XEmacs 21.2.7

[chise/xemacs-chise.git.1] / man / xemacs / packages.texi

@node Packages, Abbrevs, Running, Top
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up

@section Packages
@cindex packages

The XEmacs 21 distribution comes only with a very basic set of
built-in modes and packages.  Most of the packages that were part of
the distribution of earlier versions of XEmacs are now separately
available.  The installer as well as the user can choose which
packages to install; the actual installation process is easy.
This gives an installer the ability to tailor an XEmacs installation for
local needs with safe removal of unnecessary code.

@menu
* Package Terminology:: Understanding different kinds of packages.
* Using Packages::      How to install and use packages.
* Building Packages::   Building packages from sources.
@end menu

@node Package Terminology, Using Packages, , Packages
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up

@subsection Package Flavors

There are two main flavors of packages.

@itemize @bullet
@item Regular Packages
@cindex regular packages
A regular package is one in which multiple files are involved and one
may not in general safely remove any of them.

@item Single-File Packages
@cindex single-file packages
A single-file package is an aggregate collection of thematically
related but otherwise independent lisp files.  These files are bundled 
together for download convenience and individual files may be deleted at
will without any loss of functionality.
@end itemize

@subsection Package Distributions

XEmacs Lisp packages are distributed in two ways, depending on the
intended use.  Binary Packages are for installers and end-users and may
be installed directly into an XEmacs package directory.  Source Packages
are for developers and include all files necessary for rebuilding
bytecompiled lisp and creating tarballs for distribution.

@subsection Binary Packages
@cindex binary packages
Binary packages may be installed directly into an XEmacs package
hierarchy.

@subsection Source Packages
@cindex source packages
Source packages contain all of the Package author's (where appropriate
in regular packages) source code plus all of the files necessary to
build distribution tarballs (Unix Tar format files, gzipped for space
savings).

@node Using Packages, Building Packages, Package Terminology, Packages
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up

@subsection Getting Started

When you first download XEmacs 21, you will usually first grab the
@dfn{core distribution},
@cindex core distribution
a file called
@file{xemacs-21.0.tar.gz}. (Replace the @t{21.0} by the current version
number.)  The core distribution contains the sources of XEmacs and a
minimal set of Emacs Lisp files, which are in the subdirectory named
@file{lisp}.  This subdirectory used to contain all Emacs Lisp files
distributed with XEmacs.  Now, to conserve disk space, most
non-essential packages were made optional.

@subsection Choosing the Packages You Need

The available packages can currently be found in the same ftp directory
where you grabbed the core distribution from, and are located in the
subdirectory @file{packages/binary-packages}.  Package file names follow
the naming convention @file{<package-name>-<version>-pkg.tar.gz}.

If you have EFS @ref{(EFS)}, packages can be installed over the network.
Alternatively, if you have copies of the packages locally, you can
install packages from a local disk or CDROM.

The file @file{etc/PACKAGES} in the core distribution contains a list of
the packages available at the time of the XEmacs release.  Packages are
also listed on the @code{Options} menu under:

@example
        Options->Customize->Emacs->Packages
@end example

However, don't select any of these menu picks unless you actually want 
to install the given package (and have properly configured your system 
to do so).

You can also get a list of available packages, and whether or not they
are installed, using the visual package browser and installer.  You can
access it via the menus:

@example
        Options->Manage Packages->List & Install
@end example

Or, you can get to it via the keyboard:

@example
M-x pui-list-packages
@end example

Hint to system administrators of multi-user systems: it might be a good
idea to install all packages and not interfere with the wishes of your
users.

@subsection XEmacs and Installing Packages

Normally, packages are installed over the network, using EFS
@ref{(EFS)}.  However, you may not have network access, or you may
already have some or all of the packages on a local disk, such as a
CDROM.  If you want to install from a local disk, you must first tell
XEmacs where to find the package binaries.  This is done by adding a line
like the following to your @file{.emacs} file:

@example
(setq package-get-remote (cons (list nil "/my/path/to/package/binaries")
                               package-get-remote))
@end example

Here, you'd change @file{/my/path/to/package/binaries} to be the path
to your local package binaries.  Next, restart XEmacs, and you're ready
to go (advanced users can just re-evaluate the sexp).

If you are installing from a temporary, one-time directory, you can also 
add these directory names to @code{package-get-remote} using:

@example
        M-x pui-add-install-directory
@end example

Note, however, that any directories added using this function are not
saved; this information will be lost when you quit XEmacs.

If you're going to install over the network, you only have to insure
that EFS @ref{(EFS)} works, and that it can get outside a firewall, if
you happen to be behind one.  You shouldn't have to do anything else;
XEmacs already knows where to go. However you can add your own mirrors
to this list. See @code{package-get-remote}.

The easiest way to install a package is to use the visual package
browser and installer, using the menu pick:

@example
        Options->Manage Packages->List & Install
@end example
or
@example
        Options->Manage Packages->Using Custom->Select-> ...
@end example

You can also access it using the keyboard:

@example
M-x pui-list-packages
@end example

The visual package browser will then display a list of all packages.
Help information will be displayed at the very bottom of the buffer; you
may have to scroll down to see it.  You can also press @kbd{?} to get
the same help.  From this buffer, you can tell the package status by the
character in the first column:

@table @kbd
@item -
The package has not been installed.
@item *
The package has been installed, but a newer version is available.  The
current version is out-of-date.
@item +
The package has been marked for installation/update.
@end table

If there is no character in the first column, the package has been
installed and is up-to-date.

From here, you can select or unselect packages for installation using
the @key{RET} key, the @kbd{Mouse-2} button or selecting "Select" from
the (Popup) Menu.
Once you've finished selecting the packages, you can
press the @kbd{x} key (or use the menu) to actually install the
packages. Note that you will have to restart XEmacs for XEmacs to
recognize any new packages.

Key summary:

@table @kbd
@item ?
Display simple help.
@item @key{RET}
@itemx @key{Mouse-2}
Toggle between selecting and unselecting a package for installation.
@item x
Install selected packages.
@item @key{SPC}
View, in the minibuffer, additional information about the package, such
as the package date (not the build date) and the package author.  Moving 
the mouse over a package name will also do the same thing.
@item v
Toggle between verbose and non-verbose package display.
@item g
Refresh the package display.
@item q
Kill the package buffer.
@end table

Moving the mouse over a package will also cause additional information
about the package to be displayed in the minibuffer.

@subsection Other package installation interfaces

For an alternative package interface, you can select packages from the
customize menus, under:

@example
        Options->Customize->Emacs->Packages-> ...
@end example
or
@example
        Options->Manage Packages->Using Custom->Select-> ...
@end example

Set their state to on, and then do:

@example
        Options->Manage Packages->Using Custom->Update Packages
@end example

This will automatically retrieve the packages you have selected from the
XEmacs ftp site or your local disk, and install them into
XEmacs.  Additionally it will update any packages you already have
installed to the newest version.  Note that if a package is newly
installed you will have to restart XEmacs for the change to take effect.

You can also install packages using a semi-manual interface:

@example
M-x package-get-all <return>
@end example

Enter the name of the package (e.g., @code{prog-modes}), and XEmacs
will search for the latest version (as listed in the lisp file
@file{lisp/package-get-base.el}), and install it and any packages that
it depends upon.

@subsection Manual Binary Package Installation

Pre-compiled, binary packages can be installed in either a system
package directory (this is determined when XEmacs is compiled), or in a
subdirectory of your @file{$HOME} directory:

@example
~/.xemacs/packages
@end example

XEmacs does not have to be running to install binary packages, although
XEmacs will not know about any newly-installed packages until you
restart XEmacs.  Note, however, that installing a newer version of a
package while XEmacs is running could cause strange errors in XEmacs;
it's best to exit XEmacs before upgrading an existing package.

To install binary packages manually:

@enumerate
@item
Download the package(s) that you want to install.  Each binary package
will typically be a gzip'd tarball.

@item
Decide where to install the packages: in the system package directory,
or in @file{~/.xemacs/packages}.  If you want to install the
packages in the system package directory, make sure you can write into
that directory.  If you want to install in your @file{$HOME} directory,
create the directory, @file{~/.xemacs/packages}.

@item
Next, @code{cd} to the directory under which you want to install the
package(s).

@item
From this directory, uncompress and extract each of the gzip'd tarballs
that you downloaded in step 1.  Unix and Cygnus cygwin users will
typically do this using the commands:

@example
        gunzip < package.tar.gz | tar xvf -
@end example

Above, replace @file{package.tar.gz} with the filename of the
package that you downloaded in step 1.

Of course, if you use GNU @code{tar}, you could also use:

@example
        tar xvzf package.tar.gz
@end example

@comment What about native MS Windows users???

@item
That's it.  Quit and restart XEmacs to get it to recognize any new or
changed packages.

@end enumerate

@node Building Packages, , Using Packages, Packages
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up

Source packages are available from the @file{packages/source-packages}
subdirectory of your favorite XEmacs distribution site.  Alternatively,
they are available via CVS from @file{cvs.xemacs.org}.  Look at
@file{http://cvs.xemacs.org} for instructions.

@subsection Prerequisites for Building Source Packages

You must have GNU @code{cp}, GNU @code{install} (or a BSD compatible
@code{install} program) GNU @code{make} (3.75 or later preferred),
@code{makeinfo} (1.68 from @code{texinfo-3.11} or later required), GNU
@code{tar} and XEmacs 21.0.  The source packages will untar into a
correct directory structure.  At the top level you must have
@file{XEmacs.rules} and @file{package-compile.el}.  These files are
available from the XEmacs FTP site from the same place you obtained your
source package distributions.

@subsection What You Can Do With Source Packages

NB:  A global build operation doesn't exist yet as of 13 January 1998.

Source packages are most useful for creating XEmacs package tarballs
for installation into your own XEmacs installations or for
distributing to others.

Supported operations from @file{make} are:

@table @code
@item clean
Remove all built files except @file{auto-autoloads.el} and @file{custom-load.el}.

@item distclean
Remove XEmacs backups as well as the files deleted by @code{make clean}.

@item all
Bytecompile all files, build and bytecompile byproduct files like
@file{auto-autoloads.el} and @file{custom-load.el}.  Create info version
of TeXinfo documentation if present.

@item srckit
Usually aliased to @code{make srckit-std}.  This does a @code{make
distclean} and creates a package source tarball in the staging
directory.  This is generally only of use for package maintainers.

@item binkit
May be aliased to @code{binkit-sourceonly}, @code{binkit-sourceinfo},
@code{binkit-sourcedata}, or
@code{binkit-sourcedatainfo}. @code{sourceonly} indicates there is
nothing to install in a data directory or info directory.
@code{sourceinfo} indicates that source and info files are to be
installed.  @code{sourcedata} indicates that source and etc (data) files
are to be installed.  @code{sourcedatainfo} indicates source, etc
(data), and info files are to be installed.  A few packages have needs
beyond the basic templates so this is not yet complete.

@item dist
Runs the rules @code{srckit} followed by @code{binkit}.  This is
primarily of use by XEmacs maintainers producing files for distribution.

@end table