On Sat, Jan 17, 2015 at 02:53:52PM +0100, Trygve Reenskaug wrote:
> I've had quite an odyssey to come to my present understanding of the 
> SqueakMap package loader. The way I now understand it is as follows:
> 
> 1.   SqueakMap packages can be seen in the middle-left list pane of
>    SqueakMap Package Loader. The context menu in this pane filters
>    which packages to show. The bottom-left list pane appears to be
>    another selection filter. I deselect all to avoid surprises.
> 2. Details about the selected package are shown in the right pane.
> 3. A selected SqueakMap package can contain releases. Available
>    releases are listed below the package name in the  SqueakMap Package
>    Loader.  A new release  can be created though the context menu of a
>    selected package: "Create new Release". (There are more alternatives
>    that I haven't investigated.)
> 4. Details about a selected release are shown in the right pane. One
>    detail shown for every release is called "/Download: <URL>/". The
>    URL identifies a file that specifies the installation. I have seen
>    an .st file that will be executed as a doIt, and a .sar file that
>    contains 3 .st files: a preamble, an installation file, and a
>    postscript.
> 5. One command available for a selected release is "Edit release". 
>    This opens a "fill-in-the-form" called a Release browser. Most
>    fields are explained by hovering the mouse above the field. The
>    exception is the bottom field; it can contain a script for the
>    installation. I haven't found a good explanation for this script
>    anywhere. I first thought it wasn't important because most releases
>    shown in the package loader leave the script empty.  I now see the
>    field as an input field. Fill it with executable Squeak code and
>    save it. It will then be transformed into file, stored somewhere,
>    and become retrievable through the URL in the "/Download: <URL>///".
>    This scheme seems extremely powerful but only for the person who
>    knows the various installation mechanisms.
> 
>      * Chris pointed me to a script statement for downloading a
>        SqueakSource package known by its URL. e.g.,
>                (Installer repository:
>        'http://www.squeaksource.com/DCI') install: 'BBAllInOne-TRee.18' .
>        this happens to be an  Monticello configuration file,
>        BBAllInOne-TRee.18.mcm.
>      * Another statement I have seen is
>                  SMSqueakMap default installPackageNamed: '<name>'
>        version: '<version>'
>        I couldn't make it work for me, but suspect that the package
>        shall be stored as a versioned file in SqueakMap itself.
> 
> This is as far as I've got. I hope somebody will correct the explanation 
> where it is wrong so that other people may make use of it.  I would have 
> been spared considerable time and frustration if I had seen it a couple 
> of weeks ago.
> 
> Cheers
> --Trygve
> 

This looks like useful information. There is a "Help" button on the SqueakMap
Package Loader that does not seem to do anything very helpful any more. Maybe
we could capture Trygve's summary there? And/or in the help browser?

Dave