Module Guidelines

Generic

These guidelines apply to all of a module's files.

• Never use tabs. Use spaces instead.
• Use 72 columns as a maximum width whenever possible (but always in the long description in the DETAILS file!).
• Respect the MAINTAINER value. Don't modify maintained modules unless you first consult the listed maintainer.

DETAILS

• Always use a SHA1 checksum instead of a MD5 checksum for SOURCE_VFY values.
  • The SHA1 algorithm has been shown to be less prone to key clashes than the MD5 algorithm.
• Don't insert your eMail address into the MAINTAINER field unless you are a Lunar developer.
• Prefer tar.bz2 over tar.gz tarballs (as it saves space/traffic) and prefer tar.gz over zip (or rar) packages.

DEPENDS

• Only list unique dependencies.
  • That means that if the module you are building requires both "libX" and "libY" to properly compile/run but "libX" itself already requires (non-optionally) "libY," you should only add "libX" as a dependency to your module. This is because "libY" will automatically come along with "libX."
• Never put logic into this file. The only things that can exist in this file are function calls to depends and/or optional_depends.
  • Putting logic into DEPENDS, while it might seem clever, is a sure way to mess up Lunar's internal dependency handling mechanisms and commands such as lvu leert.
• If possible, always provide the means to disable support for an optional dependency, even if that optional module is installed.
  • That means if the application's ./configure script allows for a --disable-my-optional-depends you should include that switch when building your optional_depends line. This allows you to not compile in support for certain features, even if your computer has the necessary application/library installed to support that feature. Remember, choice is good.
• Always flow up each depends and optional_depends call with a && if there is another call to depends or optional_depends after it.
  • This ensures that if the handling of the dependency fails for whatever reason, this module also fails to install.
  • Remember that the last line of the file does not have && appended to it. Putting && at this location will cause a syntax error, effectivly breaking that module and anything depending on that module.

CONFLICTS

• Remember to add a CONFLICTS to both modules that conflict with each other.
• When removing/renaming a module that had a CONFLICTS file, remember to remove/rename the conflict on all of the other modules this module conflicted with. Don't leave orphaned conflicts.

BUILD

• Don't install files after calling devoke_installwatch.

POST_BUILD

• Don't install any files into the system.

POST_INSTALL

• Don't install any files into the system.