[needs-packaging] libconfig – C/C++ Configuration File Library

[Michael Owens]

Libconfig is a simple library for manipulating structured configuration files, like this one: test.cfg. This file format is more compact and more readable than XML. And unlike XML, it is type-aware, so it is not necessary to do string parsing in application code.

Libconfig is very compact — just 38K for the stripped C shared library (less than one-fourth the size of the expat XML parser library) and 66K for the stripped C++ shared library. This makes it well-suited for memory-constrained systems like handheld devices.

The library includes bindings for both the C and C++ languages. It works on POSIX-compliant UNIX systems (GNU/Linux, Mac OS X, Solaris, FreeBSD) and Windows (2000, XP and later).

URL: http://www.hyperrealm.com/libconfig/
License: GNU LGPL v2

[Original bug description]
There currently is no package for libconfig. This is a very well designed, constructed, and documented configuration file parser for C/C++ applications. It has already been debianized it and it should be added. If the existing maintainer has no interest in keeping it maintained, I will be glad to do so.

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

Note that there is a name clash with the existing libconfig source package (http://oasis.frogfoot.net/code/libconfig/). One of them would have to use a different name.

[Michael Owens (michael-owens)]

The existing debian setup in the source package names it as libconfigduo2. It does not build cleanly on hardy however. I am not sure how best to handle this. If I were to fix it, does that make me the maintainer?

There is another bug with this issue from last year:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libconfig/+bug/147863

Yet this package has still not made it in. I am willing to maintain it.

[Michael Owens (michael-owens)]

The current package builds and installs fine. Since the original author has not volunteered to maintain it, I will, as I need this for my own projects. Attached is a candidate. Can I get this sponsored and in process of code review and joining MOTU?

[Michael Owens (michael-owens)]

Now have a MOTU mentor and am working on this.

[Michael Owens (michael-owens)]

I spoke with upstream author and he is currently considering names with which to rename to project and thereby get around the name conflict. No estimate on when this will happen.

[Matej Kenda (matejken)]

I have found PPA builds for libconfigduo from Dmitry Ivanov. Builds are quite old (v 1.2 from Nov. 2007).

https://launchpad.net/~vonami/+archive

However, Debian repository tracks this library as libconfig6 and libconfig++6. It is currently available in sid only.

http://packages.debian.org/sid/libconfig6
http://packages.debian.org/sid/libconfig++6

It makes sense to use that package in Ubuntu as well.

[Matej Kenda (matejken)]

Debian packages libconfig6 and libconfig++6 compile and run fine on Hardy, Intrepid an Jaunty.

[Vincenzo Ampolo (vincenzo-ampolo)]

Now that the karmic repo is open will it be merged into ubuntu by MOM?

[Vincenzo Ampolo (vincenzo-ampolo)]

Yep, after a talk about it in #ubuntu-motu a MOTU said me that since the package is in debian now, it will autosync automatically later on. There is no need to create a new package anymore.

[Matej Kenda (matejken)]

Packages are available in Karmic. Can this bug be closed?

[Vincenzo Ampolo (vincenzo-ampolo)]

Package is in Karmic now