Linux Software Map: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Software metadata database and file format}}

'''Linux Software Map''' (LSM) is a standard text format for describing [[Linux]] [[software]].

{{update|date=May 2014}}

'''Linux Software Map''' (LSM) is a standard text [[file format]] for describing [[Linux]] [[software]]. It also refers to the [[database]] constructed from these files. LSM is one of the standard methods for announcing a new software release for Linux.

LSM for a program is a single text document, named ''software_package_name''.lsm. An LSM begins with <tt>Begin4</tt> and ends with <tt>End</tt>. It has one field on each line. Field name is separated from value by a ': '. Mandatory fields are Title, Version, Entered-date, Description, Author and Primary-site.

== File format ==

Begin4

LSM forIf a Linux program is ato singlebe textdistributed documentwidely, namedan LSM file may be created to describe the program, normally in a file called ''software_package_name''.lsm. An LSMThis file begins with <tt>{{mono|Begin4</tt>}} and ends with <tt>{{mono|End</tt>}}. It has one [[field (computer science)|field]] on each line. FieldThe field name is separated from the value by a '[[colon (punctuation)|colon]] (: '). Mandatory fields are Title, Version, Entered-date, Description, Author and Primary-site.

Title:

Version:

Entered-date:

Description:

Keywords:

Author:

Maintained-by:

Primary-site:

Alternate-site:

Original-site:

Platforms:

Copying-policy:

End

==External linksExample==

Here is a what a blank LSM template looks like, at time of writing:

[http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/LSM-TEMPLATE.html LSM template version 4 on ibiblio]

<pre>

Begin4

Title:

Version:

Entered-date:

Description:

Keywords:

Author:

Maintained-by:

Primary-site:

Alternate-site:

Original-site:

Platforms:

Copying-policy:

End

</pre>

== Database ==

{{linux-stub}}

The collective [[database]] of LSM entries can be searched in order to locate [[software]] of a particular type. This database has passed through various owners. It was created by Jeff Kopmanis, Lars Wirzenius maintained it for a while, and now the current maintainer is Aaron Schrab (with help from volunteers).

The database can be [[download]]ed in its entirety, or one can perform limited [[Information retrieval|queries]] using a [[web interface]].

As of August 2022, the LSM index is still automatically updated by a e-mail robot. However, the maintainer of [[man-db]] eventually decided to stop maintaining its LSM data due to the perceived obsolescence of LSM.<ref name="Toscano">{{cite web |last1=Toscano |first1=Pino |title=Drop LSM file (!4) · Merge requests · man-db / man-db · GitLab |url=https://gitlab.com/man-db/man-db/-/merge_requests/4 |website=GitLab |date=13 July 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

==References==

{{reflist}}

== External links ==

*[http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/LSM-TEMPLATE.html LSM template version 4] on ibiblio].org

*[http://lsm.qqx.org/lsm/LSM.gz Entire LSM Database]

*[http://www.ibiblio.org/linsearch/index.html Simple LSM Search] on ibiblio.org

*[http://www.ibiblio.org/linsearch/index.html Advanced LSM Search] on ibiblio.org

*[http://lsm.execpc.com/lsm/ Instructions for New Entries]

[[Category:Linux]]

[[Category:Computer file formats]]

{{linux-stub}}