevTools uses this new format.  Also just check the help on  
the 10.2 Packagemaker.  BTW, Apple has stated (WWDC 2002) that they  
will be supplying a shell tool to create (10.2) packages (was promised  
for Jag but I can not find it and it might not have made it).

See:  
http://developer.apple.com/techpubs/macosx/ReleaseNotes/ 
PackageMaker.html

>
> Again, I have no evidence for the packages created by buildpkg to be
> not accepted by the 10.2 installer.

Neither do I, the 10.2 Installer is said (WWDC 2002) to accept "all  
knows options".

> And, of course you need Python
> to execute installation scripts in Python. But I guess people will
> not only want to install Python itself as a package, but also other
> software.

Yes but this basically limits the Installer to 10.2 and above and if  
that is the case one should be using the new Installer format.

> AFAICT there is not much (read: any) information within such packages
> to describe dependancies on other packages. I heard, though, that
> folks from osxgnu.org are working on an extended version of the
> package format and their own free installer.

As is Apple in the form of file "Hints" (WWDC 2002).

BTW, I have a problem with buildpkg.py and titles that have a space in  
them even when quoted.  I am using the shell interface.

Dan -- who seems to end up doing a lot of installer work.