[Gambas-user] Creating an Ubuntu Source Package for uploading to a PPA

[Sebastian Kulesz]

With the recent release of Gambas 3 as a stable IDE, I wanted to
release a Beta version of a software i'm developing, and test the
Launchpad PPA release system for future releases. I'm very familiar
with Arch Linux system (the OS I currently use), and I know that
uploading a package to the AUR
(https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/AUR) involves creating only a
file with shell instructions. But i'm having serious trouble when
creating a source package to upload to Launchpad. I have little
knowledge about the debianization (content of ./debian folder) of an
application. But not enough to completely package an application
without errors. I tried creating an Ubuntu .deb package using the
Gambas IDE, and the used the created .changes file to create the PPA
package. But for a reason I could not identify, it was failing
constantly, complaining about the chengelog format, the signing of
files, etc.

I wanted to ask, first, if it would be possible to add this as a
feature on the IDE (creating a source package) and optionally execute
dput if available to upload it. This would require to include signing
features to Gambas, as well as creating a proper changelog
(./debian/changelog) file, following the ubuntu packaging guide, which
should include the full Ubuntu release name and not just the state of
the application in the project configuration (i.e.: The created
changelog specifies the release as "unstable" if set in the IDE, but
when creating the source package it should specify the Ubuntu release:
precise, onereic, natty, etc)

This would obviously be a non trivial feature, as it would require a
lot of work, testing, debugging, and needs to be done by someone with
knowledge of both Debian/Ubuntu packaging, and Gambas programming. But
IMHO, a good IDE is not good just by easing the programming of
software but by easing the release of it.

I think Gambas would REALLY benefit from this, as it would help spread
it's use, while at the same time help people submit their application
to developers.ubuntu.com to make them available to the Ubuntu Software
Center, besides the Launchpad solution I just proposed.

It would be nice, if the above proposal is not possible (at least in
the short time), to have a guide on how to build this source package
using native tools, such as debhelper and dh_make (specifying what to
include in the rules/control/install files), and any other required
step.

I would like to know what you think of this proposal. is it to hard?
would it take too much time (Gambas 4 feature)? I'm open to any
comments, please.

Thanks! and have a nice year ;)