[Debichem-devel] Packaging ASL

[Ghislain Vaillant]

On 21/07/15 12:25, Zeev Pekar wrote:
> Dear Debian Developers,
>
> I wanted to see ASL - Advanced Simulation Library <http://asl.org.il> as
> part of Debian. I contacted an experienced DD who kindly agreed to
> upload and maintain it however he didn't have the time to create the
> initial package (see his email bellow). I was advised to create it
> myself according to this guide:
>
> http://debian-science.alioth.debian.org/debian-science-policy.html
>
> After looking on the doc I decided to give it a try (despite having no
> packaging knowledge/experience) and after overcoming some technical
> difficulties I managed to make some progress:
>
> ssh://git.debian.org/git/debian-science/packages/asl.git
>
> Later it turned out (see second email) that the doc describes only the
> steps specific to Debian Science while there is much more to do/read (->
> "New maintainers guide", etc) :-(((
> May I ask somebody to volunteer to finish the initial creation of the
> package, so it can be uploaded?
> It has been developed/tested on Debian since 2010 so the process should
> be smooth.
> Packaging efforts for other distros are underway and probably can be
> helpful for Debian [1].
>
> Thank you,
> Zeev
> ------
> In short about the library:
> It is an OpenCL-based multiphysics simulation software that can be
> deployed (besides CPU) on different massively parallel architectures
> like GPUs, FPGAs, DSPs etc. and covers a variety of physical and
> chemical phenomena. It can be utilized in a number of fields:
>
> - CFD: http://asl.org.il/benchmarks/multicomponent_flow/
> - image-guided surgery: http://avtechscientific.com/cryovision
> - crystal growth:
> https://github.com/AvtechScientific/ASL/blob/master/examples/levelSet/levelSetFacetedGrowth.cc
> - virtual sensing (i.a. medical): http://avtechscientific.com/brainshift
> - R&D of biomed devices (i.a. microfluidics):
> http://avtechscientific.com/focus
> - etc., etc..
> ------
>
> [1]:
> https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/libasl/
> https://copr.fedoraproject.org/coprs/lupinix/ASL/
> https://build.opensuse.org/package/show/home:ealin:physics/ASL
>
>
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I talked to Zeev regarding this package and I would upload
>> it, if its packaging state would fit to our requirements. But
>> sorry, I do not have time for the moment to package it from
>> the zero point.
>>
>> Surely, it would be a nice package for the scientists and
>> engineers in Debian archive.
>
>
>
>> On Mon, Jul 13, 2015 at 04:06:53PM +0300, Zeev Pekar wrote:
>>> I uploaded ASL <http://asl.org.il> to:
>>>
>>> ssh://git.debian.org/git/debian-science/packages/asl.git
>>>
>>>
>>> Please, let me know, whether it lacks anything...
>>
>> It lacks
>>
>>      debian/changelog
>>      debian/rules
>>      debian/compat
>>      debian/source/format
>>
>> at minimum.  Also debian/control has some fields differently
>> as per policy.  Please dive into the several existing examples
>> of Debian Science packages and the "New maintainers guide".
>>
>> Kind regards
>>
>>            Andreas.
>>
>>
>> --
>> http://fam-tille.de
>>
>>
>
>

I am fairly experienced with packaging CMake-based projects and could 
give you a hand on that.

Since the project follows a Git workflow (master branch + tagged 
release), it would make sense to adopt a Git approach for the packaging 
repository rather than the more conventional import-from-source-tarball 
approach that the d-science policy only advocates.

I can see from your original work that you are not quite there yet with 
the packaging content, which is what Andreas mentioned in his reply. I 
am afraid that the "New maintainers guide" is a mandatory stop, should 
you intend to maintain this package long term in Debian. I can only give 
you a lift for the initial effort.

Best regards,
Ghislain