[idea] making makepkg able to make multiple packages.

Question

Hi All!
I am thinking of creating a modification for makepkg, so that it can build multiple packages from one PKGBUILD. What I mean by this, is that (for example) you write a PKGBUILD for kdemultimedia, and it will build it, but it will spit out a split package.
An idea of this PKGBUILD is one that I have based around moodin:
pkgname=moodin
pkgver=0.4.2
pkgrel=1
pkgdesc="Moodin in a ksplash engine which provides funky login screens."
url="http://moodwrod.com/"
depends=('kdebase')
source=(http://moodwrod.com/files/${pkgname}_${pkgver}.tar.gz)
creates=('moodin_libs' 'moodin_themes')
build() {
cd $startdir/src/$pkgname-$pkgver
#patch -Np1 -i ../???.patch || return 1
./configure --prefix=/opt/kde
make || return 1
create_moodin_libs {
cd $startdir/src/$pkgname-$pkgver
make DESTDIR=$startdir/pkg install
rm $startdir/pkg/opt/kde/share/themes
create_moodin_themes {
cd $startdir/src/$pkgname-$pkgver
cp themes $startdir/pkg/opt/kde/share/themes -r
when I makepkg this build script, it will then split out three packages:
moodin-0.4.2-1.pkg.tar.bz2
moodin_libs-0.4.2-1.pkg.tar.bz2
moodin_themes-0.4.2-1.pkg.tar.bz2
The 'moodin' package, would depend on moodin_libs and moodin_themes.
makepkg will also do a check on all the packages to make sure that none of the split packages had any conflicting files.
Please tell me what you think, and if you think it  may be worthwhile.
Thanks,
Tim

Answer 1

JGC wrote:We can have two approaches here:
- several build functions for several subpackages, meaning pkg/ gets cleaned between calling them
- one build() function that distributes installed files across several pkg/ dirs.
JGC, I would rather the second option too, and I think that is more towards I am going to my patch, (read first post above).
build() {
CD $startdir/src/$pkgname-$pkgver
#patch -Np1 -i ../???.patch || return 1
./configure --prefix=/opt/kde
make || return 1
create_moodin_libs {
cd $startdir/src/$pkgname-$pkgver
make DESTDIR=$startdir/pkg install
rm $startdir/pkg/opt/kde/share/themes
create_moodin_themes {
cd $startdir/src/$pkgname-$pkgver
cp themes $startdir/pkg/opt/kde/share/themes -r
In this example here, you can see that there is one build function. It is then up to the separate make_'s to do what it has to do to get the package split.
Hmmm, Well, I am going to start work on it in a few (7 -> 8) hours, so there is still some time to get implimentation ideas
Thanks,
   - Tim