cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/53225512

I want to create and upload an AUR package. For context, I did that years ago for specific releases, but now I want to create a new package that focuses on upstream Git without specific releases.

What do I write to the pkgver= value? Do I just take the latest version there? Because it is downloading with git clone the version number will not change and the PKGBUILD script will compare pkgver() instead. So what is the purpose of pkgver= for when downloading and building from Git directly? Looking at examples from other existing packages, they all have a number there. But its mostly outdated, so I don’t get it.

pkgname=thename-git
_pkgname="$(pkgname%-git}"
pkgver=???

pkgver() {
    cd "${_pkgname}"
    git describe --long | sed 's/\([^-]*-g\)/r\1/'
}

I am reading and researching, but need some assistance for this question. Currently reading the Archwiki:

    • thingsiplay@lemmy.mlOP
      2·
      17 days ago

      The thing is, when installing a -git package, then the function pkgver() is used to extract a version number to compare if its newer than what you have installed. And this is normally as you saw semver+githash. My question is, what do I write to pkgver= variable, that seemingly get ignored. But for whatever reason there is a version number listed on all -git packages. I’m just confused what I have to write there in an initial upload. It’s important to distinguish between the variable and the function. This is a specific AUR thing and I could not get the information from the documentation.

      • Lucy :3@feddit.org
        2·
        17 days ago

        The pkgver is replaced by makepkg with the value of pkgver(). Similar to how updpkgsums updates the hashes.

        • thingsiplay@lemmy.mlOP
          1·
          17 days ago

          I understand that. But I don’t understand why everyone else has an outdated version number. I felt like I’m missing something here. Maybe its just a placeholder that is completely ignored with -git packages then.

          • BB_C@programming.dev
            3·
            17 days ago

            But I don’t understand why everyone else has an outdated version number.

            Who are you talking about? If it’s AUR uploaders, the version you see is the version in the last uploaded PKGBUILD. AUR itself doesn’t build anything. And PKGBUILD uploaders don’t need to keep uploading to bump the version because it auto-updates when a user builds it. They only need to upload to fix builds if they get broken, or update meta info, …etc.

            git (vcs in general) packages always update unless you pass --holdver with makepkg.

            And just to be clear, that relates to git sources not the package name. The -git naming is just a convention that has no bearing on functionality.

            Maybe its just a placeholder

            Mostly yes. You can just put “0” or “1” initially. Build once, and it will be populated anyway.