I started taking a look at how to build RPM packages from source
tarballs, and it works fine when installing non-binary stuff (eg.
documentation files.)

Thing is, the %files is supposed to list all the files that the
package must install. I took a look at a Makefile and sub-directories
once I compiled the binary file... but what a mess.

Is the standard way to run "make install", and watch what happens, and
then copy/paste this file list?

Thx
FF.

Yep. Making the RPM is some kind of a mess. But nice when you have to
install a program on the fourth workstation.

Well.. I would look in an existing .src.rpm - and perhaps reuse a lot of
the .spec-file.

But different programs use different methods for placing the files in
$RPM_BUILD_ROOT ('make install DESTDIR=$RPM_BUILD_ROOT', 'make install
prefix=$RPM_BUILD_ROOT' etc.). You will have to figure this out - probably
by running some commands and see what happen...

--
Rasmus B?g Hansen

Looks like hell: find exactly which files are installed, find which
system configuration files are updated (if any), and find all
dependencies...

Thx
FF.

The standard method is to do:

  touch /tmp/foo
  make install
  find / -cnewer /tmp/foo > /tmp/listOfFiles

But of course, you could do the install to a subdir of your choosing
instead, if the PREFIX variable is implemented in the makefile. The
method above is merely the generic one.

Peter

Thx, but it only covers the files that are installed by the compiled
tarball. It doesn't deal with patches I have to create in case it
needs to add its own stuff in existing configuration files (eg. adding
itself to /etc/inetd.conf), and the specific dependencies it needs.

Thx
FF.

There is no way of finding such things unless you know a little of how
the makefile works. You can use the technique I gave as a base, for example.
For every directory that has changed, and every file within it that is new,
check for the existence of a file.orig that the makefile saved, and patch
against it.  If it didn't save the original, tough luck. Sue the author.

And the PREFIX method does cover your objection.

Peter