How can I create a package for apt?

[thedevilsjester]

I have been releasing binary versions of my software for the longest time using dated means and would like to start making deb packages for Kubuntu, what would be the easiest route?

Also can deb packages run custom scripts on install so I can correct paths in the settings files?

[Rog131]

Re: How can I create a package for apt?

Maybe these links help:

Packaging Guide
https://wiki.kubuntu.org/PackagingGu...PackagingGuide

KubuntuTutorialsDay / Packaging
https://wiki.kubuntu.org/KubuntuTutorialsDay/Packaging

MOTU
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MOTU

Debian New Maintainers' Guide
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/ma.../index.en.html

How to make deb packages
http://linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8047723203.html

Debian Library Packaging guide
http://www.netfort.gr.jp/~dancer/col...pkg-guide.html

More links in the FAQ: Installing from source
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3085626.0

[thedevilsjester]

Re: How can I create a package for apt?

None of those links really have any detailed information, however I managed to piece enough together from them collectively to achieve my goal, thanks.

[muzicman0]

Re: How can I create a package for apt?

can you post back here some steps? I've been wondering the same thing...
mm0

[thedevilsjester]

Re: How can I create a package for apt?

First your directory structure needs to be setup based on the root file system, as an example lets say you have a program called helloworld with no extra files, your directory structure may look like this:

~/hello
~/hello/helloworld

What you want is

~/hello/
~/hello/usr/
~/hello/usr/bin
~/hello/usr/bin/helloworld

Now create another folder in your projects root folder called DEBIAN (uppercase)

~/hello/DEBIAN

In this folder, you create a few files that provide details to the package manager. The only one needed, however, is the file called control

Create a file ~/hello/DEBIAN/control

The contents of the file should look something like this:

Package: helloworld
Version: 1.0
Section: development 
Architecture: i386
Depends: libwhatever-1.2
Installed-Size: 1024
Maintainer: Me! [ [email]me@email.com[/email] ]
Provides: helloworld
Description: This is the uber helloworld app

Note there is a blank line at the end, this is needed.

You can google more information about the control file for other options like conflicts and suggested packages.

Then you run the following command

dpkg -b ~/hello/ hello.deb

Thats the basics in a nutshell.

Note that the above is based on you having a Debian based distro like Kubuntu or Ubuntu.