For a few months now, PackageKit has been able to install firmware for devices. Sometime in 0.5.x series the functionality broke, so I spent the morning fixing up the module properly. So, when you start your session (or insert the device), you get greeted by: Notice, we now display the device model, but in this … Continue reading PackageKit and firmware
Yesterday, somebody asked me on IRC if there was a list of projects using PackageKit. I said no. I’m now adding a section on the website with just this content. So, please send an email to me or the mailing list if your project is using PackageKit BY DEFAULT. This doesn’t mean “can be installed … Continue reading Does your project use PackageKit?
I’ve just checked a few fixes into git to fix the compile of PackageKit on FreeBSD. I’ve been using 7.1-RELEASE-p4 for testing. Obviously, there is no pkg backend (hint, hint) but the dummy backend seems to be working well. Now all somebody has to do is contribute a backend!
A few nice things have been happening lately. The first is the re-versioning of 0.4.4 to 2.27.1, so that we can stick to GNOME release versions and the promise of release freezes. This should make it a bit easier for distributors, and will make the transition to gnome.org a little bit easier. We’ve also been … Continue reading GNOME PackageKit updates
PackageKit now knows the type of connection you are using, thanks to NetworkManager. Many thanks for Dan Williams for the pointers, and the guys in #gnome-hackers for the wording. Now you can be less scared using PackageKit and “automatically install” when occasionally using expensive GPRS on a laptop.
PackageKit in git master has a new trick up its sleeve. Thanks to Behdad, It now optionally installs a gtk-module that integrates with Pango to detect when a document needs a new font installed to render correctly. No code changes are needed to any application using Pango, as all the magic is done in the … Continue reading PackageKit and Pango are now friends
A C++ QT library for PackageKit has just been merged into PackageKit git master. It was written by Adrien Bustany, and it being used by KPackageKit. The QT library is being built with cmake, but the PackageKit project uses autotools. I want to keep the cmake bit in lib/libpackagekit-qt and just get automake to run … Continue reading QPackageKit into PackageKit
PackageKit is quite a complicated code base. As with all my projects, there is a substantial self check framework that’s designed to catch bugs and regressions before we push releases. This was something enforced by my previous employer, but I’m sure it’s a good idea for any non-trivial code base, and it’s something I’ll continue … Continue reading PackageKit self checks
From PackageKit 0.3.3 onwards, a new type of package is supported called a collection. What gpk-application looks like with collection support A collection is a metapackage that can represent a group, where the package mapping is done inside the backend. It is not like a catalog where an external file provides a meta-group. This enables … Continue reading PackageKit Collections
Totem wants codecs. It asks PackageKit to install some codecs. This is the first UI that is shown, and isn’t ideal at all. Has anybody got any suggestions for better explainations and wording? Thanks! what I’ve got so far…