ack/distr/How_To

How to make a fresh distribution:
For a distribution you need ".distr" files and RCS files.
The EM home directory contains a file called ".distr". It contains
the names of all the files and directories you want to have in the distribution.
The directories should contain .distr files, the other files should
be placed under RCS.
The current RCS revision name is "distr4".
The are files that derive from other files and yet should be placed
in the distribution.
These files should not be placed under RCS.
The file "Exceptions" in this directory contains the current list of
these files.

When all this is correct, use the shell script mktree the extract
the distribution from the EM tree.
	cd ~em/Repositories ; sh ../Work/distr/mktree destination_tree >../Work/distr/f.attf 2>&1
Make sure that the destination tree exists and is empty!
Failing to do that will almost certainly result in a welter of
error messages.
The file f.attf contains mktree error messages and should be compared
to Exceptions.
The actions of mktree are quite complicated. It starts in the current
directory creating a version in the destination directory.
Then it reads the .distr file.
For each file mentioned there it performes certain actions:
1- Directory	Change to that directory and call yourself recursively.
2- File
   a-               Does a file LIST exist in this directory AND
                    is the first line of LIST equal to the name of the
                    destination file? If so, try to extract all the files
                    named in the rest of the LIST file and call the program
                    arch to create a library "arch cr `cat LIST`".
                    In this manner libraries can be distributed whose members
                    have their own RCS file! 
              else
   b-
              give message that says "Missing entry" (or some such). 

Now you have the tree but not everything is kosher yet.
Some files derive from other files in the tree, those derivations should
be done with the use of an already installed distribution.
The files Action and Action1 in this directory contain the actions
we now take. (Confession: most of the time we use /usr/em)

After running these re-derivation programs the distrubtion tree starts
to look like the tree you need.
There are too many files there though, especially the files created by
the derivation process.
That is why we now give the command:
	dtar cdf distr4 .
The file distr4 is the one you should put on tape!
But,.... before doing that: Try it out!
Repeat the process described in the installation manual.
Only if that succeeds you are sure that you included the files needed,
and gave all other files the correct "distr4" RCS id.
After you sent the tape away, forbid ANYBODY to touch the distr4 id
in your RCS files.
					Good Luck,
						Ed Keizer, 85/4/15.

Updated for 3rd distribution by Ceriel Jacobs, 87/3/11.
And again,
					Good Luck!

Updated for 4rd distribution by Ceriel Jacobs, 88/4/08.
And again,
					Good Luck!