epm.list(5)

📦
version 5.0.1 · 2 versions
, in nixos 26.05, nixpkgs unstable, ubuntu stonking

💖 epm.list — the list file format 💖

okay so hi bestie 🫶 this is the manual page for epm.list, section 5 (yes bestie, section 5, it's a file format not a command, iykyk ✨), written by Jim Jagielski. sit down, grab a snack 🍓, we're going through the WHOLE thing, no skipping, periodt.

🎀 NAME 🎀

epm.list — the epm list file format. that's it, that's the name 💅

✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

okay so every epm(1) product has its own little list file bestie, and that file is the one that says which files get included with the product. she's the manifest, she's the main character, she's carrying the whole operation 👑

Comment lines begin with the # character and are ignored. (no drama, no notes, just vibes 🙈)

Every other non-blank line has to begin with a letter, a dollar sign ("$"), or the percent sign ("%"). that's the entrance requirement, no exceptions, the bouncer is strict.

here's the whole guest list, in order:

  • $name=value — sets the named variable to value. ⚠️ but listen: variables set in the list file are overridden by variables specified on the command-line or in the current environment. so the list file's settings are the ones that fold under pressure, sorry babe 😭
  • %arch all — uses the following files and directives on all processor architectures. everyone's invited 💖
  • %arch architecture [... architecture] — uses the following files and directives on the named processor architectures. specific, curated, intentional ✨
  • %arch !architecture [... architecture] — uses the following files and directives on all but the named processor architectures. the exclusion list, the "not you" section 🚫
  • %copyright copyright notice — sets the copyright notice for the file. legal queen 👑
  • %description description text — adds a line of descriptive text to the distribution. Multiple lines are supported. so go off, write a whole essay if you want 📝
  • %format format [... format] — uses the following files and directives only if the distribution format is the same as format.
  • %format !format [... format] — uses the following files and directives only if the distribution format is not the same as format.
  • %if variable [... variable]
  • %if !variable [... variable]
  • %ifdef variable [... variable]
  • %ifdef !variable [... variable]
  • %elseif variable [... variable]
  • %elseif !variable [... variable]
  • %elseifdef variable [... variable]
  • %elseifdef !variable [... variable]
  • %else
  • %endif
okay so this whole squad conditionally includes lines in the list file. the %if lines include the lines that follow if the named variables are (not) defined with a value. the %ifdef lines include the lines that follow if the named variables are (not) defined with any value. and listen — these conditional lines cannot be nested. no inception, no conditional-inside-conditional, the nesting is NOT allowed, I said what I said 💀
  • %include filename — includes files listed in filename. bringing her friends along 🦋
  • %incompat product
  • %incompat filename — indicates that this product is incompatible with the named product or file. it's giving "we don't associate" 🙅‍♀️
  • %install script or program — specifies a script or program to be run after all files are installed. (this has been obsoleted by the %postinstall directive — so like, retired, respectfully 🪦)
  • %license license file — specifies the file to display as the software license.
  • %literal(section) line
  • %literal(section) <file
  • %literal(section) <<string — specifies format-specific literal data for packaging. currently only supported for RPM and PKG packages — so don't try it anywhere else bestie, it's not gonna eat.
  • %packager name of packager — specifies the name of the packager. that's you, you're the one who made this 🫶
  • %patch script or program — specifies a script or program to be run after all files are patched. (this has been obsoleted by the %postpatch directive — retired, but still on the record)
  • %postinstall script or program / %postinstall <scriptfile / %postinstall <<string — specifies a script or program to be run after all files are installed. three ways in: inline, from a file, or from a string ✨
  • %postpatch script or program / %postpatch <scriptfile / %postpatch <<string — specifies a script or program to be run after all files are patched.
  • %postremove script or program / %postremove <scriptfile / %postremove <<string — specifies a script or program to be run after removing files.
  • %preinstall script or program / %preinstall <scriptfile / %preinstall <<string — specifies a script or program to be run before all files are installed.
  • %prepatch script or program / %prepatch <scriptfile / %prepatch <<string — specifies a script or program to be run before all files are patched.
  • %preremove script or program / %preremove <scriptfile / %preremove <<string — specifies a script or program to be run before removing files.
  • %product product name — specifies the product name.
  • %readme readme file — specifies a README file to be included in the distribution.
  • %remove script or program — specifies a script or program to be run before removing files. (this has been obsoleted by the %preremove directive — ok grandma let's get you to bed 👵)
  • %release number — specifies the release or build number of a product (defaults to 0).
  • %replaces product — indicates that this product replaces the named product. out with the old 💅
  • %requires product
  • %requires filename — indicates that this product requires the named product or file. she's needy and that's valid 💜
  • %subpackage
  • %subpackage name — selects the named subpackage; if no name is given, selects the main (parent) package. no name = go to the parent, like calling for mom 😭
  • %vendor vendor or author name — specifies the vendor or author of the product.
  • %version version number — specifies the version number of the product.
  • %system system[-release] [... system[-release]] — specifies that the following files should only be used for the specified operating systems and releases.
  • %system !system[-release] [... system[-release]] — specifies that the following files should not be used for the specified operating systems and releases.
  • %system all — specifies that the following files are applicable to all operating systems. universal, for everyone, slay 🌈

and now for the file entries themselves, the actual installation directives:

  • c mode user group destination source
  • C mode user group destination source — specifies a configuration file for installation. The second form (C capital, bestie, the capital matters 👀) specifies that the file has changed or is new and should be included as part of a patch. ⚠️ Configuration files are installed as "destination.N" if the destination already exists. so she renames herself instead of overwriting, respectful icon.
  • d mode user group destination -
  • D mode user group destination - — specifies a directory should be created when installing the software. The second form (D) specifies that the directory is new and should be included as part of a patch.
  • f mode user group destination source [nostrip()]
  • F mode user group destination source [nostrip()] — specifies a file for installation. The second form (F) specifies that the file has changed or is new and should be included as part of a patch. If the "nostrip()" option is included, the file will not be stripped before the installation is created. 🛑 no stripping, she keeps her full self.
  • f mode user group destination source/pattern [nostrip()]
  • F mode user group destination source/pattern [nostrip()] — specifies one or more files for installation using shell wildcard patterns. The second form (F) specifies that the files have changed or are new and should be included as part of a patch. If the "nostrip()" option is included, the file will not be stripped before the installation is created.
  • i mode user group service-name source ["options"]
  • I mode user group service-name source ["options"] — specifies an initialization script for installation. The second form (I) specifies that the file has changed or is new and should be included as part of a patch. Initialization scripts are stored in /etc/software/init.d and are linked to the appropriate system-specific directories for run levels 0, 2, 3, and 5. Initialization scripts must accept at least the start and stop commands. The optional options following the source filename can be any of the following:
    • order(string) — Specifies the relative startup order compared to the required and used system functions. Supported values include First, Early, None, Late, and Last (macOS only).
    • provides(name(s)) — Specifies names of system functions that are provided by this startup item (macOS only).
    • requires(name(s)) — Specifies names of system functions that are required by this startup item (macOS only).
    • runlevel(levels) — Specifies the run levels to use.
    • start(number) — Specifies the starting sequence number from 00 to 99.
    • stop(number) — Specifies the ending sequence number from 00 to 99.
    • uses(name(s)) — Specifies names of system functions that are used by this startup item (macOS only).
  • l mode user group destination source
  • L mode user group destination source — specifies a symbolic link in the installation. The second form (L) specifies that the link has changed or is new and should be included as part of a patch. the link said "I've changed, notice me" 🔗✨
  • R mode user group destination — specifies that the file is to be removed upon patching. ⚠️ The user and group fields are ignored. The mode field is only used to determine if a check should be made for a previous version of the file.

🌸 LIST VARIABLES 🌸

okay so EPM keeps a whole roster of variables and their values, and you can use them to substitute values inside the list file. these variables are imported from the current environment and taken from the command-line and list file as provided. Substitutions happen whenever the variable name is referenced with the dollar sign ($). like this, bestie:

%postinstall <<EOF
echo What is your name:
read $$name
Your name is $$name
EOF

f 0555 root sys ${bindir}/foo foo
f 0555 root sys $datadir/foo/foo.dat foo.dat

see what she did? $$name — that's the double-dollar move right there 💅

Variable names can be surrounded by curley brackets (${name}) or alone ($name). without brackets, the name is terminated by the first slash (/), dash (-), or whitespace. and the dollar sign itself can be inserted using $$. periodt ✨

🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

epm(1), epminstall(1), mkepmlist(1) — go read those too, they're the rest of the friend group, and you'd be lost without them 🫶

Copyright © 1999-2020 by Michael R Sweet, All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2020 by Jim Jagielski, All Rights Reserved.

Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at

http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.

okay that's the whole page, you made it, I'm so proud of you 🥹💖 this was epm.list(5) from the ESP Package Manager, dated 20 November 2020 — and that's the vibe check, officially passed. now go write a beautiful list file, bestie, you've got this. mwah 💋✨

📦 where this page comes from