Chapter 29. Managing the Package Repository
- Table of Contents
- Package Installation
- Package Structure
A source distribution of eCos consists of a number of + packages, such as the kernel, the C library, and the + µITRON subsystems. These are + individually versioned in the tree structure of the source + code, to support distribution on a per-package basis and to + support third party packages whose versioning systems might be + different. The eCos Package + Administration Tool is used to manage the + installation and removal of packages from a variety of sources + with potentially multiple versions.
The presence of the version information in the source tree + structure might be a hindrance to the use of a separate source + control system such as CVS or + SourceSafe. To work + in this way, you can rename all the version components to some + common name (such as “current”) thus unifying the + structure of source trees from distinct eCos releases.
The eCos build system will treat any such name as just another +version of the package(s), and support building in exactly the same +way. However, performing this rename invalidates any existing build +trees that referred to the versioned source tree, so do the rename +first, before any other work, and do a complete rebuild afterwards.
Package Installation
Package installation and removal is performed using the + eCos Package Administration Tool. This + tool is a Tcl script named + ecosadmin.tcl which allows + the user to add new eCos packages and new versions of + existing packages to an eCos repository. Such packages must + be distributed as a single file in the eCos package + distribution format. Unwanted packages may also be removed + from the repository using this tool. A graphical version of + the tool is provided as part of the + eCos Configuration Tool.
Using the Administration Tool
The graphical +version of the eCos Package +Administration Tool, provided as part of the +eCos Configuration +Tool, provides functions equivalent to the command-line +version for those who prefer a Windows-based interface.
It may be invoked in one of two ways:
from the start menu (by default + Start->Programs-> + eCos->Package Administration + Tool)
from the eCos Configuration + Tool via the + Tools->Administration + menu item
The main window of the tool displays the packages which are +currently installed in the form of a tree. The installed versions +of each package may be examined by expanding the tree.
Packages may be added to the eCos repository by clicking on +the Add button. The eCos package distribution +file to be added is then selected via a File Open dialog +box.
Packages may be removed by selecting a package in the tree +and then clicking on the Remove button. If +a package node is selected, all versions of the selected package +will be removed. If a package version node is selected, only the +selected version of the package will be removed.
Using the command line
The ecosadmin.tcl + script is located in the base of the eCos repository. Use + a command of the following form under versions of + UNIX:
$ tclsh ecosadmin.tcl <command> |
Under Windows, a command of the following form may be used +at the Cygwin command line prompt:
$ cygtclsh80 ecosadmin.tcl <command> |
The following commands are available:
- add <file>
Adds the packages contained with the specified package distribution +file to the eCos repository and updates the package database accordingly. +By convention, eCos package distribution files are given the .epk suffix.
- remove <package> [ --version=<version> ]
Removes the specified package from the eCos + repository and updates the package database + accordingly. Where the optional version qualifier is + used, only the specified version of the package is + removed.
- list
Produces a list of the packages which + are currently installed and their versions. The + available templates and hardware targets are also + listed.
Note that is is possible to remove critical packages + such as the common HAL package using this tool. Users + should take care to avoid such errors since core eCos + packages may only be re-installed in the context of a + complete re-installation of eCos.