Bug 249879

Summary:	Feature Request: Add screenshot capability to ebuilds
Product:	Gentoo Linux	Reporter:	James Carthew <jcarthew>
Component:	New packages	Assignee:	Gentoo Linux bug wranglers <bug-wranglers>
Status:	RESOLVED REMIND
Severity:	enhancement	CC:	darkside, dhp_gentoo, marduk, pacho, stupendoussteve
Priority:	High
Version:	unspecified
Hardware:	All
OS:	All
Whiteboard:
Package list:		Runtime testing required:	---

Description James Carthew 2008-12-05 02:39:08 UTC

This is a feature request for portage, basically adding a SCREENSHOTS="screenshots/package/file.jpg/png/whatever" tag to ebuilds. This will allow graphical package managers to add screenshots to packages in a way that is easy for .ebuild creators to maintain/update screenshots, an ebuild creator would only need to go into say /usr/portage/screenshots and create a file in the appropriate subdir for their package, and add the line to the ebuild. The directory the screenshots is stored in can be synchronised seperately to the ebuilds to cut down on wasted storage for commandline portage users.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:

Comment 1 stupendoussteve 2008-12-05 02:45:55 UTC

As I mentioned in the chat:

I am against modifying the ebuild structure for screenshots and Gentoo being responsible for maintaining screenshots. The official package management tools are not graphical.

I believe this functionality should be kept for developers of graphical package managers to develop and maintain with their own database resources. I do not think modifying the ebuild structure is required for them to accomplish this as packages are already uniquely referenced by category/package-version which could be used by a graphical package manager to reference screenshots.

It adds complexity to ebuilds for a behavior that should remain in the realm of a third party.

Comment 2 Jeremy Olexa (darkside) (RETIRED) archtester

2008-12-05 03:27:35 UTC

Why don't you bring this up on the gentoo-dev ML? I'm not even sure if ebuild maintainers would be interested in this feature. Me, I wouldn't use it in my ebuilds. There are better tools for this, (for example, web-based). Additionally, IMHO, a huge waste of bandwidth and storage space to distribute these screenshots.

BTW, what package manager currently has this support? Or do you have a set of patches that adds this support now?

Thanks.

Comment 3 Nico R. Wohlgemuth 2008-12-07 16:13:24 UTC

I don't think this is a good idea.

1. It will bloat the portage tree.
2. Who chooses the screenshots for the existing ebuilds?
3. We already have a "screenshot function" at the inofficial gentoo-portage.com

Comment 4 Jeroen Roovers (RETIRED) gentoo-dev

2008-12-09 01:06:58 UTC

Please discuss this on the gentoo-dev mailing list, and reopen the bug only when a positive conclusion has been reached and this bug can be assigned.