$Header: /home/dan/cvs/pakt/README,v 1.4 2004/06/23 19:32:08 dan Exp $
WHAT IS PAKT?
Pakt is an XML abstraction layer for GObjects. It maintains a serverside tree of glib-like (Gtk, Gnome, etc) objects and provides access methods to manipulate the same (and thereby the running 'application').
Pakt's primary use is to publish GStreamer pipelines, enabling connected clients to monitor and change the element's parameters and the pipeline's structure.
The latest release, and documentation, can be found on:
PREREQUISITES
Pakt relies heavily on some gnome libraries and tools. To compile pakt successfully, you will need:
- glib > 2.0
- gnet > 2.0
- libxml2
- libxslt
- gob2
- libreadline
- gstreamer > 0.8 (optional, but it doesnt make much sense without :) all properly installed in your pkgconfig path. I'm unsure about the exact versions required, my set is pretty new.
BUILDING
Since 0.3.1, pakt uses autoconf/automake, so you now can easily install all components a la GNU. In the distribution directory, run:
./configure
make
make install
(make install must be run as root).
This should check for needed libraries, compile the bunch and install pakt and associated modules and tools into /usr/local. If you have problems you cannot resolve, ask dan@subsignal.org.
FIRST STEPS
With everything properly installed, you should be able to launch a gstreamer pakt daemon with the following command:
paktd -m gst
You can access it according to the Accessor's Manual
(http://iterative.org/pakt/doc/accessorsmanual), or with the pakt shell (pash). It has some commandline options you can find out with "pash --help". Pash has the internal commands "quit", "exit", "cd" and "ls", anything else will be transformed to XML messages and sent to the server. Try things like "get depth=-1", "set attribute=value", "xvideosink name=myvideowindow", etc, look at the Accessor's Manual, or wait for the Tutorial to be written :)
BEWARE
Please, be aware that pakt is alpha quality software. It is still a one person project, and thus not subject to any relevant third-party betatesting or peer review. Your bugreports and design comments are appreciated.
Meanwhile, running a pakt deamon imposes a nontrivial security risk unto your computer. Theres no access control but quite a lot network clients could do with it. I wont go into details here :)
RUN IT AT YOUR OWN RISK!
COMMENTS
are definitely appreciated. If you have build or any other problems the documentation does not answer, please ask, or if you put pakt to any nontrivial or even mere cool use, please tell.