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Creating TASK-* RPMs for Mageia: task-codeweavers-essentials

A task-*.rpm package is a metapackage, a special type of package that installs other RPM packages that are delineated as dependencies of the task-*.rpm. They contain no actual data, they just cause the system to install  other RPM packages as directed.

There is a need to create such a package to compliment the installation of Codeweaver's crossover application. As explained in another post, Mageia is a distro unsupported by Codeweavers and has different names for the needed dependencies that are provided by Mageia. Rather than struggle through a long list of packages to install, it would be easier to invoke

$ sudo urpmi task-crossover-essentials

and be done with it.

The first step to create such a package is to build the .spec file. I chose to modify an existing .spec file, so I started with the .spec file from task-lxde. It is shown below.

 Name: task-lxde
Version: 7
Release: %mkrel 1
Epoch: 1
Summary: Metapackage for lxde
Group: Graphical desktop/Other
License: GPL
URL: http://lxde.org
# Requires: %{name}-minimal
# Requires components listed on lxde wiki,
# see: http://wiki.lxde.org/en/Status_of_LXDE_Components
Requires: gpicview
Requires: lxtask
Requires: lxinput
Requires: lxsession-edit
Requires: lxrandr
Requires: lxdm
Requires: lxpolkit
Requires: lxhotkey
# Recommends other app independent of lxde
Recommends: epdfview
Recommends: leafpad
Recommends: xarchiver
Recommends: xmessage
Recommends: task-pulseaudio
Recommends: mageiawelcome
Recommends: hexchat

 BuildArch: noarch

 %description
This package is a meta-package, meaning that its purpose is to contain dependencies for running the Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment.

 %package minimal
Summary: Minimal dependencies needed for LXDE
Group: Graphical desktop/Other
Requires: desktop-common-data
Requires: lxde-common
Requires: lxappearance
Requires: lxterminal
Requires: task-x11
Requires: drakconf
Requires: obconf
Requires: dbus-x11
Requires: gnome-themes-standard
Requires: adwaita-gtk2-theme

 %description minimal
This package is a meta-package, meaning that its purpose is to contain
minimal dependencies for running a minimal Lightweight X11 desktop
environment.

 %prep
# nothing

 %build
# nothing

 %install
# nothing

 %files

 %files minimal


 %changelog
* Mon Mar 11 2019 ns80 1:7-1.mga7
+ Revision: 1373929
- use the same version number as Mageia

This proposed spec file will build two RPM files, one of which installs only minimal dependencies. While there are other dependencies that could be installed for Crossover, those are really for specific use applications and it's not necessary to install them all to get a functional Crossover installation.

So the task-lxde spec file is modified as follows:

Name: task-crossover-essentials
Version: 1
Release: %mkrel 1
Epoch: 1
Summary: Metapackage for Codeweavers Crossover Essentials
Group: Emulators/Other
License: GPL
URL: http://Codeweavers.com
# Requires components listed on MaximumHoyt.com,
# see: https://maximumhoyt.blogspot.com/2019/10/install-codeweavers-crossover-on-mageia.html
Requires: libnss-mdns2
Requires: pygtk2.0
Requires: libfontconfig1
Requires: libmesaglu1
Requires: libsane1
Requires: libudev1
Requires: libxcomposite1
Requires: libxinerama1
Requires: libxslt1
Requires: libmesagl1
Requires: libfreetype6
requires: libpng16_16
requires: libxslt1
requires: libpulseaudio0


 # Recommends other app 

 #Recommends: 

 BuildArch: noarch

 %description
This package is a meta-package, meaning that its purpose is to contain dependencies for running Codeweaver's Crossover application. It does not install Crossover. Crossover does not directly support Mageia and will not automatically install necessary dependencies, but this metapackage will.

%prep
# nothing

 %build
# nothing

 %install
# nothing

 %files

 %changelog
* Fri Nov 07 2019 hoyt 1:1-1.mga7
+ Revision: 001
- add spec file
- Created package structure for task-crossover-essentials.


Now it's time to build the package. Have a look at Packaging for Beginners and the RPM Tutorial in the Mageia Wiki.

$ cd ~/rpmbuild/SPECS
$ rpmbuild -ba task-crossover-essentials.spec

You'll find your packages in ~/rpmbuild/RPMS and ~/rpmbuild/SRPMS

For a more in-depth look at what packages are required for Crossover and what optional packages may be installed, have a look at
Install Codeweaver's Crossover on Mageia Linux.

RESOURCES

You can download my RPM package here, but use it at your own risk. Best to build your own. It's not that difficult.

Packaging for Beginners
https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Packaging_for_beginners

RPM Tutorial
https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Packagers_RPM_tutorial

Easy RPM Builder
https://www.pling.com/p/1127175/

Download the task-crossover RPM
my RPM package here
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