spec file for rpms

[Todd Denniston]

David Hláèik wrote, On 09/22/2008 11:54 AM:
> Hi guys,
> 
> i am new at this.
> 
> I want to make a rpm from a program source. It does not contain rpm spec
> file by default so i need to create one.
> 
> Is there any way to make creation of spec files easier? some tools etc ... ?
> 
> Thanks in advance!
> 
> David
> 
> 

http://freshmeat.net/projects/checkinstall/

I have used checkinstall, and it will make a 'get you going' spec file, but 
the produced spec file is not very nice.

I took the one it made for me (for the software I wanted to package) and 
compared it to the one that comes with the kernel from fedora, and made 
changes that seemed sane.  {I understand reasonably how to do the kernel 
compile by hand, so seeing how they did it in the spec file gave me clues to 
how to do what I wanted.}

such changes as:
-BuildRoot: /var/tmp/XALTPlcbbmBlCXeZdMMaE/package
+BuildRoot: %{_tmppath}/%{name}-%{version}-%{release}-root-%(%{__id_u} -n)

just before the %files entry.
+%clean
+rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT




Also the fedora guidelines may point you towards filling in some things you 
might not have thought about, and if you follow them might get what ever 
package you are making the spec for accepted in fedora faster.
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Packaging/Guidelines

and in particular
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Packaging/Guidelines#Writing_a_package_from_scratch
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Rpmdevtools

{Todd: wonders if seeing those last two links would have made life easier...}

-- 
Todd Denniston
Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC Crane)
Harnessing the Power of Technology for the Warfighter