Latest ninja build?

[trampas]

I just did a install of ninja build, got version 1.11.1-3.1, but latest seems to 1.12.1-1.1

xpm install --force --copy @xpack-dev-tools/ninja-build@latest
@xpack-dev-tools/ninja-build@1.11.1-3.1...
@xpack-dev-tools/ninja-build@1.11.1-3.1 => 'C:\Users\tramp\AppData\Roaming\xPacks@xpack-dev-tools\ninja-build\1.11.1-3.1'
Extracting 'xpack-ninja-build-1.11.1-3-win32-x64.zip'...
27 files => 'C:\Users\tramp\AppData\Roaming\xPacks@xpack-dev-tools\ninja-build\1.11.1-3.1.content'
@xpack-dev-tools/ninja-build@1.11.1-3.1 => 'D:\Projects\SECA\LoRa\cmake_test\xpacks@xpack-dev-tools\ninja-build'
Extracting 'xpack-ninja-build-1.11.1-3-win32-x64.zip'...

[ilg-ul]

I tagged 1.12.1-1.1 as latest.

For questions specific to a tool, please use the GitHub Discussions pages associated with it.

[trampas]

I was not sure where the bug was, I figured it was an issue with how xpack was handling the version numbers. That is I assume the "latest" in xpack was one with the greatest version number. As such the problem would be in xpack not the package.

[ilg-ul]

Why do you need to use --copy to install copies of the tools in each project? This option is generally for source packages.

[trampas]

Well besides me being an idiot.... I did "xpm install --help" and got the following:

xPack project manager - install package(s)
Usage: xpm install [options...] [--global] [--force] [--force-32bit]
                   [--config <config_name>] [--all-configs] [--dry-run]
                   [--save-prod] [--no-save] [--save-dev] [--save-optional]
                   [--save-bundle] [--save-exact] [--copy]
                   [[@<scope>/]<name>[@<version]|<github_name>/<repo>]...

Install options:
  -g|--global                Install the package globally in the home folder (optional)
  -f|--force                 Force install over existing package (optional)
  -32|--force-32bit          Force install 32-bit binaries (optional)
  -c|--config <config_name>  Install configuration specific dependencies (optional)
  -a|--all-configs           Install dependencies for all configurations (optional)
  -n|--dry-run               Pretend to install the package(s) (optional)
  -P|--save-prod             Save to dependencies; default unless -D or -O (optional)
  --no-save                  Prevent saving to dependencies (optional)
  -D|--save-dev              Save to devDependencies (optional)
  -O|--save-optional         Save to optionalDependencies (optional)
  -B|--save-bundle           Save to bundleDependencies (optional)
  -E|--save-exact            Save deps with exact version (optional)
  --copy                     Copy locally, do not link to central store (optional)

Since I wanted the install to happen into a local directory and not in the global roaming directory (what I assume is the 'central store') I used the --copy option to copy into a local directory. For example I want to install tools locally I tried the following:

mkdir test
cd test
xpm install --copy @xpack-dev-tools/arm-none-eabi-gcc@latest
@xpack-dev-tools/arm-none-eabi-gcc@13.3.1-1.1.1...
error: binary xpm package installed globally, next time use --global

This did not work, and error made no sense, I mean I told it to copy locally... Finally after much experimentation and coffee I figured out that I needed to do an 'xpm init' first and then it worked. Without the 'xpm init' I could not find a way to install tools into a local directory. Again it was ironic with error as it appeared xpm knew I wanted it local...

I did the --copy because it seemed reasonable from the help. However it might not be intended use of the --copy. Again I am not the brightest tool in the shed and was trying to figure out how things work, verses how I thought they should work. A reasonable work around would be to have a --local option or a --dir where you could specify the install directory, however I did not find that. If they did exist then if a package.json does not exist it could create it, xpm could print notice that you should have used 'xpm init' first.

I also found out that if you do:

mkdir test
cd test
xpm init
xpm install --copy  @xpack-dev-tools/arm-none-eabi-gcc@latest
xpm init

The second xpm init will delete your package.json file, I would have expected that it would ask for confirmation first, but it does not. I did the second 'xpm init' as I was trying to determine why the ninja executable was not correct and wondered if it would delete the local xpacks directory, which it did not, but did clear the package.json. As such it was an interesting outcome, as it left orphans in the xpacks directory.

Note that I also have the similar problems with other tools, for example I was trying to setup cmake to build project but use xpm's version of ninja, and wasted a lot of time trying to figure out why cmake did not like the xpack compiler install.
https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-make-program-issue-3-28-6-1-1/13239

I also found out if you want to change which cmake executable vscode uses you have to create a CMakePresets.json and specify the cmake executable there. This is also how I figured out xpm ninja version was wrong, as I assumed the cmake issue could be a version issue with ninja or cmake.

Most likely the next question on readers mind is why in the world would you do all this? Basically I am still in search of the holly grail for embedded developers IDE. What I want is for someone to cone my code from git and then run one 'install', maybe run one batch file, which installs the IDE, debugger, tools, and configures everything such that if they open the IDE and do a build they get the same exact binary as I did, and then through IDE they can download code to target and start debugging. I only need this for windows, if a next guy uses other OSs then they are smart enough to use command line and install stuff. Yes I use windows, and as dumb as I am, there are others which are worse... Think along the lines of people who only used Arduino trying to build your project and download code to embedded target. Basically, if your wife (or mom) can't do it, it is too complex.

So far the closet I have got is using eclipse, but still takes me writing up about 3 pages of instructions on how to install eclipse, Segger JLink, xpm, and then configure eclipse compiler paths, etc.

[ilg-ul]

It is commonly acknowledged that when pupils have bad results, teachers share most of the blame.

If you did not understand what xPack is all about, the main culprit was the poor documentation.

These days I fully reworked the documentation for the entire xPack project.

It would be of great help for me if you could take a look at https://xpack.github.io and pass me your thoughts.

I'm mainly interested in the areas which are hard to understand or the instructions what to do are hard to follow.

Please focus on the Getting Started, Install Guide and User's Guide.

For feedback please use the org Discussions pages (https://github.com/orgs/xpack/discussions) or private email if you do not want your comments to be public.

Thank you for your help in improving the project!