[tex-live] Re: tex *live* packages [was: .. acronym package missing doc]

[Sebastian Rahtz]

Staszek Wawrykiewicz wrote:

> Since there are no strict guidelines how to distribute/prepare
> a package (and so many are rather old, not maintained, but still
> usable, who knows?), I prepared my own draft notes how we can proceed.
> 
> 1. the simplest contents of the package: 
> README (or similar readme.txt, etc.) -> doc/<format>/<pkgname>/
> .sty (.tex) -> tex/<format>/<pkgname>/
thats ok

> When macros are of general purpose, they should be put in 
> tex/generic/.../

and how do you tell they are general purpose?

> 1a) If the main contents of the package is font or mp stuff,
>     the documentation goes to doc/font/... or doc/metapost/...
>     *even* when accompanied with latex's .sty files (which goes
>     to tex/latex/...
you'd have to quantify "main contents", and provide an 
algorithm for calculating it...

> 1b) all input files (and graphics) for the documentation and/or examples
>     should go to doc/.../...
if one can determine what they are

> 2. the package consists of .dtx, .ins (and README):
>    such stuff goes to source/.../<pkgname>/
>    but needs preparation for beeing "live":
>    .sty, .def, .fd -> tex/latex/.../
>    .tex examples -> doc/.../

thats what I do OK at the moment. unless there multiple .ins 
files, of course.

> 2a) If README (or similar file) contains full description
>     --> doc/.../
> 2b) If README (or similar file) contains *only* what to do with .dtx
>     -- can be left in source/.../

um, that implies _reading_ the README. sorry, no time for that/

...
> 3. Any extra files for pre/postprocessing, etc., not related to the
>    direct usage and reading/preparing the documentation, should be left
>    in the source/ area.
thats my fallback

> Typical mistakes when using any automata (just to show):
> a) metaobj as latex package (evident metapost stuff)
> b) metatex as latex package (plain tex macros)

my default is latex unless its overridden.

this is all of course the point of tpm2, to provide all this 
metadata in a single place.

-- 
Sebastian Rahtz      Information Manager
Oxford University Computing Services
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