ASPDM Database (WIP)

Package metadata format

The package metadata (manifest) format is a JSON document. The package repository (aka database) format is a JSON array of package metadata documents.

All attributes are mandatory, unless otherwise stated.

Attribute	Description
id	A short name used for identification purposes (Should be a valid AutoHotkey identifier)
version	Package version (must follow AHK-flavored Semantic Versioning)
type	Package type (lib, tool, other)
ahkbranch	AutoHotkey branch the package is developed for (v1.1, v2-alpha, ahk_h, ...)
ahkversion	Version number of AutoHotkey the package was developed with (Internal, Automatic)
ahkflavour	Comma-separated list of supported AutoHotkey flavours (a32, u32, u64)
required	Comma-separated list of dependencies' package identifiers (leave empty if none)
name	The human-friendly name of the package
description	Description of the package (Optional, Recommended)
author	The author(s) of the package
license	(Optional) Name of the license under which the package is released
tags	Comma-separated tags (Optional, Recommended)
forumurl	(Optional, Recommended) ahkscript.org forum topic URL
screenshot	(Optional) URL of the screenshot image to be displayed

Licenses : packages submitted to ahkscript.org without the license attribute filled in are assumed to be released under the ASPDM Default Package License (ADPL).

Package Repository-only attributes

Attribute	Description
isstdlib	(Internal, Moderated) True if the package has been selected to be part of the official StdLib distribution

Recommended tags (Examples)

Categories
Arrays	Graphics	Network
Call	Gui	Objects
COM	INI	Parser
Console	Hardware	Process
Control	Hash	Regular Expressions
Dynamic	Hotstrings	Sound
Database	JSON	Strings
DateTime	Keyboard	System
Editor	Math	Text
Encryption	Media	Variables
File	Memory	Window
FileSystem	Menu	YAML
Format	MS Windows	Other

Package Structure

'Library' packages

Library packages should have a standard package structure consisting of the following folders:

• Lib\ (Mandatory) : StdLib files
• Doc\ : Documentation
• Root folder : Examples, etc.

Note: When installing a package into a StdLib folder, the files in the package's Lib\ folder would be copied to it.

'Tool/Other' packages

Tool/Other packages should have a standard package structure consisting of the following:

• Install.ahk (Mandatory) : Executed on package installation
• Remove.ahk (Mandatory) : Executed on package removal
• Execute.ahk (Mandatory) : Execute the tool
• Doc\ : Documentation
• Root folder : Examples, etc.

Package File Format

The packages will have the .ahkp file extension. The compression format is LZNT (a.k.a LZ compression). The Magic Number is AHKPKG00. The uncompressed JSON metadata is stored at offset 0xC, with its string length stored as a UInt at offset 0x8 (Right after the magic number).