elm-ext-package v0.1.7

elm-ext-package V 0.1.7

Tool to use external packages not published in package.elm-lang.org.

Installing

Use npm to install it globally.

$ npm install -g elm-ext-package

After that you can use the command elm-ext-package

Introduction

elm-make relies on the information in elm-package.json to compile. If you are using modules not published in package.elm-lang.org you might be doing one of these:

• Adding the source folder of the external packages to your source-directories array in elm-package.json
• Copying the source of the external packages to your project directory
• ... other ways ...

But if you use native code (as in import Native.xxx) you might find difficult to make it working between projects, mostly due to the namespace.

Also, Elm packages using native javascript code, effect or port modules cannot be published on package.elm-lang.org using the normal procedures, it must pass a native review and conform to some guidelines.

Last but not least, you might not want (or not allowed by management) to publish your modules publicly.

Instead of copying the code, or linking to it, it would be so much better if you could have packages like the official ones and use in multiple projects. This can be done manually modifying some files (like elm-package.json), but it makes you unable to download or update official packages until you remove your changes.

This tool may be able to help you in these cases.

Usage

Example project elm-ext-package-example

In your project, you must add the file elm-ext-package.json with a dependencies field like the one in elm-package.json, example:

{
    "dependencies": {
        "aaronps/elm-arraylist": "1.0.0 <= v < 2.0.0"
    }
}

You must copy or download the ext-packages to the folder elm-stuff/ext-packages under your project, following the previous example, the final location would be elm-stuff/ext-packages/aaronps/elm-arraylist.

Now you are almost ready, there are 2 things to do:

• Compiling your project with the ext-modules
• Downloading or updating elm packages from package.elm-lang.org

Compiling with ext-modules

You need to activate, or apply the changes to the files, use:

$ elm-ext-package apply

elm-ext-package 0.1.5
Enabling Ext Packages
Copying aaronps/elm-arraylist version 1.0.0 to packages

Now you can work with the external modules, just use them like they were standard ones (import Some.Module).

Downloading standard packages

You need to deactivate on revert the changes done to the files, use:

$ elm-ext-package revert

elm-ext-package 0.1.5
Disabling Ext Packages

Now you can elm-package install the normal modules.

Creating a package

Packages are created the same way as any Elm package or application is done, there is no need to do anything special, just do it.

Missing functionality

• Downloading of packages: currently you must download or copy the packages yourself, this might change in the future.

• Dependency checks: currently this tool is not checking any dependency, if the packages depends on others (either standard packages or ext-packages) you must add the dependencies yourself, this might change in the future.

• Listing of ext-packages: there is no centralized location for the ext-packages. You must either have it locally or at least know its repository address, this might change in the future.