difference between elpa/README and Package Archive *info*

difference between elpa/README and Package Archive *info*

[Yoni Rabkin]

Hello,

I'm reading up on how to include Emms in elpa.

The info node (elisp) Packaging > Package Archives, describes creating a
tar file and a NAME-pkg.el file. It mentions https://elpa.gnu.org
specifically.

But the README file at (https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/emacs/elpa.git)
elpa/README states that elpa.gnu.org doesn't use tar files, nor do you
need to create a NAME-pkg.el file.

Is it that elpa.gnu.org is implemented differently? If so, the info file
that references it should probably reflect how elpa.gnu.org actually
works, how it differs from the "stock" setup, and why.

Or perhaps the README is more updated on how elpa works than the info.
In that case the info should be updated.

What is the relationship between the info and README descriptions? Will
they eventually converge?

Thank you in advance.


P.S. Since I can see no mailing list dedicated to elpa.gnu.org, I'll be
mailing me various elpa questions here, unless I'm directed elsewhere.

-- 
   "Cut your own wood and it will warm you twice"

Re: difference between elpa/README and Package Archive *info*

[Stephen Leake]

Yoni Rabkin <yoni@rabkins.net> writes:

> The info node (elisp) Packaging > Package Archives, describes creating a
> tar file and a NAME-pkg.el file. It mentions https://elpa.gnu.org
> specifically.
>
> But the README file at (https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/emacs/elpa.git)
> elpa/README states that elpa.gnu.org doesn't use tar files, nor do you
> need to create a NAME-pkg.el file.
>
> Is it that elpa.gnu.org is implemented differently? If so, the info file
> that references it should probably reflect how elpa.gnu.org actually
> works, how it differs from the "stock" setup, and why.

The info node describes what the code in package.el expects to see when
it accesses a url in package-archives..

The readme on ELPA describes what users of ELPA have to do.

In between are the build scripts on ELPA; they build the tar file and
NAME-pkg.el file from what the user provides.

Other archives may work differently, but they all present the same
interface to package.el.

-- 
-- Stephe

Re: difference between elpa/README and Package Archive *info*

[Yoni Rabkin]

Stephen Leake <stephen_leake@stephe-leake.org> writes:

> Yoni Rabkin <yoni@rabkins.net> writes:
>
>> The info node (elisp) Packaging > Package Archives, describes creating a
>> tar file and a NAME-pkg.el file. It mentions https://elpa.gnu.org
>> specifically.
>>
>> But the README file at (https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/emacs/elpa.git)
>> elpa/README states that elpa.gnu.org doesn't use tar files, nor do you
>> need to create a NAME-pkg.el file.
>>
>> Is it that elpa.gnu.org is implemented differently? If so, the info file
>> that references it should probably reflect how elpa.gnu.org actually
>> works, how it differs from the "stock" setup, and why.
>
> The info node describes what the code in package.el expects to see when
> it accesses a url in package-archives..
>
> The readme on ELPA describes what users of ELPA have to do.
>
> In between are the build scripts on ELPA; they build the tar file and
> NAME-pkg.el file from what the user provides.
>
> Other archives may work differently, but they all present the same
> interface to package.el.

My understanding now is that the info script merely mentions GNU-elpa,
but then goes on to describe the "stock" API, not GNU-elpa's specific
implementation.

Thank you for the explanation.

-- 
   "Cut your own wood and it will warm you twice"

Re: difference between elpa/README and Package Archive *info*

[Stefan Monnier]

> The info node describes what the code in package.el expects to see when
> it accesses a url in package-archives..

Right, the format used by the ELPA protocol.

> The readme on ELPA describes what users of ELPA have to do.

Here you mean "the GNU ELPA archive" (which I often like to call
`elpa.git` when talking about the files that need to be
installed/maintained by the package maintainer) since "ELPA" is just
a protocol.

Please keep those two distinct, especially in this conversation which is
largely due to a confusion between those two.


        Stefan