Re: metadata filenames and other issue for keying the data

On Sat, 2003-10-25 at 16:39, seth vidal wrote:
> How about this:
> 
> metadata.xml <- base file that contains the timestamps/checksums for the
> other files for this repository
>    metadata/
>             base.xml - the primary file
>             filelists.xml - complete file lists
>             other.xml - changelogs, other stuff

Is there a reason why these files need to be in a subdirectory?  

If the toplevel metadata file must contain timestamps and checksums,
could it not also contain paths?  For an example, look at a Debian
Release file:

  http://ftp.debian.org/debian/dists/woody/Release

I'd also imagine metadata.xml would need namespacing.  It seems that it
would stand in as a Release file for apt, and so might need to contain
more than just file information.  Again, look at the above file for an
example of what might be expected.

> One other issue:
>  It occurred to me that it might be possible for a single repository to
> have two packages that are identical n,e,v,r,a and yet different actual
> packages. On this basis it might be wiser to make the key the pkgid
> checksum. It's harder to traceback by sight but it might be easier and
> more reliable from a programming perspective.

It's possible.  For what it's worth, apt doesn't allow this condition -
not in a single repository, anyway.