# Pack
[Some examples](
https://github.com/ustctug/texrocks/tree/main/rockspecs).
## Version
Many TeX projects publish TeX package in CTAN or Github/Gitlab release if they
have a git repository. Github release can tag version while CTAN cannot. Such as:
- <
https://github.com/latex3/latex2e/releases/download/release-2024-11-01-PL1/latex-graphics.tds.zip>
is for version 2024-11-01, we package it to 2024.11.01-1
- <
http://mirrors.ctan.org/install/macros/latex/contrib/hyperref.tds.zip>
is for latest version. we package it to scm-1
Version is useful to declare dependency relationship. We recommend stable
version rather than source code managed version.
## Formats
TeX packages have two formats:
- source package `*-ctan.zip`, like lua's `*.src.rock` and python's sdist
`*.tar.gz`, include `*.dts` and `*.ins`
- binary package `*.tds.zip`, like lua's `*.any.rock` and python's `*-any.whl`,
include `*.cls` and `*.sty`
We repack `*.tds.zip` if upstream provide else `*-ctan.zip` even git zip file
to `*.src.rock`.
## Dependencies
`*.tds.zip` doesn't have meta information about packages. when we create
`*.rockspec`, we need to add it from [CTAN](
https://ctan.org/).
CTAN doesn't provide dependence information. You need search it. e.g.,
`tex/latex/base/ltnews.cls`:
```tex
% ...
\IfFileExists{hyperref.sty}{%
\RequirePackage[hidelinks]{hyperref}}{}
% ...
```
`hyperref` is an optional dependency of `latex-base`.
## Build Dependencies
Some TeX packages don't provide `*.tds.zip`. You have to build it from
`*-ctan.zip` or git zip.
```sh
luatex --interaction=nonstopmode foo.ins
```
add `{ 'luatex', 'latex-base' }` to `build_dependencies`.
