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Diffstat (limited to 'README')
| -rw-r--r-- | README | 83 |
1 files changed, 31 insertions, 52 deletions
@@ -1,58 +1,37 @@ -========================================================================== -README: - -Overview and internals of the ALPM library and the PACMAN frontend. - -This document describes the state of the implementation before its CVS -import. -At this stage, the code is in pre-alpha state, but the design should not -change that much. -There's still need for some work to get the current code properly working. -The tag "ORE" was added in various places in the code, each time a point -remains unclear or is not yet implemented. - -========================================================================== - - ALPM library overview & internals ================================= -Here is a list of the main objects and files from the ALPM (i.e. Arch -Linux Package Management) library. -This document, whilst not exhaustive, also indicates some limitations -(on purpose, or sometimes due to its poor design) of the library at the -present time. - -Note: there is one special file ("alpm.h") which is the public interface -that should be distributed and installed on systems with the library. -Only structures, data and functions declared within this file are made -available to the frontend. -Lots of structures are of an opaque type and their fields are only -accessible in read-only mode, through some clearly defined functions. - -Note: several structures and functions have been renamed compared to -pacman 2.9 code. -This was done at first for the sake of naming scheme consistency, and -then primarily because of potential namespace conflicts between library -and frontend spaces. -Indeed, it is not possible to have two different functions with the same -name declared in both spaces. -To avoid such conflicts, some function names have been prepended with -"_alpm_". -In a general manner, public library functions are named -"alpm_<type>_<action>" (examples: alpm_trans_commit(), -alpm_lib_release(), alpm_pkg_getinfo(), ...). -Internal (and thus private) functions should be named "_alpm_XXX" for -instance (examples: _alpm_needbackup(), _alpm_runscriplet(), ...). -As of now, this scheme is only applied to most sensitive functions -(mainly the ones from util.c), which have generic names, and thus, which -are likely to be redefined in the frontend. -One can consider that the frontend should have the priority in function -names choice, and that it is up to the library to hide its symbols to -avoid conflicts with the frontend ones. -Finally, functions defined and used inside a single file should be -defined as "static". - +Here is a list of the main objects and files from the ALPM (i.e. Arch Linux +Package Management) library. This document, whilst not exhaustive, also +indicates some limitations (on purpose, or sometimes due to its poor design) of +the library at the present time. + +There is one special file,"alpm.h", which is the public interface that +should be distributed and installed on systems with the library. Only +structures, data and functions declared within this file are made available to +the frontend. Lots of structures are of an opaque type and their fields are +only accessible in read-only mode, through some clearly defined functions. + +In addition to "alpm.h", the interfaces of "alpm_list.h" have also been made +available to the frontend. It is not a requirement for the frontend to use +these list functions; however, it prevents frontends from having to reimplement +possibly useful functions. + +Several structures and functions have been renamed compared to pacman 2.9 code. +This was done at first for the sake of naming scheme consistency, and then +primarily because of potential namespace conflicts between library and frontend +spaces. Indeed, it is not possible to have two different functions with the +same name declared in both spaces. To avoid such conflicts, internal function +names have been prepended with "_alpm_". + +In a general manner, public library functions are named "alpm_<type>_<action>" +(examples: alpm_trans_commit(), alpm_lib_release(), alpm_pkg_getinfo(), ...). +Internal (and thus private) functions should be named "_alpm_XXX" for instance +(examples: _alpm_needbackup(), _alpm_runscriplet(), ...). Functions defined and +used inside a single file should be defined as "static". + +NOTE: The below descriptions may be severely outdated. Yes it needs updating, +but it may be better done by doxygen comments and generated documentation. [HANDLE] (see handle.c) |