[Fedora-packaging] Java naming scheme

[Fernando Nasser]

Hi,

I will try to summarize the findings so far.

1) We seem to agree that we want to make the following transformation on 
the release fields :

3jpp -> 3.1 in Fedora

This will satisfy all our upgrade paths, as:

4.1 > 4jpp > 3.1 > 3jpp

so one can always have the latest fixes.


2) Some would be agreeable to leaving the 'jpp' in there as a temporary 
measure, as what we really want is some Groups (or Categories) 
functionality that is not yet available.

So, temporarely, 3jpp -> 3jpp.1


3)  What do we need to get rid of the 'jpp'

a) Query for the set of Java packages

The rpm -qg (or rpm -q --group) command currently does not accept patterns

If we could do 'rpm -qg "Java*"' we could add "Java/" to all "Group:" 
tags of all Java packages and that would work.

I am trying to create a patch for that (which would be RPM patch #37 in 
Fedora) but I am encountering some difficulties as it is the first time 
I am looking at the rpm source code and I have been working with Java 
rather than C in the last years.

P.S.: We would need a similar query functionality when Categories 
replace Groups.

b) yum has already some group functionality (groupinstall, groupupdate, 
groupremove, groupinfo) that is based on an XML file that is kept in the 
repository.  But the option --exclude only acts on file names, we need a 
--groupexclude.

We already have a "Java" group, with only 2 packages on it:

# yum groupinfo Java
Loading "installonlyn" plugin
Setting up Group Process
Setting up repositories

Group: Java
 Description: Support for running programs written in the Java 
programming language.
 Mandatory Packages:
   libgcj
   java-1.4.2-gcj-compat

We could just make sure all Java packages are in the Java group to make 
use of the yum group functionality.
We just need the --groupexclude.

I will try and create a patch to add a '--groupexclude' as soon as I 
finish with the rpm one.


P.S.: If we could get the fixes for 3a and 3b we could get rid of the 
'jpp' immediately.  Anyone that could help me with those?


Fernando