YaST/Research/YaST Interface for Webpin

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YaST Interface for Webpin

Description

Webpin [1] is a repository-indexing and search tool for openSUSE. You can search for packages and/or repositories. This means you can find packages that, for instance, contain panorama in RPM description, repository URL or even in some file-path.

See also:

• Package Search: Design
• htmlsel.png screenshot
• htmlsel.ycp source code

Relevance to YaST/openSUSE

Currently, users have to go to the package manager, and search through repositories they have in use for packages (etc.) they are available for their system. They can additionally open the repositories module and possibly add some of community repositories. It's a step forward however the list of repositories is still kind of static and it's impossible to search for packages in it.

Although one can browse the Webpin results with a web-browser, it's impossible to integrate it to YaST and YaST is (still) to most important package manager in openSUSE.

Goal

What the common user wants is: I'd like to use some software for creating panoramic pictures, and I don't know of any package or even repository name. Webpin YaST interface might be another plug-in and/or stand-alone module such as Community Repositories.

Try to search for panorama for openSUSE 10.3: [2]

Short term goal: Learn XML API to Webpin, Simple stand alone Webpin browser Long term goal: Full integration of Webpin browser to YaST (Add-On, Packager)

Scope

Writing a YCP-based web-browser is out of scope of this project :)

Related technologies

XML, HTTP, YCP/Perl/Python/Ruby/..., YaST UI

Typical use case

See goal.

Required knowledge and skill level

• XML: medium
• HTTP: basic
• YaST UI: medium

Dev. environment/equipment

BenJIman on IRC :) ;)

Participants

• Lukas Ocilka
• Bubli

Current Status

The current status of the project.

• The project is in general done, some issues are still pending though
• Open issues
  • Some minor bugs
  • Still waiting for filtering compatible architectures
  • Need to fix combinations or search criteria
• Link to Implementation
• Code repository SVN
• Kobliha's Blog entry

Division of work and schedule

Webpin communicates via standard HTTP and can return results in XML. A reliable XML parses would be needed, XML to YCP/Perl/... module, and UI.

• YCP Module WebpinPackageSearch for querying and parsing the XML output (locilka)
• YCP Client package_search for handling user input (kmachalkova)

References

• Implementation
• http://en.opensuse.org/Software_Portal
• http://en.opensuse.org/Add_Package_Repositories_to_YaST
• http://en.opensuse.org/OpenSUSE_Weekly_News/5#Tips_and_Tricks