Difference between revisions of "Create Packages"
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{{Note|Package names should '''not''' contain underscore (_) characters as these are used as delimiters in package file names. It is safest to stick to alpha-numeric characters and use - as a delimiter where appropriate, e.g. <tt>webif-iphone</tt>}} | {{Note|Package names should '''not''' contain underscore (_) characters as these are used as delimiters in package file names. It is safest to stick to alpha-numeric characters and use - as a delimiter where appropriate, e.g. <tt>webif-iphone</tt>}} | ||
| − | Place the files which make up your package directly into the new package directory. In this example, we'll create a package which just installs a script called <tt>hello</tt>. | + | Place the files which make up your package directly into the new package directory. Note that to save memory when running, compiled binaries should be stripped before packaging. In this example, we'll create a package which just installs a script called <tt>hello</tt>. |
humax# cd /mod/tmp/my-first-package | humax# cd /mod/tmp/my-first-package | ||
Revision as of 11:47, 19 August 2011
The modified firmware includes a lightweight package management system called opkg (home page) which is similar to the Debian package management system (dpkg).
Contents
Package Repositories
The custom firmware is configured to use the package repository at hummypkg.org.uk by default.
Package Format
A package is a UNIX Archive (ar) file which itself contains three files:
- debian-binary
- A file which just contains the string "2.0", a clue to the packaging system's roots.
- data.tar.gz
- The files which make up the package.
- control.tar.gz
- Package meta-information.
Creating a Package
The pkgtools package includes utilities for working with packages and can be used to create packages directly on the Humax itself. Before proceeding, install these utilities:
humax# opkg update humax# opkg install pkgtools
Next create a directory to hold your new package and create a directory within it called CONTROL, which will be used for the package meta-information:
humax# cd /mod/tmp humax# mkdir my-first-package humax# mkdir my-first-package/CONTROL
Note:
Package names should not contain underscore (_) characters as these are used as delimiters in package file names. It is safest to stick to alpha-numeric characters and use - as a delimiter where appropriate, e.g. webif-iphone
Place the files which make up your package directly into the new package directory. Note that to save memory when running, compiled binaries should be stripped before packaging. In this example, we'll create a package which just installs a script called hello.
humax# cd /mod/tmp/my-first-package humax# mkdir bin humax# cat > bin/hello #!/bin/sh echo "Hello!" ^D humax# chmod 755 bin/hello
Note:
Files should be included relative to /mod so in this example the bin/hello file will be installed as /mod/bin/hello
Create file package control file as CONTROL/control. Here's an example:
Package: jim-sqlite3 Priority: optional Section: misc Version: 0.71 Architecture: mipsel Maintainer: af123@hummypkg.org.uk Depends: jim(>=0.71-1),sqlite3 Description: Jim SQLite3 plugin. A plugin for the jim interpreter (a lightweight TCL interpreter) which provides access to SQLite3 databases (such as those used on the Humax).
The Debian project maintains documentation on the format of the control file which also applies to opkg packages, although some fields are not required.
- Package
- The package name.
- Priority
- Always set to optional for Humax packages.
- Section
- One of misc, net, devel, etc. full list
- Version
- The package version number of the format upstream_version[-opkg_version] more information
- Architecture
- Always mipsel for the HD/HDR.
- Maintainer
- An email address or hummy.tv/wiki username.
- Depends
- A list of dependencies for this package, optionally with version constraints see Debian documentation
- Description
- A description of the package. Continuation lines must be prefixed by whitespace.
The CONTROL directory can also contain other package maintenance scripts such as preinst, postinst, prerm and postrm. See the Debian documentation for more details and examples. The scripts are called with various arguments during package maintenance operations. Many simple packages do not require any maintenance scripts.
Continuing with our example package, create the bare minimum control file:
humax# cat > CONTROL/control Package: hello Version: 1.0 Architecture: mipsel Maintainer: af123 Description: hello ^D
The package can now be built using the opkg-pack command:
humax# cd /mod/tmp humax# opkg-pack my-first-package TODO
The package can then be installed directly from the resulting file for testing.
humax# opkg install hello_1.0_mipsel.opk humax# hello Hello! humax# opkg remove hello
If you have any packages which you'd like published in the hummypkg.org.uk repository, then email them to packages@hummypkg.org.uk.
Unpacking an existing package
The pkgtools package also contains a utility which can be used to unpack an existing package into a directory structure for editing or just for investigation.
humax# cd /mod/tmp humax# opkg download webif TODO humax# opkg-unpack webif_0.6.4_mipsel.opk Unpacked to webif_0.6.4_mipsel
