how to migrate from :loader?

[aspiers]

I just upgraded my req-package installation, and all the uses of :loader are now broken. I see that this is mentioned in the changelog entry for 1.1 but please could you document how to deal with breaking changes like this? Thanks!

[edvorg]

Hello. Sorry for breaking your config. Unfortunately, it's not a custom in emacs community to fix your extensions on single version in order to avoid such surprises. Please, refer to use-package documentation on ensure system and all related stuff. Basically el-get loader should be replaced with :el-get keyword provided by use-package-el-get extension, path loader should be replaced with use-package load-path functionality and elpa with :ensure keyword from ensure system. Custom user defined loaders are no longer supported. If you used that, I suggest to implement a tiny package that adds new keyword to use package. It's very easy and takes just two functions to implement. (Check use-package-el-get as reference implementation).

[edvorg]

I'd like to concentrate functionality of this package on dependency management only and don't make it another do-it-all package management system for emacs. use-package already has everything user might ever need and only lacks dependency management, which can not be implemented as a keyword extension.

[aspiers]

Hey, thanks a lot for the helpful reply and for improving the README! Yeah I know the emacs community is currently not a place conducive to best practices around things like SemVer, but I am still crossing my fingers that over time as the package management evolves it will get there. It's already a LOT better in the last few years since rms relinquished a certain amount of control and supporting packages more natively started happening.

I think you are absolutely doing the right thing by shrinking the responsibilities of this package now that use-package natively supports different loaders. It just took me by surprise, but I'm certainly not objecting to it. I don't use custom loaders but I do occasionally use the el-get and load-path loaders. Great to know that use-package supports these! Thanks again :-)

[edvorg]

Great to hear that we're on the same page here :) glad that my reply helped

[edvorg]

@aspiers do you require any additional assistance on this ticket?

[aspiers]

No I think I'm good for now - will try out the new approach soon and file a separate issue if I encounter any issues. Thanks a lot again!!