a cabal/database lib experience (was: [Haskell-cafe]Trivialdatabase access in Haskell)

[Claus Reinke]

>We have made a number of assumptions which Paul exposed:
> - users should know to do darcs get, then runhaskell Setup.hs
>configure/build/install
> - users should know to look for Haddock docs
> - users should know how to look for and install dependent libraries
>(Cabal-1.1.6.1, in this case)

and there you have the beginnings of your README file!-)

>If you're an experienced Haskell programmer then these assumptions 
>are valid, so yes, we do need to do more for the novice.

the difference, as far as it is relevant for getting going, is often just 
context, which can be rectified by surprisingly small steps, such as
collecting  the assumptions in one obvious-to-find file.

>>     + add a dedicated command "cabal", which does nothing more
>>         than "runhaskell Setup", but is more memorable and suggestive
>Did you mean an executable that comes with cabal or the compiler 

yes, part of the cabal infrastructure, not something from the library author.

as Simon has pointed out, "cabal-setup" is going to do the job, and with
a more descriptive name.

thanks,
claus