Hello ! It's been some time I'm facing the same problem. When one build a package from VCS, one should include the original package name (usually $pkgname with -svn -git ... removed) in the provides array so packages depending on the program provided can find it. For example, if I want to package python-poppler-bzr, I will include "provides=('python-poppler')" so desigle can satisfy its own "depends=('python-poppler')". But now, imagine that desigle needs a recent version of python-poppler, and so it has "depends=('python-poppler>=0.2')". Then, makepkg will not detect python-poppler provided by python-poppler-bzr because it cannot compare versions. One then have to specify the version of the package provided. In case of a VCS, it's not always easy because it can change from a revision to another. So one need a way to get that version, and use it in the provides array. That's here I need your advice, because I successfully tested some workarounds, but I'm not really sure of their "ugliness"... Solution 1: Use pkg-config file (not always present) with awk build() { ... _realver=`cat path/to/package.pc | awk '/^Version/{print $2}'` provides=("realname=${_realver}") } Pros : rather easy Cons : Needs awk and some people hate awk, needs file.pc set. Solution 2: Use pkg-config with grep and sed because some people hate awk build() { ... _realver=`cat path/to/package.pc | grep 'Version' | sed 's/Version: //'` provides=("realname=${_realver}") } Pros : only generic tools are used Cons : still needs file.pc, less clear Solution 3: Use configure.ac build { ... echo "provides=(realpkg=@VERSION@)" > ${pkgname}.provides.in echo "AC_OUTPUT([${pkgname}.provides])" >> configure.ac ./autogen.sh ... source ${pkgname}.provides } Pros : should work in more cases, fun somehow isn't it ? Cons : rather complex, maybe incorrect with the new autoconf syntax (AC_CONFIG_FILES) and it seems that files are then generated two times. Well, thanks for reading, let's discuss that now :) Cilyan