Re: GSoC Project: Replacement for Apropos

[Marc Balmer <mbalmer%NetBSD.org@localhost>]

Abhinav,

> Thanks for your detailed reply. So I have installed NetBSD on QEMU as
> well as on my hard disk. Next thing I am going to try to do is to
> track the current version of NetBSD from CVS and build the kernel.
> 
>  I want to get started trying to do experiments with some of the
> implementation ideas. So I wanted to know, where can I get the man
> docs so that I can analyze their structure etc.
> 
> Also as you mentioned that this project will be part of the base
> system, so are there any recommended tools that I should set up for
> building the development environment ? Although I have experience of
> working with the tools used in the GNU/Linux environment.

The NetBSD toolchain is similar to the Linux toolchain, with some
noteworthy differences.  Unlike Linux, we don't use GNU autotools.
Instead we have a collection of Makefile fragments, which reside in
/usr/share/mk.  Working with these make building software on NetBSD
easy:  In the Makefile that accompanies your library/binary/etc. you
mostly use a declarative style, telling the Makefile system WHAT to
build, but not HOW to build it.

Invest a little time and look at existing Makefiles in /usr/src/usr.bin,
/usr/src/bin, /usr/src/lib etc.

It basically boils down to declare what to build and to include the
right Makefile fragment.

As for the source code formatting style (an area of endless discussions)
I recommend that you read the file /usr/share/misc/style, but take it
with a grain of salt, it is a RECOMMENDATION only, not the a strict rule
or even the law.  But there certainly is some wisdom and experience in
these recommendations.

Besides the usual GNU debugger, ktrace(1) can be helpful when debugging.

Oh, and one last word:  Please use the C language for commands in the
base system.  Although we have Lua in base, it's purpose is to extend C
software mostly, not to write commands in it (again, that is only my
recommendation and not the law either).

Have fun!

- Marc