Importing packages
The
falcon command is for repository maintenance. Managing the
metadata for your repository is the most important task the falcon package has.
However, it is also nice if it is easy to import packages from other
repositories into yours (e.g. for backporting). For this purpose, falcon brings
you the
falcon-import command.
Basic usage
Using
falcon-import is almost the same as using
apt-get source
To download the coreutils package from Debian etch use the following command:
falcon-import debian etch main moreutils
This will download the moreutils sourcepackage into the current directory. The
complete usage instructions can be found in the
falcon-import manpage.
More examples
Here are a few more examples:
- Download the falcon source package from Ubuntu
falcon-import ubuntu hardy universe falcon
- Download the ffmpeg source package from medibuntu
falcon-import http://packages.medibuntu.org/ gutsy free ffmpeg
- Download, extract and install build dependencies
falcon-import -x -d ubuntu main glibc
Installing single packages into the repository
After downloading and building a package, you still have to install it into
your repository. Of course you can simply copy the files into the proper
directory and run
falcon scan, but I find that too much overhead for
simply installing a single package. So falcon grew a way to install a single
package. Let's say we want to backport version 0.3.4-1 from Ubuntu Hardy to
Ubuntu gutsy. Let's also assume we have a gutsy-seveas pocket with a
backports component. Here's how you would make a quick backport:
$ falcon-import -x -d ubuntu hardy universe xmoto
$ (cd xmoto-0.3.4 && dch -b -v 0.3.4-1~gutsy0 "Backport to gutsy" && dpkg-buildpackage -rfakeroot)
$ falcon install -P gutsy-seveas -C backports xmoto_0.3.4-1~gutsy0.dsc
To regenerate the files for apt and the html files, use
falcon export
The downside of this way of building is that you only build a binary package
for the architecture of your machine. If you want to support multiple
architectures and have access to the machines to do so, read the
advanced building documentation.