Testing proposal for new PPA schema (Ubuntu) for nightly builds

[jsreynaud]

Since I provide PPA (nightly[1] build for Ubuntu) for KiCad, I receive some
requests about installing nightly build packages in parallel with a stable
version.
With next version (V5) I think it can be useful…
For example, FreeCad provide this kind of feature and you are able to run both
version in parallel.

Current situation:

There are 3 ppa available:

ppa:js-reynaud/kicad-4: provide V4 version of KiCad. This is the current stable version.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:js-reynaud/kicad-4
sudo apt-get update

ppa:js-reynaud/kicad-5: provide future V5 version of KiCad (next stable release). Currently version is 5.0.0-rc1

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:js-reynaud/kicad-5
sudo apt-get update

ppa:js-reynaud/ppa-kicad: provide a nightly build of KiCad based on latest code from git

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:js-reynaud/ppa-kicad
sudo apt-get update

Testing proposal

A new PPA is now available:

ppa:js-reynaud/kicad-dev-nightly

This allow you to install KiCad nightly build (latest code form git) in the same time as a stable version (V4 of the future V5)

To use it:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:js-reynaud/kicad-dev-nightly
sudo apt-get update

You will be able to install the following packages:

• kicad-nightly: kicad himself
• kicad-nightly-libraries: meta package that recommends footprints, symbols, templates and 3D
• kicad-nightly-footprints: footprints
• kicad-nightly-symbols: symbols
• kicad-nightly-templates: templates
• kicad-nightly-demo: demo
• kicad-nightly-dbg : debug files
• kicad-nightly-packages3d: packages 3D

Thoses packages could be installed in same time than “standard” KiCad package (no file conflicts). So you will be able to have for example:
KiCad V4 + KiCad nightly build
or
next KiCad V5 + KiCad nightly build

To use it you have to run “kicad-nightly” instead of “kicad” of “pcbnew-nightly” instead of “pcbnew”.

Please enjoy testing that and report me any error/missing you see…

[1] naming is nightly but you can name it also daily. It’s depend the region you are one the earth

[bobc]

@jsreynaud

A new PPA is not available:

=> now available?

Just to clarify, is it possible to have v4 stable and v5 stable coexist?
And where does each version keep it’s config files?

[jsreynaud]

Yes, now… Fixed in post, thanks…

Not possible to have V4+V5. Only V4 + nightly or V5+nightly.

Config file are under ~/.config/kicadnightly/kicad (instead of ~/.config/kicad).
There is currently a discution upstream about this…

[bobc]

Thanks.

Whatever is decided, it would be really handy to have a version number recorded somewhere like kicad_common. Currently, it’s impossible to tell what version of kiCad last wrote the config files - none of them have a version number, unlike user files.

[paulvdh]

While reading some posts on the developer forum (launchpad) I saw a thread about being able to run different KiCad versions. Developers are aware of it, and they also seem to want to be able to work with different versions.

If you think it’s usefull I can try to find a direct link to that conversation.

I like bobc’s suggestion of putting version numbers in configuation files.
Maybe different sub directories for different versions for the configuration files?
So instead of:

~/.config/kicad

You get:

~/.config/kicad_V4.0.7
~/.config/kicad_V5.0

Then maybe leave the directory name without version number as a default or fall back.

[jsreynaud]

Yes there is a proposal for a patch. Not committed in upstream yet.
FYI I open this discussion on ML few weeks ago.

[pedro]

Hi @jsreynaud

So http://ppa.launchpad.net/js-reynaud/ppa-kicad/ubuntu/ will be deprecated?

At this moment “ppa-kicad/ubuntu” version is 20180112 and “kicad-dev-nightly/ubuntu” version is 20180408.

I’m going to wait until you have time to update everything.
Thank you very much for your efforts!

[jsreynaud]

No it’s not deprecated and still alive. Strange this version 20180112 you have. Could you send me more details (ubuntu version…).
Because you should have a recent version available…

[pedro]

Hi Jean Samuel, @jsreynaud

ppa.launchpad.net/js-reynaud/kicad-dev-nightly/ubuntu/

ppa.launchpad.net/js-reynaud/ppa-kicad/ubuntu/

the version I mentioned 20180112 is not here anymore.

The kicad-dev-nightly has the version 20180408 and the ppa-kicad the version 20180416

Thanks for your support!