[Fwd: Re: [LAD] [LAU] Join the Debian Multimedia Team! (to improve the state of Linux audio)]

[Fraser]

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Fabian Greffrath wrote:
> I don't see a difference between adding a (well maintained) debian/
> directory to someone else's software or to my own, i.e. if you know how
> to make Debian packages out of sources for package foobar, you are also
> able to prepare the packaging for the softeware you wrote yourself. Why
> should this be documented separately?
> 
> Do I miss the point?

Hi Fabian,

I didn't have any experience creating debian packages and all the guides I could find (you know, the sort of thing that steps you through
the process) focused on modifying an existing package (ie get source package, get orig.tar.gz, make diff, make new package).
ie https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PackagingGuide/PackagingOverview#Packaging%20From%20Scratch

I had a lot of trouble finding a guide that explained how to create a package from scratch and in the end spent a week or two reading up on
debian package maintenance from which I could then work out how to make a package. The debian maintainers guide was way above what I was
after, it is after all intended for people who wish to maintain debian and need to be detailed and precise to ensure the quality of debian.
But I wasn't trying to make a package for debian, just trying to make a package, so the level of detail was a bit overwhelming.

In the end though I learnt a lot about packaging and my source is better for it so the experience was a good one. Presumably when my
software gets officially packaged, the learning curve will show.

regards,
Fraser

BTW on this page http://wiki.debian.org/HowToPackageForDebian there is a link that looks like what I wanted:
"a somewhat simplistic example which assumes no upstream source when starting the package, can be found at _Creating a new package_ from
scratch - this is more useful to upstream developers, not to people doing pure packaging work. "
but the link http://wiki.debian.org/PkgNew doesn't exist...




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