
!>	    The Hackerlab `package-framework'


	  
		   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
						+++
						bg: #d5ffff


		   *the `package-framework' source packaging system*

 		   *project home page*: http://www.regexps.com/package-framework.html

		   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  So, let's replace `autoconf', `automake', and `libtool'.  Of course,
  it goes without saying that is probably a BadIdea, but let's
  assume for the moment that we all agree it's a GoodIdea.

  The [`package-framework'] software provides the skeleton of a source
  code distribution:  just add source code for your program, write
  some program-specific configuration files, and _voila_, you've got a
  ready-to-ship source package.

  More specficlly, the framework provides the following functionality:


  + generic makefiles		:::	The framework includes generic
					makefiles that should be
					sufficient to build many
					programs -- you won't have to
					do any significant `make'
					scripting yourself.  (In 
					future releases, we hope to
					handle _most_ or _nearly all_
					programs instead of just
                                        _many_.)


  + configuration scripts       :::     The framework includes a
                                        replacement for *GNU*
                                        `autoconf' -- a set of scripts
                                        you can use to determine
                                        platform-specific compile-time
                                        parameters, and which users
                                        can use to set compile-time
                                        options.


  + a dependency manager        :::     Finally, the framework
                                        contains tools to help you
                                        manage dependencies between
                                        packages. 




  
  Using the `package-framework' is pretty easy.  The documentation is
  divided into (mostly independent) basic topics, plus some
  additional advanced topics:


v================================
				+++
				width: 100
				bg: #d5d5ff
				headers: no
				
  
			 + __project info__ +

  + [`package-framework'] ::: the project home page

  + [downloading]	::: the FTP area

  + ReleaseNews		::: what's new?


		      + __basic documentation__ +

  + UserView		::: What end-user's experience with
			    distributions that use the
			    `package-framework'.

  + TreeLayout		::: How to organize your `package-framework'
			    source trees.

  + ConfigVariables	::: How to add compile-time parameters
			    to your build process.

  + WritingMakefiles	::: How to create `package-framework'
			    Makefiles.

  + ManagingDependencies ::: How to manage dependencies of
			     `package-framework'-based distributions
			     on other distributions.

		       + __advanced topics__ +

  + TodoList		::: Want to help replace `autoconf',
			    `automake', and `libtoo'?  Start
			    here.

  + PkgDependencies	::: What other software does the
			    `package-framework' depend on?

  + FrameworkPorting	::: How to port the `package-framework'
			    to a new target environment.

^================================


* references

[downloading]:: ftp://ftp.regexps.com/pub/src/package-framework/

[`package-framework']:: http://www.regexps.com/package-framework.html

---

%%% tag: Tom Lord Thu May  9 12:46:31 2002 (PackageFramework.d/IntroTopic)
%%%
