DEB package, please test

[bvdp]

I have created a .deb file for MMA which includes all the docs (html and pdf), the libaries, etc. This is my first .deb, so please be kind

This .deb file is just under 2meg in size.

Before I put the link up on the web site could a few you please download it and try an install. I'd like to have some confirmation that it works before releasing this to the masses. The file is at:

   http://mellowood.ca/mma/mma_1.3b_all.deb

After downloading you should be able to do:

    sudo dpkg -i mma_1.3b_all.deb

and get it all installed.

BTW, the install is done to /usr/share/doc and /usr/share/mma which is where I think debian think stuff like this should go. If I'm wrong, again let me know. My intent on this is to have the .deb available as an alternate file for users who what things to go a bit easier. I will continue the other distributions.

Thanks!!!!

[folderol]

I'll try to have a look at this tomorrow... Oh it is tomorrow 

[bvdp]

Is not. It is still today here

When you get a chance, please do and let me know.

Don't let this stop others from trying as well. The more reports of what I did wrong, the better 

[kara]

ok, i have a first  remark 

Your MMA deb package depends on python 2.5.
The 'official' debian python version is still 2.4.4, so this gives dependency problems and makes it impossible to install.
As far as I  could find, the 2.5 release isn't in the debian'edge' repository yet. I agree you could install it directly from the python site, but then you'll have to compile it yourself... which isn't open for all users 

It would be a better idea to change the deb package with dependencies to python 2.4.4

k
 

[bvdp]

Thanks for the python pointer. My own docs say that we need 2.4 and that is what mma checks for when it starts up. I was thinking myself very clever in doing "python --version" to find the version number to use. For some reason, I have 2.5.1 on my system. I don't think I've compiled it myself, but who knows.

Anyway, I have changed the dep to (>=2.4.0) which should match everything else. The version on the site reflects the change.

[folderol]

That would have been a show stopper for me to (using 64Studio which is based on debian etch), but I'm afraid i haven't had time yet.

I will make a determined effort tomorrow!

[kara]

ok Bob, one step forward but not quit there yet.

1. Small detail : the new package has a (2) in the name, dpkg doesn't accept this in the name, you'll have to rename this.
2. Installation works now but...
- It creates the needed directory structures and copies the files in it
So we have in /usr/share/ :
         /mma
               - eggs
               - MMA
               - inlcudes
               - libs
               - text
               - utils
and all directories contains the right files.
BUT : the main /mma directory doesn't contains the main files, which should be
                - mma.py
                - mklibdoc.py
                - pg2mma.py
those are missing, i suppose that you forgot those in the deb ?

Documentation is installed ok, pdf & html works and the links in the html help files are ok.

I hope this helps.

[bvdp]

ok Bob, one step forward but not quit there yet.

1. Small detail : the new package has a (2) in the name, dpkg doesn't accept this in the name, you'll have to rename this.

Uhhh??? I just scratched my head and tried to figure this out. The package is mma_1.3b_all.deb ... oh, I  bet you did a 2nd download and your browser created a 2nd file with the (2). Before downloading delete the first one

2. Installation works now but...
and all directories contains the right files.
BUT : the main /mma directory doesn't contains the main files, which should be
                - mma.py
                - mklibdoc.py
                - pg2mma.py
those are missing, i suppose that you forgot those in the deb ?

No, this is correct. The main module mma.py is only needed on installs which link to this. In the deb install mma.py is copied to /usr/local/bin/ as "mma". You are probably running into problems with a old manual install which has somedir/bin/mma set up as a link.

The programs mklibdoc and pg2mma are installed in /usr/share/mma/utils. Maybe they should go to /usr/local/bin as well? Comments on this?


I have noticed one other "problem" with the install. If I install the .deb I do so as root using sudo. The first time I run mma (as user bob) it creates the .pyc files and all is wonderful. However, if my first run is as a different user (say I have an account for user val) the .pyc files are NOT created. I assume this is since "val" doesn't have permission to write to /usr/share/mma. Python is good this way and lets you run the .py files, put I'm wondering if there is a better solution. Maybe I should pack the .pyc files into the .deb as well?

[kara]

Uhhh??? I just scratched my head and tried to figure this out. The package is mma_1.3b_all.deb ... oh, I  bet you did a 2nd download and your browser created a 2nd file with the (2). Before downloading delete the first one

right, this was my fault, sorry

No, this is correct. The main module mma.py is only needed on installs which link to this. In the deb install mma.py is copied to /usr/local/bin/ as "mma". You are probably running into problems with a old manual install which has somedir/bin/mma set up as a link.

The programs mklibdoc and pg2mma are installed in /usr/share/mma/utils. Maybe they should go to /usr/local/bin as well? Comments on this?


I have noticed one other "problem" with the install. If I install the .deb I do so as root using sudo. The first time I run mma (as user bob) it creates the .pyc files and all is wonderful. However, if my first run is as a different user (say I have an account for user val) the .pyc files are NOT created. I assume this is since "val" doesn't have permission to write to /usr/share/mma. Python is good this way and lets you run the .py files, put I'm wondering if there is a better solution. Maybe I should pack the .pyc files into the .deb as well?

Wrong, mma.py isn't there. Have a look at your deb package, it's not in the package...
as for the *.pyc files...
on a 'clean' linux system, users shouldn't have write access to /usr/share, so your 'bob' user shouldn't have write access to this
So yes, the logical solution will be to include the pyc files in the distribution (or write in the installation manual that the first time you have to run mma as root, but this isn't very clean ).
And yes in my opinion the other 2 programs should go in /usr/local/bin together with mma.py

k

[folderol]

Still haven't had time to get to work with this myself

Once installed, no application should ever have to be run as root unless it is a system utility, so yes it would be best to include the .pyc files.

The other alternative is to not install it at all, but run it in userspace in the /home/{user} directory.

The ROX desktop does this with applications neatly packaged in their own directory.

Firefox also does something similar.

[bvdp]

Once installed, no application should ever have to be run as root unless it is a system utility, so yes it would be best to include the .pyc files.

Solved and yet updated again on the site. Sorry, if this is confusing since I keep using the same filename But, the current filesize is 1918244.

Anyway, the .deb now contains a postinst file which is run after the files are installed. It does (as root) a "/usr/local/bin/mma -G" which forces the update of the database and creates the pyc files. I ran it here and it appears to work. Hopefully some others can confirm.

Thanks.

[folderol]

OK seems to work fine with 64studio V 2.0

I did a quick check with a couple of your example files from the website and MMA produces MIDI files that Rosegarden is quite happy to import and play without problems.

It's a interesting app. I'll have more of a play when I have time (oh har-de-har 'more time' ho-ho-ho).

[kara]

Confirmation here Bob, all works fine now.
Everything in the right place, post install script runs fine and all pyc files are there 

Top job !

k

Now you'll have to update the central debian edge repository, that way synaptic will do an automatic update 

 

[bvdp]

Glad to see that all the %*&#* around I did this AM is paying off. The program lintian (which checks debian packages) still flags some stuff as "wrong", but I can't figure a lot of this stuff out. But, if it works for us folks who haven't joined the debian-cult, that's fine with me.

I will see if I can make contact with the studio64 folks and to get a new mma included.

One more question. I see most/all debian stuff installs in /usr/bin so I'm going to make that change unless there is an objection. I'm not making any changes to the normal distro, so if you download and install the tar.gz it'll still go into /usr/local/bin.

[folderol]

I could be wrong, but my understanding is the by convention all distro stuff goes in /usr/{whatever} but all user installed bits go in /usr/local/{whatever} or if it's relocatable/ run from the spot, userspace.