Skip Build Unless Installing on IBM i

[David Russo]

I work on a package that installs on multiple platforms, including IBM i. I've put idb-connector under optionalDependencies in my package.json -- this allows NPM to proceed with installing my package on non-IBM i platforms, where idb-connector obviously does not work. Programming logic in my package then selects the appropriate database connector for the appropriate platform.

This allows me to install on any platform, but I get a lot of unnecessary output and error messages when installing on non-IBM i platforms because NPM goes through the motions of trying to build idb-connector. To see what I mean, try 'npm install profoundjs' on a Windows PC.

I'm wondering if it's possible to set up so that NPM does not try to build/install idb-connector unless installing on IBM i.

Maybe it's just a matter of setting the 'os' key in idb-connector's package.json?

https://docs.npmjs.com/files/package.json#os

[mengxumx]

The host operating system is determined by process.platform which currently return aix on IBM i. So the AIX system will still install it ( while many other os not). We may let it return the true os name in future Node.js releases. But for now, seems we can only use aix to distinguish.

[mengxumx]

commit 6a16b3b

[David Russo]

Thanks, this will be a nice improvement! I'll try it out when it's released.

[David Russo]

Much improved, thanks!

[mengxumx]

Hello @DavidRusso,

We have moved the project to GitHub --> https://github.com/IBM/nodejs-idb-connector

You may report issues there from now on.