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package.xml format

Written by Graham Brookins, Updated by Graham Brookins Maintainers: Graham Brookins
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Every package directory has a package.xml at its top: the package's name, version, type, maintainers, dependencies and the list of items to install. A package can also be kept in the JSON format (package.json), which mirrors the XML element for element; see the JSON package format.

The main elements

An abbreviated package.xml of the shipped package sevenx_classes:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<package version="3.5.2" development="false" install_type="install">
  <name>sevenx_classes</name>
  <summary>sevenx content classes</summary>
  <vendor>7x</vendor>
  <type value="contentclass"/>
  <maintainers>...</maintainers>
  <packaging><timestamp>1705211775</timestamp><host>...</host></packaging>
  <version><number>6.0</number><release>10-stable</release></version>
  <licence>GPL</licence>
  <state>stable</state>
  <dependencies>
    <provides>
      <provide type="ezcontentclass" name="contentclass" value="article"/>
    </provides>
    <requires/>
  </dependencies>
  <install>
    <item type="ezcontentclass" filename="class-article" sub-directory="ezcontentclass"/>
    <item type="ezcontentclass" filename="class-folder" sub-directory="ezcontentclass"/>
  </install>
</package>
Element Meaning
name The package name: letters, digits, _ and -, not starting with -. It is also the directory name.
vendor Decides the repository the package is imported into (local without one).
type The package type (Package types).
version, state, licence, maintainers, changelog, documents What the package page shows about the package.
dependencies provides, requires (<require type="ezpackage" name="..."/> for another package), obsoletes, conflicts.
install, uninstall The items to install, and to remove when uninstalling. One <install> element per file.

Items to install

Each <item> of <install> is installed in the order it is listed, by the handler of its type.

Attribute Value
type The item type, which chooses the handler: ezcontentclass, ezcontentobject, ezextension, ezinstallscript, ezfile (also ezini, ezdesign, eztemplate, ezthumbnail), eziniaddon, ezsql, expstatictarget
filename The XML file that describes the item, without .xml
sub-directory The directory of that file inside the package
name, os Optional: a name for the item, and an operating system it is limited to

The type names are mapped to handler classes in package.ini [PackageSettings] HandlerAlias[]; the handlers are in kernel/classes/packagehandlers/. An extension can add its own handler there.

Example: three classes described in myclassdir/class-myarticle.xml, class-myfolder.xml and class-myproduct.xml are installed in this order:

<install>
  <item type="ezcontentclass" filename="class-myarticle" sub-directory="myclassdir"/>
  <item type="ezcontentclass" filename="class-myfolder" sub-directory="myclassdir"/>
  <item type="ezcontentclass" filename="class-myproduct" sub-directory="myclassdir"/>
</install>

Checking a package

Validate on a package's page checks it as an upload is checked. On the command line, php ezpm.php validate <source> checks a package in either format (an archive, a directory or a package name) without importing it, and php ezpm.php check <package> shows what installing it would meet on the site, by remote ID, without writing anything. xmllint --noout package.xml checks that the file is well formed.

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Comments (2 historical)

Written by readers of the earlier documentation sites, kept as they were.

  1. DTD of package.xml

    dexen deVries ·

    Hi, where do i find DTD for package.xml? (I hope there is one >_>;;)

    1. Re: DTD of package.xml

      Xavier ·

      Wouldn't bet to high on that..

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