Use ./src/<MODULE>/modulemanifest.ps1 as module manifest definition

[leojonathanoh]

Current

Use ./build/definitions/modulemanifest/definition.ps1 as module manifest definition file.

Expectation

Use ./src/<MODULE>/modulemanifest.ps1 as module manifest definition file.

Discussion

As was discussed in https://github.com/theohbrothers/ItemLinkManagement/pull/2#issuecomment-890544601, The best place to place the modulemanifest would be to be right beside the .psd1 or .psm1 where most developers would expect. Also, in that location the modulemanifest would see the same folder structure as the .psm1 and hence be able to populate Exported* keys of the module manifest definition dynamically.

[joeltimothyoh]

Good idea.

I'm still thinking of how to best name the file though. modulemanifest.ps1 isn't adequately descriptive. @leojonathanoh

[leojonathanoh]

@joeltimothyoh thinking about this now, i can think of some downsides to this change:

• this is a breaking change, unless the old behavior is preserved.
• putting the manifest definition in the same as ./src artificially gives a user an impression that the .ps1 has something to do the actual module's source code, when it really doesn't.
• The .ps1 is really a template / templating object for .psd1, and putting it in ./build/ might actually be better because it separates templates from the actual generated files.
• The path ./build/definitions/modulemanifest/definition.ps1 actually gives meaning to the .ps1 suggesting that it is an object definition pertainting to the .psd1. The new path does not provide such a meaning.

So thinking about it now, i'm not sure this is a good idea anymore.

[leojonathanoh]

if we decide not to implement this change, perhaps we can update the existing sample https://github.com/theohbrothers/PSModulePublisher/blob/v0.4.0/docs/samples/build/definitions/modulemanifest/definition.ps1.sample to dynamically determine the Export* keys from $PSScriptRoot/../../../src/public, see the OP. E.g. https://github.com/theohbrothers/Position-ExplorerWindow/blob/v1.3.1/build/definitions/modulemanifest/definition.ps1#L25-L27

[joeltimothyoh]

So thinking about it now, i'm not sure this is a good idea anymore.

Good idea.

if we decide not to implement this change, perhaps we can update the existing sample https://github.com/theohbrothers/PSModulePublisher/blob/v0.4.0/docs/samples/build/definitions/modulemanifest/definition.ps1.sample to dynamically determine the *Exported from $PSScriptRoot/../../../src/public, see the OP.

I think dynamic determination would be a workaround. Besides, the definition file is meant to represent a pure hashtable object.

[leojonathanoh]

@joeltimothyoh if the .ps1 is contains merely repo-specific hardcoded values, then one might as well simply update .psd1 after generating the .psd1. The point is to make the generator an dynamic one so that definition.ps1 only needs to be updated with as few repo-specific values, and should be reusable across projects.

[joeltimothyoh]

Thing is again it's meant to be a manifest definition, not a generator. If it's changed to a generator then the file, generate code, and docs have to be revised to reflect so. @leojonathanoh

[leojonathanoh]

@joeltimothyoh definition.ps1 is a definition for a .psd1. But a .psd1 is a definition of a module. The problem with definition.ps1 is that it is a script and not a .yml or .json, so putting it inside a src/<module> will be confusing. And as i point out, there's no convention to generating a .psd1. That's the problem with all of these package managers.

[joeltimothyoh]

is that it is a script and not a .yml or .json

It might be a .ps1 script , but it really is designed to just contain an object convertible to json or yaml.

so putting it inside a src/ will be confusing.

Yes so it's better to leave it at its present location. @leojonathanoh

[leojonathanoh]

i guess we're settled. will close.

[leojonathanoh]

on the point of using a dynamic defintition.ps1 for Export* keys, i'm still inclined to do it just because .ps1 can do that but .yml and .json cannot. https://github.com/theohbrothers/PSModulePublisher/issues/8#issuecomment-950713055

[joeltimothyoh]

It’ll be a misuse of the definition file just because it’s in .ps1.