[tex-live] Help needed: updating stuff in TeX live

[Norbert Preining]

Hi friends!

I am currently working with Karl to make updates to the packages in TeX
live. Furhermore, we try to automate this as far as possible.

For many packages this has already been done, please see
http://www.tug.org/texlive/pkgupdate.html
I am trying to update in regular intervals the packages which are 
already checked by this procedure.

But we need help in getting MORE packages checked by the magic
	tpm-ctan-check
program. 

So here is a small HOWTO for those who once in a while find
time to play around a bit and help update packages in TeX live.


0) Add /pat/to/texlive/svn/repository/Build/tools to your path

1) Choose a package, ie a tpm, best for now one in texmf-dist/tpm/ which
   is NOT already in tpm-ctan-check. You can get a list of the
   not treated packages by calling
	tpm-ctan-check --list-not-treated-tpm
   

2) check licensing, sources [doc especially], etc.
   if you have the CTAN archive available you can call
	CTAN=/pat/to/CTAN tlpkginfo --ctan-dir <package>
   to get the location of the package.
	(optional, but would be great)
        If you want/can PLEASE update the TeX Catalogue entry or send
        us tex-live at tug.org, debian-tex at lists.debian.org
        the relevant information: 
                - version of package checked
                - date checked
                - type of license
                - where the license statement can be found (filename, eg
                  README)

3) run ctan2tl and inspect the output, please see details on the above
   website for a short explanation how to interpret the output

3a) if good, then good:
 	- add the package name to ctan-tpm-check (yeah, one more)
	- call ctan2tl --place <package>
	- submit

3b) if bad, then bad:
	Hack ctan2tds as necessary, which can be everything:
	maybe just MAKEflatten, maybe something else.
	Or just inform us here and we will take a look.

4) continue with another package.


If you want to add a NEW package without a tpm, do more or less the same
as above, only in stel 3a) add it also to one of the collections, or ask
us where to add it.

So, we hope that there is someone to help us, because there are hundreds
of packages in the queue. Our dream is that at some future point we can
automate *most* of the updates with tpm-ctan-check/ctan2tl.

If you have questions, please ...

Best wishes

Norbert

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Dr. Norbert Preining <preining at logic.at>                    Università di Siena
Debian Developer <preining at debian.org>                         Debian TeX Group
gpg DSA: 0x09C5B094      fp: 14DF 2E6C 0307 BE6D AD76  A9C0 D2BF 4AA3 09C5 B094
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