[tex-live] Documentation missing for many packages

[Harald Harders]

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004, Sebastian Rahtz wrote:

> > Yes, that is evident. Is there a possibility to ensure that some files are
> > surely included? May be you could define a special file provided by
> > the package authors that specifies which files have to be included in the
> > tex, doc, and source sections.
>
> of course, I could try. I could start off my testing for a TL manifest
> file. but it gets complicated. many packages need compiling in some way
> before the files exist, so the manifest has to say "first run pdflatex,
> then makeindex, then bibtex etc etc".

Yes, you are right. And it needed too much space in the CTAN network if
each package provided the documentation in pre-compiled format, I think.

> > For example, the package author could include a file 'tlfiles.txt' similar
> > to this one:

[...]

> well, if you express it in XML :-}

I've been too lazy to learn XML, yet. :-(
And if the package authors provide a shell script or a Makefile that
generate the documentation and package. It could be done this way:
If a Makefile exists that has the target "texlive" this is used. This
target has to produce some directories, e.g., "doc", "tex", and "source",
and generates/copies the needed files there. Many Windows users may not know
about that but this is better than nothing, I think.

> > An approach like this may ease to build the archives and tpm files. The
> > package authors could also provide tpm files by themselves. But then,
> > there should be some documentation how to write a tpm file available.
>
> thats the problem. lack of time to document anything!

Yes, I know that problem, see below.

> this is due for discussion at Dante in March, if you will be there?

I would like to come but I really do not have enough time this spring.

Yours
Harald

-- 
Harald Harders                           Langer Kamp 8
Institut für Werkstoffe                  D-38106 Braunschweig
Technische Universität Braunschweig      Germany
E-Mail: h.harders at tu-bs.de               Tel: +49 (5 31) 3 91-3062
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