Re: [docs] [PATCH] ref-manual: clarify use of "PACKAGE_ARCH" in a packagegroup

Hi Robert,

On 6/16/26 6:46 PM, Robert P. J. Day via lists.yoctoproject.org wrote:
> 
> Warn the developer that if they need to set "PACKAGE_ARCH" in a
> custom packagegroup file, that setting must precede the "inherit
> packagegroup" line in the packagegroup recipe file.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Robert P. J. Day <[email protected]>
> 
> ---
> 
> diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/classes.rst b/documentation/ref-manual/classes.rst
> index 95e07f85a..839a89d4b 100644
> --- a/documentation/ref-manual/classes.rst
> +++ b/documentation/ref-manual/classes.rst
> @@ -2130,6 +2130,18 @@ section in the Yocto Project Development Tasks Manual.
> 
>   Previously, this class was called the ``task`` class.
> 
> +.. note::
> +
> +   If you're defining a packagegroup and need to set::
> +
> +      PACKAGE_ARCH = ${MACHINE_ARCH}
> +

OK so reading this I was like "but who would need to do this? 
packagegroups are only supposed to include other packages and not 
compile anything!

Then I looked in OE-Core, and there are as many packagegroups with 
PACKAGE_ARCH set than without. It seems that the need comes from using 
MACHINE_FEATURES or other knobs that depend on some configuration variable.

I think it'd be nice to document this (if not already, but since you're 
scouring the docs now maybe you'd come across something like that?).

I'm thinking this is a big enough footgun that we may want to document 
the order in the variable glossary as well.

Cheers,
Quentin