Re: Some question about external method of elpa

[Feng Shu]

Stefan Monnier <address@hidden> writes:

>> 1. Does elpa cron auto call  "make external" or similar process to
>>    check out all the external packages?
>
> Pretty much, yes.

This is important info, suggest add it to README.

>
>> 2. If cron auto checkout external packages, does package author need
>>    manual-checkout?
>
> I don't understand the question.  When?  Where?

When I read the below part of README, I think that manual run "make externals"
is needed :-(, so I think externals is same complicated as subtree.

Now, I have know that when I use external my code is managed in
posframe.git, and push to remote elpa, I do not need download elpa.git,
why I need "make externals" if cron auto run it ?


#+BEGIN_COMMENT
To add a new externals package, first add this `elpa.git' repository as a
new remote in your existing repository.  Then push a local branch to a
new remote branch in `elpa.git', named externals/<pkgname>.  For example:

   git push elpa <mybranch>:externals/<pkgname>

Then edit the `externals-list' file as mentioned above, and push that
change to `elpa's master branch.

You can check out all the external packages into the `packages' directory
with the command:

   make externals

You can check out a specific external PACKAGE into the `packages'
directory with these commands:
#+END_COMMENT

>
>> 3. Does subtree method have any advanced than external branch?
>
> It's different, not really better.  It's most appropriate when you
> intend to move the "upstream" from elsewhere to elpa.git.

This info is very important, suggest add to README

When I first import posframe to elpa.git, I do not know
what different between subtree and externals, I choice
subtree for the below line:

    If know you don't want a local package, but don't know which of these
    two options you prefer, then use a subtree.


I think many package author choice subtree instead of externals
for this info :-)

>
>>    if no, what about obsolote this method? In my opinion, subtree
>>    seem to very hard to manage.
>
> If you keep developing your package elsewhere, a "subtree" is indeed
> more work than an "external".
>
>> 4. I use subtree to manage posframe package, but I want to switch
>>    to  external branch method, how to work?
>
> 1- Create the new externals/posframe branch on elpa.git
> 2- Then "git rm package/posframe" and change the ":subtree" to
>    a ":external" in "externals-list".
> 3- Then push those changes you created at step (2) to the `master` branch
>    of elpa.git.
>
> That's pretty much it on your side (I'll probably have to do some clean
> on elpa.gnu.org in response to that, tho I keep hoping that I finally
> fixed the last issue in the scripts to handle this situation).
>
>>    what about create a subtree2external command?
>
> The demand hasn't been very high, so I wouldn't bother, but fee free to
> add one to elpa.git's "admin/" subdirectory.

>
>
>         Stefan

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