[Yum-devel] Repository management

[tim at rasmil.dk]

> On Mon, 25 Apr 2005, Chip Turner wrote:
> >
> > Something I notice over and over on what seems like every yum
> > repository on the planet is a page with instructions of what to paste
> > into your yum repo configuration to enable or disable a given
> > repository.
> >
> > Over and over.
> >
> > http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Extras_2fUsingExtras
> > http://dag.wieers.com/home-made/apt/FAQ.php#B3
> > http://rpm.livna.org/configuration.html
> > ... and bunches more ...
> >
> > It strikes me that given the number of good repos out there that maybe
> > there should be a better way to manage the repositories on a system.
> > Basically a simple tool that would read out of data on a server about
> > the repos it offers.  Something dead simple for people to use.
> > Roughly:
> >
> > yum-repo add http://fedoraproject.org/fc3-extras.repo
> > yum-repo list-repos
> > yum-repo disable-repo fc3-extras
> >
> > etc.  The URL in the first case is likely just to a .repo file, but
> > there may be a need for meta data describing a repo that doesn't exist
> > purely in the repo itself, so maybe another format... though I tend to
> > like not creating new file formats myself.
> >
> > So basically I think we need tools to manage the .repo files in
> > /etc/yum.repos.d.  Eventually this could be extended to 'click here to
> > subscribe to this repository' with mime handlers associated inside of
> > a user's browser.
> >
> > The key thing yum brings as I see it is easy addition (and updating)
> > of software.  I'd like to see adding a new repo to be as easy as
> > typing 'yum install xine'.  I know it's a bit... frilly?... but this
> > kind of thing goes a good distance in making it easier for users of
> > yum (both end users and software distributors) to get more of the
> > software they like.
> >
> > Such a tool could exist outside of yum, I suppose, but I see it having
> > much more value inside of it.  I'd be willing to do the work (not that
> > I see there being much), but only if there is agreement people would
> > find this useful.  I'm just posting here right now but perhaps it
> > would be better on fedora-devel-list?

It is stuff like this i have plans to implement in my Yum GUI (Yum
Extender aka yumex (http://linux.rasmil.dk/yumex)).
Yum can do what it does best, and other tool can make the job of
creating and manage the .repo files in /etc/yum.repos.d.
My current solution is to build a big list of repos in my GUI, that the
user can select from and then then .repo files are created.

My future plans are:
* Support some kind .repo file download from a url.
* Some kind of .repo file repository where users can update there list
of repositories.
* Tighter integration with yum 2.3.2 and later

Tim Lauridsen

P.S

Thanks to all yum developers, your are doing a great job, yum 2.3.2
rocks !!!