Re: PackageMaker from the command line
Re: PackageMaker from the command line
- Subject: Re: PackageMaker from the command line
- From: Chris Hanson <email@hidden>
- Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 17:49:50 -0600
On Nov 12, 2003, at 3:17 PM, Michael George wrote:
I wish Apple had left /usr/bin/package where it was, I had that
working. PM from the command line is obtuse. We would like to be
able to generate packages and metapackages in one step from the
command line with "make".
I'll see your wish, and raise you a whole bunch.
I wish that:
(a) The package and metapackage formats were formally and completely
documented, so developers could reliably build their own tools to
create them. A couple RTF files in PackageMaker's Help menu don't
count.
(b) PackageMaker was just a wrapper for a complete command-line utility
for building installer packages.
(c) The installer itself did full dependency tracking and package
management. I want to be able to see what's installed on my system and
be able to uninstall packages without breaking dependencies.
(d) The installer core itself was a public framework that all installer
developers could use, so all third-party installers could transition to
using it. Also, applications installed via a drag-install could inform
the installer core about themselves so it would still track them, allow
users to uninstall, etc.
(e) The installer and installer tools teams were one, and had enough of
a budget to build the best package installation and management
framework available on any platform for Mac OS X 10.4.
I continue to get the feeling, even with Panther and Xcode, that
package installation and management on Mac OS X is an afterthought and
that the tools and applications associated with it that Apple builds
exist solely to make Apple internal developers' lives easier. I'm not
trying to disparage the teams involved, I'm sure they're doing the best
they can with what they have. But there needs to be better direction
and a recognition that these issues are important to users both in the
enterprise *and* in the home.
-- Chris
--
Chris Hanson <email@hidden>
bDistributed.com, Inc.
Outsourcing Vendor Evaluation
Custom Mac OS X Development
Cocoa Developer Training
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