Package Distribution

While reading an article in a magazin, a new feature comes to my mind. If you have a application based on PEAR Packages, you can do two things: 1.) note that the application requires some PEAR packages (like Horde does ie) 2.) add the packages to the distribution archive Problem: for 1.) The user doesn't know what PEAR is or doesn't want to install each package. for 2.) could be blows up the archive, the included packages could be outdated/ buggy (but actual versions could be fixed) Solution: My solution is not limited to just installing PEAR packages itself - it is more intended like Java Webstart A application could include with a install.xml file: <install>

    <package role="pear">
        <name>Log</name>
        <version>1.24</version>
    </package>
    <package role="application">
        <name>MyApp</name>
        ... // equal to package.xml structure
        <source role="dir">MyApp</source>
    </package>

</install> User story: User wants to install the app: unzip MyApp.tar.gz untar MyApp.tar

    now you have a dir MyApp and install.xml

pear -install install.xml <dest-dir>

    - check installed PEAR Packages, install/update if required
    - install files of <package role="application"> like defined in
    <package role="app...">, the base dir for this files is the
    <dest-dir> in the pear command call

It is just a draft...