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| Would you use UnPackIt? |
| Definitley - sounds like a good new feature. |
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25% |
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| Definitley - I've been wanting something like this for a while |
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50% |
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| Possibly, I'd have to learn more about it |
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25% |
[ 1 ] |
| Honesltly - probably not. Never really needed this feature. |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
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| Total Votes : 4 |
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AndrewTheArt
Alpha Project
Joined: 29 Oct 2007
Posts: 26
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 Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:48 pm Post subject: UnPackIt Teaser Screenshot |
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As I said eariler,
| Quote: | You know, as a simple prototype, I would love to develop a little application that takes in a list of .tar.gz/.zip/.sh files, analyzes them, and makes suggestions on how to install the application in a convenient manner . It would also make the appropriate shortcuts and in the gnome/kde menu and on the desktop.
Something I want to develop in my little spare time. I am completely fed up with going on the web, finding some application not in the repos or not packaged as a convenient RPM, and jumping through hoops to install it, make shortcuts, determine dependencies, etc. |
Well, I got somewhat far on the project. I'm using Glade in combination with GTK#. The functionality currently is that you can select a .tar.gz file and it will list the contents (index) of the file. This task took long enough - I am completely new to Glade and am just now getting things down to a science. Now that I am more familiar with things, the next step is to make a relatively simple algorithm that can determine what to do with the package(s) once they are selected.
You can download this (currently) pretty useless prototype already here - http://www.quickfileupload.com/361EarlyPreBeta.tar.gz . Test it out. Requires Mono and tar currently. You should run it from a console with
The beta is still far off as I'm back in school within a week, and who knows how tough it will be.
Speak up if you want a feature in this program - it will really simplify thing for us all. Seriously, how many times have you go onto the Web, downloaded some archive (non RPM) and hated making links to the binary in your start menu, moving it to a special folder for programs, etc? This will make life much easier 
Better yet, I plan to make this program very modular - basically, you can define what to do with non-standard files (for example, if the program didn't have a definition to link JAR (java archive) files to your start menu correctly (by using java with the -jar switch), you could define this easily via a GUI and/or a text file. Cool eh? (Side note - the program WILL be able to handle jar files by default, fyi) |
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Sorivenul
Alpha Project
Joined: 13 Nov 2007
Posts: 41
Location: SoDak, USA
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:47 pm Post subject: Wow. |
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| Ambitious, but this would radically reshape the way packaging works, especially for those new to Linux systems. Get a Beta and I'll test, no problem. |
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Siberian Fox
Administrator
Joined: 25 Oct 2007
Posts: 251
Location: Los Angeles, California
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| Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 7:05 am Post subject: |
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This looks great! It would solve a lot of my problems. We should definitely include a beta. I can test too if you want.
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AndrewTheArt
Alpha Project
Joined: 29 Oct 2007
Posts: 26
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| Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 7:12 am Post subject: Re: Wow. |
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| Sorivenul wrote: | | Ambitious, but this would radically reshape the way packaging works, especially for those new to Linux systems. Get a Beta and I'll test, no problem. |
No, it really wouldn't, surprisingly. This app is simply for those programs that are not conveniently packaged as a RPM and in a mainstream repository. For example, you'd never install OpenOffice this way (unless you wanted to build it from source), but you'd probably install FileZilla this way. (FileZilla comes packaged in a .tar.gz package and contains some binary files. At the moment it is not in any repositories that I know of). In FileZilla's case, the program would move the binary to a predefined programs folder and link it up to the start menu.
This would just make installing those smaller, nonstandard apps a bit easier. But yet we all use these small apps frequently so this could be useful. |
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Sorivenul
Alpha Project
Joined: 13 Nov 2007
Posts: 41
Location: SoDak, USA
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| Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 5:59 pm Post subject: Exactly! |
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| Quote: | | This would just make installing those smaller, nonstandard apps a bit easier. But yet we all use these small apps frequently so this could be useful. |
Exactly what I meant in my original post here. We all have non-standard apps we adore, but installing something that isn't neatly packaged as a RPM can be next to impossible for those new to Linux. That's what I meant by how this app would revolutionize the system. Of course for some "purists" wanting to test/use Harmonia, installing something like OO.o from source may sound appealing as well. Ha ha!  Good luck.[/quote] |
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AndrewTheArt
Alpha Project
Joined: 29 Oct 2007
Posts: 26
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| Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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Good news! I will probably be doing this project as my second semester major project in my Computer Science III.
It will be Java based, most likely, and will additionally include a lot of technical documentation inside of the app to explain exact what the program is doing (for example, what commands are being run on the console to compile a package).
Awesomeness!
Request more features here, please, and also enlighten me if this is really something the community needs. An apps that explains how to install stuff and also does it for you. |
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Sorivenul
Alpha Project
Joined: 13 Nov 2007
Posts: 41
Location: SoDak, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Very exciting news! I hope you get to work on this for your class. I still think it would make package handling/installation for new users much more friendly. Having it be Java based would definitely be interesting. Keep us updated! |
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