Guidance on new package

[FreedomBen]

Hi all,

I've read a crap ton of pages now about package creation/maintenance but feel like
I'm missing stuff and spinning wheels so I wanted to ask. The process seems pretty
muddled :-D

I've got an RPM package I maintain called "pick" (I'm already working
with the upstream project and have their blessing/encouragement to do this). It's a
reasonably successful project that really should be in the official repos. Here's the
upstream: https://github.com/mptre/pick

Here's an example spec file I use. I have a scrip that generates these automa6tically
based on the version available upstream: example spec file:
https://github.com/FreedomBen/pick-rpm/blob/master/spec-files/pick-v4.0.0...

The build of my build is this script
(https://github.com/FreedomBen/pick-rpm/blob/master/build.sh) plus the Dockerfile
(https://github.com/FreedomBen/pick-rpm/blob/master/Dockerfile). That's probably not
relevant for what we're doing here, just wanted to share in case it's useful for
somebody evaluating me ;-)

I have a COPR repo now for "pick" here:
https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/freedomben/pick/:

All my scripts I use to build RPMs are here. Basically I just use podman to crank out all
versions. There's a script to generate a stand alone spec file as well (which is where
the one above came from): https://github.com/freedomben/pick-rpm

I want to get this package included in Fedora proper. I've never been a Fedora
maintainer before but I'm a long time Fedora user and programmer and generally pretty
good at stuff kind of guy. I'm mostly familiar with packaging guidelines, though
I'm not an expert on the various macros (yet).

Is there someone who can guide me on what to do next? Or who will sponsor me?

Thanks in advance,

Ben

[Andy Mender]

On Mon, 28 Dec 2020 at 21:12, FreedomBen via devel <
devel(a)lists.fedoraproject.org&gt; wrote:

>  Hi all,
>
>  I've read a crap ton of pages now about package creation/maintenance but
>  feel like I'm missing stuff and spinning wheels so I wanted to ask.  The
>  process seems pretty muddled :-D
>
>  I've got an RPM package I maintain called "pick" (I'm already working
> with
>  the upstream project and have their blessing/encouragement to do this).
>  It's a reasonably successful project that really should be in the official
>  repos.  Here's the upstream: https://github.com/mptre/pick
>
>  Here's an example spec file I use.  I have a scrip that generates these
>  automa6tically based on the version available upstream:  example spec
>  file:
>  https://github.com/FreedomBen/pick-rpm/blob/master/spec-files/pick-v4.0.0...
>
>
>  The build of my build is this script (
>  https://github.com/FreedomBen/pick-rpm/blob/master/build.sh) plus the
>  Dockerfile (https://github.com/FreedomBen/pick-rpm/blob/master/Dockerfile).
>  That's probably not relevant for what we're doing here, just wanted to
>  share in case it's useful for somebody evaluating me ;-)
>
>  I have a COPR repo now for "pick" here:
>  https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/freedomben/pick/:
>
>  All my scripts I use to build RPMs are here.  Basically I just use podman
>  to crank out all versions.  There's a script to generate a stand alone spec
>  file as well (which is where the one above came from):
>  https://github.com/freedomben/pick-rpm
>
>  I want to get this package included in Fedora proper.  I've never been a
>  Fedora maintainer before but I'm a long time Fedora user and programmer and
>  generally pretty good at stuff kind of guy.  I'm mostly familiar with
>  packaging guidelines, though I'm not an expert on the various macros (yet).
>
>  Is there someone who can guide me on what to do next?  Or who will sponsor
>  me?
>
>  Thanks in advance,
>
>  Ben
>  
Hello Ben!

I see "pick" is available on quite some platforms! :)
The simplest approach would be to submit a request to add your package to
Fedora at: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/
Here are the links I usually use for reference:
- On becoming a packager:
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Join_the_package_collection_maintainers?rd...
- Packaging Guidelines:
https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/packaging-guidelines/
- An in-depth guide to RPM packaging (slightly outdated, but still useful):
http://ftp.rpm.org/max-rpm/
- On getting sponsored:
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/How_to_get_sponsored_into_the_packager_group

You're already on the right track with your SPEC file from what I saw. What
I'd recommend is the following:
1. Read through the above docs to make sure you have all the necessary
tools like "fedora-review", "rpmlint", "mock" and
"rpmbuild".
2. Generate a RPM and SRPM of your package and check it with the above
tools to make sure it's clean.
3. Submit a review request to https://bugzilla.redhat.com/ and mark your
request as blocking the FE-NEEDSPONSOR tracker so that people are aware
that sponsorship is required. Be sure to link the SPEC file, a SRPM
generated via "rpmbuild" and a successful Koji scratch build (not
mandatory, but it helps).
4. Wait for someone to pick up your request and join us ;).

Cheers,
Andy

[FreedomBen]

rpmlint complains (which I fully expected from reading the packaging guidelines) about my
spec file being named "pick-v4.0.0.spec" instead of "pick.spec".

What's the best way to manage spec files for different versions? git tags in the repo?
directories with version info? something else?

Ben

Sent with [ProtonMail](https://protonmail.com) Secure Email.

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On Monday, December 28, 2020 1:53 PM, Andy Mender <andymenderunix(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote:

>  On Mon, 28 Dec 2020 at 21:12, FreedomBen via devel
> <devel(a)lists.fedoraproject.org&gt; wrote:
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I've read a crap ton of pages now about package creation/maintenance but feel
> like I'm missing stuff and spinning wheels so I wanted to ask. The process seems
> pretty muddled :-D
> >
> > I've got an RPM package I maintain called "pick" (I'm already
> working with the upstream project and have their blessing/encouragement to do this).
> It's a reasonably successful project that really should be in the official repos.
> Here's the upstream: https://github.com/mptre/pick
> >
> > Here's an example spec file I use. I have a scrip that generates these
> automa6tically based on the version available upstream: example spec file:
> https://github.com/FreedomBen/pick-rpm/blob/master/spec-files/pick-v4.0.0...
> >
> > The build of my build is this script
> (https://github.com/FreedomBen/pick-rpm/blob/master/build.sh) plus the Dockerfile
> (https://github.com/FreedomBen/pick-rpm/blob/master/Dockerfile). That's probably not
> relevant for what we're doing here, just wanted to share in case it's useful for
> somebody evaluating me ;-)
> >
> > I have a COPR repo now for "pick" here:
> https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/freedomben/pick/:
> >
> > All my scripts I use to build RPMs are here. Basically I just use podman to crank out
> all versions. There's a script to generate a stand alone spec file as well (which is
> where the one above came from): https://github.com/freedomben/pick-rpm
> >
> > I want to get this package included in Fedora proper. I've never been a Fedora
> maintainer before but I'm a long time Fedora user and programmer and generally pretty
> good at stuff kind of guy. I'm mostly familiar with packaging guidelines, though
> I'm not an expert on the various macros (yet).
> >
> > Is there someone who can guide me on what to do next? Or who will sponsor me?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> > Ben
>
>  Hello Ben!
>
>  I see "pick" is available on quite some platforms! :)
>  The simplest approach would be to submit a request to add your package to Fedora at:
> https://bugzilla.redhat.com/
>  Here are the links I usually use for reference:
>  - On becoming a packager:
> https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Join_the_package_collection_maintainers?rd...
>  - Packaging Guidelines: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/packaging-guidelines/
>  - An in-depth guide to RPM packaging (slightly outdated, but still useful):
> http://ftp.rpm.org/max-rpm/
>  - On getting sponsored:
> https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/How_to_get_sponsored_into_the_packager_group
>
>  You're already on the right track with your SPEC file from what I saw. What I'd
> recommend is the following:
>  1. Read through the above docs to make sure you have all the necessary tools like
> "fedora-review", "rpmlint", "mock" and
> "rpmbuild".
>  2. Generate a RPM and SRPM of your package and check it with the above tools to make sure
> it's clean.
>  3. Submit a review request to https://bugzilla.redhat.com/ and mark your request as
> blocking the FE-NEEDSPONSOR tracker so that people are aware that sponsorship is required.
> Be sure to link the SPEC file, a SRPM generated via "rpmbuild" and a successful
> Koji scratch build (not mandatory, but it helps).
>  4. Wait for someone to pick up your request and join us ;).
>
>  Cheers,
>  Andy

[Andy Mender]

I think it's entirely up to you.

The source tree in Fedora uses "main" for the Rawhide version of the
package and f32, f33, etc. for releases. Also, the %changelog in the SPEC
file is in a way an immediate history of the SPEC file, including
versioning and revisions.

I usually keep external SPEC files on GitHub and use a linear history with
a single "master/main" branch, but it does make sense to leverage git tags
or versioned branches if you intend to keep multiple versions worth of the
SPEC file.

~Andy

On Tue, 29 Dec 2020 at 22:19, FreedomBen <freedomben(a)protonmail.com&gt; wrote:

>  rpmlint complains (which I fully expected from reading the packaging
>  guidelines) about my spec file being named "pick-v4.0.0.spec" instead of
>  "pick.spec".
>
>  What's the best way to manage spec files for different versions?  git tags
>  in the repo?  directories with version info?  something else?
>
>  Ben
>
>
>
>  Sent with ProtonMail <https://protonmail.com> Secure Email.
>
>  ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
>  On Monday, December 28, 2020 1:53 PM, Andy Mender <
>  andymenderunix(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote:
>
>
>  On Mon, 28 Dec 2020 at 21:12, FreedomBen via devel <
>  devel(a)lists.fedoraproject.org&gt; wrote:
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I've read a crap ton of pages now about package creation/maintenance but
> > feel like I'm missing stuff and spinning wheels so I wanted to ask.  The
> > process seems pretty muddled :-D
> >
> > I've got an RPM package I maintain called "pick" (I'm already
> working
> > with the upstream project and have their blessing/encouragement to do
> > this).  It's a reasonably successful project that really should be in the
> > official repos.  Here's the upstream: https://github.com/mptre/pick
> >
> > Here's an example spec file I use.  I have a scrip that generates these
> > automa6tically based on the version available upstream:  example spec
> > file:
> > https://github.com/FreedomBen/pick-rpm/blob/master/spec-files/pick-v4.0.0...
> >
> >
> > The build of my build is this script (
> > https://github.com/FreedomBen/pick-rpm/blob/master/build.sh) plus the
> > Dockerfile (https://github.com/FreedomBen/pick-rpm/blob/master/Dockerfile).
> > That's probably not relevant for what we're doing here, just wanted to
> > share in case it's useful for somebody evaluating me ;-)
> >
> > I have a COPR repo now for "pick" here:
> > https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/freedomben/pick/:
> >
> > All my scripts I use to build RPMs are here.  Basically I just use podman
> > to crank out all versions.  There's a script to generate a stand alone spec
> > file as well (which is where the one above came from):
> > https://github.com/freedomben/pick-rpm
> >
> > I want to get this package included in Fedora proper.  I've never been a
> > Fedora maintainer before but I'm a long time Fedora user and programmer and
> > generally pretty good at stuff kind of guy.  I'm mostly familiar with
> > packaging guidelines, though I'm not an expert on the various macros (yet).
> >
> > Is there someone who can guide me on what to do next?  Or who will
> > sponsor me?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> > Ben
> >
>
>  Hello Ben!
>
>  I see "pick" is available on quite some platforms! :)
>  The simplest approach would be to submit a request to add your package to
>  Fedora at: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/
>  Here are the links I usually use for reference:
>  - On becoming a packager:
>
> https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Join_the_package_collection_maintainers?rd...
>  - Packaging Guidelines:
>  https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/packaging-guidelines/
>  - An in-depth guide to RPM packaging (slightly outdated, but still
>  useful): http://ftp.rpm.org/max-rpm/
>  - On getting sponsored:
>  https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/How_to_get_sponsored_into_the_packager_group
>
>  You're already on the right track with your SPEC file from what I saw.
>  What I'd recommend is the following:
>  1. Read through the above docs to make sure you have all the necessary
>  tools like "fedora-review", "rpmlint", "mock" and
> "rpmbuild".
>  2. Generate a RPM and SRPM of your package and check it with the above
>  tools to make sure it's clean.
>  3. Submit a review request to https://bugzilla.redhat.com/ and mark your
>  request as blocking the FE-NEEDSPONSOR tracker so that people are aware
>  that sponsorship is required. Be sure to link the SPEC file, a SRPM
>  generated via "rpmbuild" and a successful Koji scratch build (not
>  mandatory, but it helps).
>  4. Wait for someone to pick up your request and join us ;).
>
>  Cheers,
>  Andy
>
>
>

[Matthew Miller]

On Tue, Dec 29, 2020 at 09:19:17PM +0000, FreedomBen via devel wrote:
>  rpmlint complains (which I fully expected from reading the packaging
> guidelines) about my spec file being named "pick-v4.0.0.spec" instead of
> "pick.spec".
>  What's the best way to manage spec files for different versions? git tags in the
> repo? directories with version info? something else? 
Do you have a case where you want to support multiple versions of the
package at the same time?


-- 
Matthew Miller
<mattdm(a)fedoraproject.org&gt;
Fedora Project Leader

[FreedomBen]

Thanks Andy, that's helpful.

Re: Matthew, at this point I only need one spec file version per Fedora/CentOS/RHEL
version (mostly depends on which version of gcc is installed in the target distro), IOW
it's totally fine for only one version to be available.

With this package in the past they made a backwards incompatible change and major version
bump that would break a lot of scripts.  If that should happen again it *may* be a case
where having a compat package or something makes sense.  It's nothing like openssl was
lol, but something I'm thinking about.

It would be fairly trivial to just keep a single version in Fedora proper and then provide
compat packages in a COPR repo too for the corner cases that might exist.

Ben



Sent with ProtonMail Secure Email.

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 3:38 PM, Matthew Miller <mattdm(a)fedoraproject.org&gt;
wrote:

>  On Tue, Dec 29, 2020 at 09:19:17PM +0000, FreedomBen via devel
> wrote:
>
>  > rpmlint complains (which I fully expected from reading the packaging guidelines)
> about my spec file being named "pick-v4.0.0.spec" instead of
> "pick.spec".
>  > What's the best way to manage spec files for different versions? git tags in the
> repo? directories with version info? something else?
>
>  Do you have a case where you want to support multiple versions of the
>  package at the same time?
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>  Matthew Miller
>  mattdm(a)fedoraproject.org
>  Fedora Project Leader
>
>  devel mailing list -- devel(a)lists.fedoraproject.org
>  To unsubscribe send an email to devel-leave(a)lists.fedoraproject.org
>  Fedora Code of Conduct: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/code-of-conduct/
>  List Guidelines: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines
>  List Archives:
> https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[e-mail]

[Matthew Miller]

On Tue, Dec 29, 2020 at 10:48:53PM +0000, FreedomBen via devel wrote:
>  Re: Matthew, at this point I only need one spec file version per
>  Fedora/CentOS/RHEL version (mostly depends on which version of gcc is
>  installed in the target distro), IOW it's totally fine for only one
>  version to be available. 
In that case, yeah, branches are the normal approach.

-- 
Matthew Miller
<mattdm(a)fedoraproject.org&gt;
Fedora Project Leader