[Mimedefang] Overcoming RPM stupidity

[Jeff Rife]

On 19 Dec 2006 at 0:42, Robert Scheck wrote:

> > Perhaps what's needed is some RPM macro magic to force a BuildRequires on
> > perl-Unix-Syslog if a --with-unix-syslog is provided on the rpmbuild
> > command line. That will in turn create a dependency in the RPM for the
> > same module.
> 
> why should I really want to have a perl-Unix-Syslog requirement to all
> users installing the mimedefang within Fedora Extras when it should be
> possible to load this requirement dynamically like for the rest like
> "$Features{'whatever'} = 1"?

It is *not* possible to do that same sort of loading with the gutted, 
no features included mimedefang.pl that the Fedora RPM creates.  That's 
my point.

> Sorry, but there is no need just to force every mimedefang user in Fedora
> Extras to install perl-Unix-Syslog just because _one_ user is interested in
> this feature because upstream isn't able to enable dynamically for runtime?

How about a post-install perl script in the RPM that checks for the 
Unix::Syslog, and if it is installed, installs an alternate version of 
mimedefang.pl?  Generally, you probably shouldn't use a perl script for 
a post-install, because perl might not be installed, but I don't think 
that will be a problem in this case.

Second, since when has needing another dependency been a big deal for a 
Fedora RPM?  As an example, dovecot *requires* mysql, and that's not 
even the most insane dependency in Fedora.

> Do you have any useful suggestions which are usable for downstream? :)

Perhaps you could have been reading and contributing to this list and 
using MIMEDefang long enough to understand how the build, install, and 
runtime work?

And, maybe you could do some studying on what RPM post-install scripts 
can do?


--
Jeff Rife | "When I first heard that Marge was joining the 
          |  police academy, I thought it would be fun and 
          |  zany, like that movie: Spaceballs.  But instead 
          |  it was dark and disturbing, like that movie: 
          |  Police Academy." 
          |         -- Homer Simpson