Re: package-vc support for :files keyword

[Philip Kaludercic]

Adam Porter <adam@alphapapa.net> writes:

> Hi Philip, et al,
>
>> For the record, these are all the repositories in {Non,}GNU ELPA that
>> develop multiple packages in a single repository:
>> GNU ELPA:
>> http://www.dr-qubit.org/git/predictive.git
>> https://github.com/oantolin/embark
>> https://github.com/abo-abo/swiper
>> https://github.com/abo-abo/hydra
>> https://github.com/alphapapa/taxy.el.git
>> From what I understand, there is no technical necessity for this
>> mode of
>> development?  I wonder how difficult it would be to push for a
>> one-package-one-repo approach.
>
> Please note out that while `taxy' and `taxy-magit-section' are both
> developed in "taxy.el.git", they are in separate branches, so there is
> no need to build the two packages from a single set of files by
> excluding some files and then the others.

Oops, I just wrote a quick script that compared URLs but did not check
what :branch they are developed on.

> I've chosen to keep these packages in the same repo because they are
> so closely related.  I'd like to be able to keep this arrangement.

That is totally fine, would you mind sharing your setup, in case someone
else is interested in this approach as well?

> Having said that, while I wouldn't personally object to dropping
> support for building multiple packages from a single branch (since I
> don't do it myself), I wouldn't favor doing so, because existing
> packages do, and it would create more work for the authors to have to
> split them up.

That is the issue, and I certainly don't want to be the one to blame for
breakage, be it for package developers let alone users.

> Maybe it would be reasonable to make a new policy against building
> multiple packages from a single branch, while "grandfathering" in the
> existing packages that do so, if it would solve a problem for ELPA.

What do you mean by "grandfathering"?

> Thanks for your work,
> Adam