Specfile Editor User Guide - General Usage

# General Usage

To fully benefit from all the features offered by the Specfile Editor, ensure that your `.spec` file is part of a project inside the Eclipse workspace. `rpmlint` integration, file hyperlinks, and some auto-completion features are not available otherwise. The following screenshot provides an impression of the full interface benefits provided by the Specfile Editor plug-in:

## Creating a New RPM project

To create a RPM Project, user must go to File > New > Other, expand RPM and select RPM Project. In the next window, it is necessary to select the project name and the layout to be used. RPMBUILD layout means that the directory layout of BUILD, RPMS, SOURCES, SPECS and SRPMS is going to be used. FLAT layout means that all files will be kept inside the main project directory.

It is possible to use the default file system or create a RPM project remotely. To create the remote project, user must clear the Use default location check box and select RSE or RemoteTools. The Browse button can be used to find the location of where the project is to be stored on the remote server.

## Creating a New Specfile

The Specfile Editor plug-in provides a wizard for creating new `.spec` files. To use this wizard, navigate first to File > New > Other... ; then, expand the RPM Wizards entry to select New specfile based on a template.

This will open the Specfile Creation wizard, which provides an interface for generating the basic contents of a `.spec` file.

The Specfile Creation wizard contains the following fields:

Project
  This field associates the generated `.spec` with a project in the current workspace, which ultimately specifies where the `.spec` will be saved. The Select a project... button allows you to select a specific project for this field with ease. By default, the Specfile Editor plug-in specifies the last active project when you invoked the Specfile Creation wizard.

Select a template
  This drop-down list allows you to select a `.spec` template to use. You can install templates provided by `rpmdevtools`, which is available https://fedorahosted.org/rpmdevtools .

Version
  This fills in the `Version:` line of the `.spec` file.

Summary
  This fills in the `Summary:` line of the `.spec` file.

Group
  This drop-down list allows you to select a package group to which the project belongs.

License
  This fills in the `License:` line of the `.spec` file.

URL
  This fills in the `URL:` line of the `.spec` file, which typically specifies the public home page of the project.

Source0
  This field specifies the source archive from which the package is built.

## Building RPMs

To build RPMs, right-click on the RPM project or the Specfile Editor. Then, select RPM menu item from the context menu. You will be given a list of build options for the `.spec` file, as well as other Specfile options.

#### Toolbar

These build options are also readily available on the toolbar menu for quicker access.

## rpmlint

To enable `rpmlint` warnings, right-click on the project containing the `.spec` file. Then, select the RPM menu item. Then, Add/Remove rpmlint warnings from the context menu. You can use this menu selection to disable `rpmlint` warnings as well.

Enabling `rpmlint` warnings will add a new `rpmlint` builder to the project. This `rpmlint` builder checks the `.spec` file during each project build or clean. Afterwards, the builder displays any appropriate warnings and errors in the Problems pane. Each warning/error is plotted in the `.spec` file as well; clicking an `rpmlint` warning/error in the Problems pane will automatically place the insertion point on the corresponding section in the `.spec` file.

### Quick Fixes

You can also directly resolve several warnings and errors through the Quick Fix menu. To access this menu, right-click on a warning or error from the Problems pane and select Quick Fix.

As the name suggests, the Quick Fix menu provides you with quick solutions to common `.spec` file errors and problems. For example, `rpmlint` detected a `no-cleaning-of-buildroot` error in the following `%install` section from the `.spec` file:

If the Quick Fix menu can provide a solution for a particular error, it will be available in the menu. To apply it, simply select the solution (from the Select a fix: area) and the corresponding problem (from the Problems: area), then click the Finish button.

The following screenshot shows the revisions to the `%install` section applied by the Quick Fix menu:

## Hyperlink Detection

A common feature in most eclipse plugins is the ability to detect hyperlinks and to provide options for the user to handle the clicking of the hyperlink.

The SpecfileEditor handles the hyperlinks, often located in the `SOURCE` and `PATCH` defines, differently than regular hyperlinks.

As shown below you are given the options to:

- Open the hyperlink in a browser
- Open the file if it exists within the project (hidden if it doesn't)
- Download the file from the browser

In addition to these, if the user also happens to hover above a macro (e.g. `%{name}` or `%{version}`), it would show a "Go to ..." option to jump to where the macro is defined, if located in the `.spec` file.

#### Patches

Patches are also considered hyperlinks in the SpecfileEditor. Based on the link itself, patch options could show a combination of the following options:

- Open the patch file in a browser if it is a URL
- Create the file if it doesn't exist (or Open it if it does)
- Download the file if it is a URL