Plasma install has list of packages instead of installing plasma-meta

[TheLinuxNinja]

Pardon me if this has been discussed already. I'm new to your archfi/archdi tools and find that they partially solve the Arch Linux issue many of us have with installing Arch Linux on additional computers or in Virtual Machines. I hope to be able to contribute to your projects to make them even more useful.

Following the arch wiki, for example, installing Plasma has 3 main options:

1. Install plasma-meta - this select list of packages are maintained by the Arch Linux distro. When meta packages are updated upstream, clients will receive newly added packages when updating.

2. Install plasma group - this select list of packages are also maintained by the Arch Linux distro, however, per https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Package_group#Difference_to_a_meta_package when the group is updated upstream, clients will not receive packages added to the group after the initial group install.

3. Install plasma-desktop package for a minimal install.

I'm using plasma as an example, here, but it seems this is also the case for KDE. I haven't looked at much of the rest of the code, yet.

From what I have read, you're take the 'contents' of the meta packages, then selectively setting the option 'on' to select installing specific packages, allowing the user to turn individual package selection 'on' or 'off', then installing the individual packages selectively.

This means you're using the -meta packages as a reference solely for gathering a package list instead of using the already-existing group packages.

I suggest allowing the user to install the wanted -meta packages. By using your current method, you've removed the added advantage of using the -meta package install method, giving preference to individual package selection. Would you be open to merging PRs for adding menu options for installing packages using the -meta packages so users have a choice? I'd be happy to make contributions.

[MatMoul]

You're right, I've messed up the meta and the mininal package install.

The current solution is the same as the group solution.
I agree that it is best to provide all possible solutions to the user.

The first need is to define a new layout for the menu.
Exemple :
Menu Palsma 5

• plasma
  -- plasma-meta <- (The plasma-meta package)
  -- plasma-package <- (All plasma group package)
  -- plasma-desktop <- (Only plasma-desktop checked with the same choice of plasma-package)

Waiting your suggestions

[TheLinuxNinja]

My skills at UI are non-existent. I'm more of a utilitarian. I can make my way through even the worst set of menus and not complain as long as I can find a way to do what I'm wanting.

As for my suggestion, the 3 options I have listed above seem to be what you've enumerated in your example. However, I'd be clear as to what each option does. (plasma-package is misleading - I'd be inclined to refer to it as the plasma group, as the install command is simply to install 'plasma')

At the end of the day, the person using the tool should know what it's doing behind the scenes and be able to relate to the wiki steps that are documented. As for your own personal preferences, maybe a completely separate customization section, or set of sections, where the outcome isn't part of Arch general recommendations, but the personal customizations of the author. My opinion.

I have some ideas for further automation and customization of the tools. There are other tools in open source that could be leveraged to perform some configuration management, which is where my day to day interest lies.

Let me know how I can help. There is a LOT of potential to make this a much more ubiquitous tool. I'm very happy to have come across it.

[MatMoul]

Try to look at the code, it's very easy to edit, just simple bash scripts... (one script per page in the UI)
If this is to hard for you, I'll try to work on it but I work on my free time...
Maintaining some projects, I try to work on all of it when I can ;)

[SaladinAyyub]

I also recommend the use of plasma-meta as if a package gets upstream the clients will also recieve the update for example plasma releases a new system monitor which will be added to -meta package and users will get that. @MatMoul you can add a simple -meta package as an option. Thanks for the great script.