Are there attributes for license and author tags in catkin? [closed]

asked 2015-05-28 03:22:43 -0600

1376 ●21 ●32 ●44 https://github.com/Hacks4ROS

updated 2015-05-28 03:23:07 -0600

Like for example:

<license for="libWhatEver">GPLv3</license>
<license for="node">BSD</license>

<author of="libWhatEver">Name</author>
<author of="node">Name</author>

Are there any like that predefined? Can I add custom attributes, will it complain about them and if not would it be recommended to add that?

Regards,

Christian

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Closed for the following reason the question is answered, right answer was accepted by cyborg-x1
close date 2015-06-29 18:13:21.257611

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answered 2015-05-28 03:47:29 -0600

gvdhoorn
86574 ●283 ●1432 ●1054 http://cor.tudelft.nl/

updated 2015-05-28 03:49:39 -0600

The format of manifests (package.xml) is documented in REP-127 ('format 1') and REP-140 ('format 2'). In neither do the author or license element define additional attributes like the ones you show in your example (neither REP includes any text that expressly forbids additional attributes though).

Typically, source files for nodes include both a license header and something like an @author .. line in the comment block at the top. This would allow you to express the same information, although it would not be visible in the manifest, nor to any tools that parse the manifests.

PS: it is perfectly possible for a package to have multiple license elements (documented here for format 2 fi), so having files in a package that fall under different licenses is also possible. Again, the file header would contain that information.

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I would assume that the additional attributes should not be necessary. If licensing is split between parts of a package, these parts should be different packages. Otherwise depending on a package can become really hard if one needs to adhere to licensing. This might be useful for header files.

dornhege ( 2015-05-28 03:51:43 -0600 )edit

Sure, but I just wanted to include that it is possible to have a package that contains files that fall under different licenses. Whether that is something that is desirable is something else, but I can imagine situations where it is a necessity (including code that is under a different license fi)

gvdhoorn ( 2015-05-28 03:57:59 -0600 )edit

So why is it possible to have multiple license tags then?

  <!-- One license tag required, multiple allowed, one license per tag -->
  <!-- Commonly used license strings: -->
  <!--   BSD, MIT, Boost Software License, GPLv2, GPLv3, LGPLv2.1, LGPLv3 -->
  <license>TODO</license>

cyborg-x1 ( 2015-05-28 04:00:15 -0600 )edit

So why is it possible to have multiple license tags then?

To allow for situations where that is required? I don't really understand your question.

It might not necessarily be something that in normal situations one would want to do, but it is supported because sometimes it is needed.

gvdhoorn ( 2015-05-28 04:06:47 -0600 )edit

For the package, I need it for, it does not really make sense to me to create a library package out of that code, just because of the license, actually I will stay with the given license (GPLv3), but I was just curious. And I still would like to mention the author for the included stuff.

cyborg-x1 ( 2015-05-28 04:10:09 -0600 )edit

@gvdhoorn, I was replying to dornhege, who meant to split the package because of the license.

cyborg-x1 ( 2015-05-28 04:11:48 -0600 )edit

In most cases ROS pkgs do not include the sources of dependencies directly, but depend on libraries or other ROS pkgs. That would avoid the need for multiple licenses, and also for what you propose to do.

For your current situation, you could consider mentioning the author(s) in a readme fi.

gvdhoorn ( 2015-05-28 04:16:57 -0600 )edit

For authors multiple author tags are commonly used. If you are just using a library, ideally you produce a ROS wrapper package that builds just that (with proper license, author, and maintainer set). This package is what your own code will use.

dornhege ( 2015-05-28 05:38:02 -0600 )edit

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Are there attributes for license and author tags in catkin? [closed]

Closed for the following reason the question is answered, right answer was accepted by cyborg-x1
close date 2015-06-29 18:13:21.257611

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Are there attributes for license and author tags in catkin? [closed] edit

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Are there attributes for license and author tags in catkin? [closed]

Closed for the following reason the question is answered, right answer was accepted by cyborg-x1
close date 2015-06-29 18:13:21.257611