PEAR_PackageFileManager : The Definitive Guide

The tutorial is divided into 9 short lessons. In each lesson, you will learn how to create a new release, manage developers, files list, dependencies, perform complex installation tasks, and much more.

After you complete the tutorial, you can apply the skills you learn to your own packager copy.

Lesson 1, introducing PEAR_PackageFileManager compares automated and manual building methods.

Lesson 2, setting options defines types and values, and tells when and why you should use an option rather than an other.

Lesson 3, creating a new package teaches you how to build your first package from scratch.

Lesson 4, maintaining users list teaches you how to update the maintainers list. Add a new one, make one inactive, or definitively remove him.

Lesson 5, using tasks to customize file installation teaches you how to perform a custom installation with 3 basic tasks (replace, windowseol, unixeol) and 1 complex (postinstallscript).

Lesson 6, maintaining dependencies list teaches you how to update the dependencies list. Add a new one, remove one or just change its content.

Lesson 7, using custom file roles teaches you how to customize installation locations for each file rather than use standard categories (php, data, doc, test, script, src, ext).

Lesson 8, using custom file tasks teaches you how to customize installation with a third party task file, rather than using standard basic tasks: replace, eol, postinstall script.

Lesson 9, handling changelog teaches you how to read, remove, modify a changelog entry.