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There was a tool I used years ago that would build rpm's from makefile-based build files. Basically, you would do './configure && make && [app name] make instal

by roel_v 11y ago

There was a tool I used years ago that would build rpm's from makefile-based build files. Basically, you would do './configure && make && [app name] make install' and it would then run a dummy 'make install', monitor syscalls that did copying etc. and make an rpm from that. That was easy enough to make packages from tarballs. Anything more complicated (like, having to actually know the package file formats) - forget it. Anyone know the name of this tool? It was unmaintained for a long time already when I stopped using Linux, and that was 10 years ago.

hierro 11y ago
I do remember using that tool to publish the very first aMule packages for Debian. I think it was called watchinstall.
- Sander_Marechal 11y ago
  It's called `checkinstall`: https://wiki.debian.org/CheckInstall https://wiki.debian.org/CheckInstall
  - roel_v 11y ago
    Yeah that's the one, seems it's maintained after all. It was/is awesome.
Zitrax 11y ago
I used something similar named epkg, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encap_Package_Management_System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encap_Package_Management_Syste....
snuxoll 11y ago
It was probably checkinstall, today I'd really recommend learning how to make an .rpm or .deb the proper way, it's really not that hard. My experience with debian packaging is fairly limited, but the typical rpmspec for a autotools based build is as simple as (minus package metadata because that's kinda noisy): %prep %setup -q %build %configure make %{?_smp_mflags} %install make install DESTDIR=%{buildroot} %files /usr/* Boom, there you go, build it with rpmbuild or mock and you're done. Debian control files are just Makefiles with a bunch of magic targets that get called, and debhelper 99% of the time will automatically figure out what you are trying to package (autotools, python, ruby, java, node, etc) and build/install/package it correctly for you so that most debian/control files are one or two lines.
- regularfry 11y ago
  You only even need to go the debhelper route if you're intending your package to go upstream into Debian or Ubuntu itself. You can go a looooong way with just `DEBIAN/control` and `dpkg-deb --build`.

by roel_v 11y ago

hierro 11y ago

I do remember using that tool to publish the very first aMule packages for Debian. I think it was called watchinstall.

Sander_Marechal 11y ago
It's called `checkinstall`: https://wiki.debian.org/CheckInstall https://wiki.debian.org/CheckInstall
- roel_v 11y ago
  Yeah that's the one, seems it's maintained after all. It was/is awesome.

Zitrax 11y ago

I used something similar named epkg, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encap_Package_Management_System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encap_Package_Management_Syste....

snuxoll 11y ago

It was probably checkinstall, today I'd really recommend learning how to make an .rpm or .deb the proper way, it's really not that hard. My experience with debian packaging is fairly limited, but the typical rpmspec for a autotools based build is as simple as (minus package metadata because that's kinda noisy): %prep %setup -q %build %configure make %{?_smp_mflags} %install make install DESTDIR=%{buildroot} %files /usr/* Boom, there you go, build it with rpmbuild or mock and you're done. Debian control files are just Makefiles with a bunch of magic targets that get called, and debhelper 99% of the time will automatically figure out what you are trying to package (autotools, python, ruby, java, node, etc) and build/install/package it correctly for you so that most debian/control files are one or two lines.

regularfry 11y ago
You only even need to go the debhelper route if you're intending your package to go upstream into Debian or Ubuntu itself. You can go a looooong way with just `DEBIAN/control` and `dpkg-deb --build`.