[aur-dev] SSH interface for modifying package metadata

[Dave Reisner]

On Sun, Feb 07, 2016 at 11:31:13AM +0100, Lukas Fleischer wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> aurweb 4.2.0 will be released soon and one of its new features is an SSH
> command to modify package metadata. Currently, only changing keywords is
> supported and the syntax (in master) looks as follows:
> 
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org config <pkgbase> keywords [...]
> 
> One of my concerns with that syntax is that "config" might be a bit too
> general. For example, we might want to add commands to change account
> settings later. Since it is not part of any public interface yet, this
> is the right (and only) time to decide on proper naming.
> 
> Other suggestions:
> 
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org modify <pkgbase> keywords [...]
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org set <pkgbase> keywords [...]
> 
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkg-config <pkgbase> keywords [...]
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkg-modify <pkgbase> keywords [...]
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkg-set <pkgbase> keywords [...]
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkgbase-config <pkgbase> keywords [...]
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkgbase-modify <pkgbase> keywords [...]
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkgbase-set <pkgbase> keywords [...]
> 
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkg <pkgbase> config keywords [...]
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkg <pkgbase> modify keywords [...]
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkg <pkgbase> set keywords [...]
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkg <pkgbase> set-keywords [...]
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkgbase <pkgbase> config keywords [...]
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkgbase <pkgbase> modify keywords [...]
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkgbase <pkgbase> set keywords [...]
>     $ ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org pkgbase <pkgbase> set-keywords [...]
> 
> The first two options also have the disadvantage that they are quite
> general. The options including "pkg" (but not "pkgbase") do not have
> that problem but they are a bit misleading since those operations are
> performed on package bases, not packages (and they require package base
> names, not package names). The options including "pkgbase" describe the
> semantics very well but they are quite complex and verbose.
> 
> I would really like to hear about your opinions/preferences.

Why the extra level of indirection (i.e. verb $subject subverb $args)
Why not:

  ssh aur at aur.archlinux.org set-keywords <pkgbase> [...]

I think it's more natural to provide the whole "verb" up front.

> Regards,
> Lukas