Ubuntu

Application Naming convention in Repos - would this be better?

Asked by brian mullan

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*** Example - this is NOT ABOUT FreeRDP ***
I use FreeRDP.
My scripts were initially designed to:
update "freerdp"
Some time ago that no longer worked!
So quickly checking I found "freerdp" had been replaced by "freerdp2".
Which required me to go back and change all my references to "freerdp" to "freerdp2"
*** END OF Example ***
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Is there some "Reason" why the Entry for "any-app" in the Repositories couldn't be a "Pointer" to whatever the most recent release of "any-app" is ?

This would seem to simplfy so much for everyone and even tho' correcting your own code doesn't take long (lets say 5 min) that "5 min" times the number of people coding/scripting world-wide adds up to probably decades of "time" each year.

In someone's code they would only ever have to reference that "base" Application name and not worry about the fact that a new Version with a new "Name" has appeared which breaks their Code/Scripts etc ?

Just asking.
Brian

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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#1

1. Why do you need a specific script to update the freerdp package?
Use Ubuntu's package management system and the packages will be updated, and even if they change the name, this will correctly be handled.

2. "Some time ago that no longer worked!"
Which Ubuntu release are you running? Are you able to identify any upgrade action that may have caused the script to stop working?

3. Is there some "Reason" why the Entry for "any-app" in the Repositories couldn't be a "Pointer" to whatever the most recent release of "any-app" is ?
The case with freerdp and freerdp2 is a bit special. These are two different source packages and you may need either the one or the other or even both. So it is not feasible to create a pointer to the most recent one.

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brian mullan (bmullan) said : 		#2

@m-hampl

You misunderstand !

I said that in my question it was just an Example!

> Example:
>
> I use FreeRDP.

It was an example... it could be ANY application.

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#3

There will be a reason why the differentiation is made.

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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#4

You misunderstand the Ubuntu package management system!

A command like "apt install any-app" always installs the newest version of any-app that has been packaged for the Ubuntu release that you are running.

I do not see any need for an additional pointer.

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#5

https://packages.ubuntu.com/search?keywords=Freerdp&searchon=names&suite=focal&section=all

There is no freerdp package, only freerdp2.

Seems its a newer version than version 1. So the naming makes sense.
https://ubunlog.com/en/after-several-years-finally-freerdp-2-0-arrives-and-these-are-its-changes/

I guess you could report a bug and suggest a meatpackage that installs freerdp2 like a "pointer" as you phrase it

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brian mullan (bmullan) said : 		#6

@actionparsnip

Jeez folks THIS IS NOT ABOUT FREERDP or FREERDP2 ... !!!!!!

That was JUST AN EXAMPLE

MY POINT was ...

why not just use a some TOKEN name for a package/app

AND whenever the package/app gets a new version JUST POINT THAT TOKEN to the new release

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#7

Then find the other packages as examples and report a bug for a meatpackage

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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said (last edit ): 		#8

If you deem freerdp not being a good example, then please give a better one.

There are only very few packages that have a version indicator in their name (freerdp2 being one of them, the kernel packages being another example). Normally there is no version number and the (generic) package name is pointing to the newest version for the Ubuntu release that you are running. For the kernels there are metapackages (e.g. linux-image-generic) that always point to the newest version, with the target changing with each upgrade. It's already doing what you are asking for.

Only freeerdp is one of the few packages where that is not the case, but please see my comment #1 item 3.

Remark: There seems to be a wrong autocorrect in actionparsnip's comments. It should be metapackage

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brian mullan (bmullan) said : 		#9

To all that responded... thanks.

I knew the "term" - MetaPackage but when I asked this question I was blanking on it.

Yes, that's what I think prevents this kind of issue but as noted NOT every Repository package utilizes that concept.

And as a long time Ubuntu user since Warty Warthog I can say that over the years there have been alot more Packages than FreeRDP that have this kind of issue that affects app/script creators.

 I see this in questions from other users on Reddit, askubuntu often enough regarding the sw they use.

I just thought that maybe there could be a "policy" for Repo package submitter's that they specify a Metapackage name going forward to eliminate this.

I'll mark this as "solved" but I'll also try to collect a list of other examples as @actionparsnip indicated in #7