Re: package-vc.el should not fetch all commits.

[amano.kenji]

I have developed a few small softwares. Unfortunately, I'm trying to graduate 
software development. I want to stick to software tinkering. I just want to 
write a few tiny scripts here and there, and I don't know much about emacs lisp.

I don't know the intention behind package-vc.el, but I think it should be 
flexible enough to keep commit depth at 1 during installation and updates. 
That's not difficult if you know some git commands. Gentoo linux keeps commit 
depth at 1 for all package repositories by default.

When people use package-vc.el, in many cases, they have to use it because the 
desired packages aren't available on emacs package repositories. janet-ts-mode 
is one example. I just want the latest commit from VCS packages that are not 
available on emacs package repositories.

If no one wants to make package-vc.el flexible enough to do that, I guess I 
will just stick to elpaca.

On Saturday, March 2nd, 2024 at 6:53 AM, Philip Kaludercic <philipk@posteo.net> 
wrote:

> "amano.kenji" amano.kenji@proton.me writes:
> 
> > I can contribute patches even if I have only one specific commit or the 
> > latest commit.
> 
> 
> True, my bad I didn't realise that for patches, Git won't have a problem
> with that, even though it seems obvious in retrospect.
> 
> A different problem would seem to be updating, or at least a "git pull"
> would download the entire repository.
> 
> > That's a bad UX. package-vc.el is the only built-in way to install VCS
> > packages, and there should be a built-in way to install only one
> > commit and update to only one commit.
> 
> 
> I find these claims difficult, since as mentioned before, the intention
> behind writing package-vc is not just to install a package from a VCS,
> and judging it as such is misguided IMO.
> 
> But feel free to work on it, I am not opposed to patches that wouldn't
> violate the fundamental intentions behind package-vc, but I suspect that
> the end-result will be a more advanced version of the command I provided
> below.
> 
> Also, if you intend to work on this more seriously, we should move the
> conversation to the bug tracker or private correspondence for the time
> being, where we can discuss details and ideas.
> 
> > Gentoo linux achieved one-commit update and one-commit installation
> > for its own package repositories because people did not want
> > repositories to grow in size over time.
> 
> 
> I am not familiar with Gentoo or why they build from Source (my
> impression has always been that this is partially motivated by a
> performance concern, and the ability to compile optimised executable
> for the current system?).
> 
> > On Friday, March 1st, 2024 at 1:33 PM, Philip Kaludercic philipk@posteo.net 
> > wrote:
> > 
> > > "amano.kenji" amano.kenji@proton.me writes:
> > > 
> > > > package-vc-install fetches all commits for a VCS emacs package.
> > > > 
> > > > I just want the latest.
> > > > 
> > > > package-vc-upgrade and package-vc-upgrade-all should prune everything 
> > > > except the latest commit.
> > > > 
> > > > I don't want VCS packages to grow in size over time.
> > > 
> > > That is not really what package-vc is about (the intention /is/ to have
> > > the revision history available, so that you can contribute patches).
> > > That being said, if you say you are only interested in packages from
> > > Git, you can use this quick hack:
> > > 
> > > --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
> > > 
> > > (require 'package)
> > > (require 'vc-git)
> > > (defun package-install-once-from-vc (url name)
> > > (interactive
> > > (let* ((url (read-string "URL: "))
> > > (name (file-name-base (directory-file-name url))))
> > > (list url (read-string "Name: " name))))
> > > (let* ((tmp (make-temp-file "package" t))
> > > (dir (expand-file-name name tmp)))
> > > (make-directory dir)
> > > (unless (vc-git--out-ok "clone" "--depth" "1" url dir)
> > > (error "Failed to install %s from %s" name url))
> > > (let ((desc (package-install-file dir)))
> > > (message "Package `%s' installed at version %s"
> > > (package-desc-name desc)
> > > (package-version-join
> > > (package-desc-version desc)))
> > > desc)))
> > > --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---
> > > 
> > > This is still missing some of the conveniences of package-vc, such as
> > > building manuals, resolving dependencies, etc. but you could integrate
> > > `package-vc--unpack-1' into the mix to get that to work as well. As is
> > > the case with vc-packages in general, updating is difficult.
> > > 
> > > --
> > > Philip Kaludercic on peregrine
> 
> 
> --
> Philip Kaludercic on peregrine