Magma Install Qs

Jimmie Houchin jhouchin at texoma.net
Mon Apr 28 16:00:29 UTC 2003


Chris Muller wrote:
> Jimmie Houchin wrote: 
>>I saw little indication in SM that Magma Tester would provide everything 
>>or that there was so much overlap.
> 
> Yes, there is little/no indication in SqueakMap.  It's on the Swiki.  I'll see
> about improving that.  But you came to exactly the correct conclusion with
> regard to the prerequisites.  If you install Magma tester, you have EVERYTHING
> you need.  And yes, Magma server includes Magma client.

Good. I think that will help in the interim.
In fact I noticed on an older image which had the SM Magma v3 the 
information was different.

>>Seems the install packages need to be 
>>refactored considering the commonality and prerequisite nature of some 
>>of the packages.
> 
> Actually, it's because they *are* well-factored that has led to this confusion.
>  Prerequisite packages are a fact of any modularized system.  SqueakMap is a
> wonderful system that has given us one-click install of packages. 
> Unfortunately, it does not support prerequisites, which Magma requires. 
> However, I didn't want to abandon SqueakMap's flagship feature (one-click
> installation).

Yes, I'll agree that Magma itself is well factored. It was the 
installers themselves that I was referring to.

Until SM 1.1 and prerquisites are available it seems that you basically 
have two options.

If you want the one-click install of only one package which the user 
determines to be the appropriate one, then keep them as they are but 
provide sufficient decision making info on SM.

Or, have one-click installs requiring Magma-base and whichever other 
appropriate package.

Either will work until SM 1.1 is here.

One thought, when SM has prerequisites will you be factoring your SM 
packages into smaller packages and having one-click install from the 
super-set packages server and client?

However you choose will be fine.

> My solution was my own private enhancement to SARDumper so it would include all
> prerequisite packages as defined in
> MagmaTesterPackageInfo>>prerequisitePackages.
> 
> This solution works well for keeping with simple one-click installation, but
> the disadvantage for me is, whenever a prereq package changes such as Magma
> client, I have to deploy new versions of server and tester as well.

What bit me was installing Ma Time Objects last which installed an older 
version of it than exists in Magma Tester.

Personally if I were you I would choose one-click installs of individual 
packages factored as you would if SM had prerequisites. This would make 
it easier on you. Yes it would *currently* make it more difficult for 
users on an initial install. SM update all... will help with updates 
after initial install. But good information making clear what needs to 
be installed in SM descriptions would help.

I think the current crop of Magma user candidates can handle it.

As Squeak gains ground and users become more common, SM will probably 
handle prerequisites. Anybody using Magma in something they distribute 
can either bundle it with their code (in their installer) or provide 
sufficient instructions.

> I'm glad you got it going, let me know if you have any other issues.

Will do. I didn't get an opportunity in the weekend. But the week is 
fresh and opportunity abounds. :)

Thanks again.

Jimmie Houchin




More information about the Squeak-dev mailing list