Cross-Platform Compatibility Packages

For core PKGBUILD workflow, use archlinux-pkgbuild

This sub-skill covers packaging software that bridges platforms: Windows apps via Wine, Windows binaries via MinGW, web apps via Electron, and .NET apps via Mono/CLR.

Quick Reference

Platform	Use Case	Key Dependency	Install Location	Architecture
Wine	Windows apps on Linux	wine	/opt/appname/	x86_64
MinGW	Cross-compile for Windows	mingw-w64-gcc	/usr/{i686,x86_64}-w64-mingw32/	any
Electron	Web apps as desktop apps	electron*	/usr/lib/appname/	x86_64/any
CLR/Mono	.NET apps on Linux	mono	/usr/lib/appname/	any

Wine Packages

Wine packages provide Windows software that runs via Wine compatibility layer.

Wine Key Rules

Rule	Description
Package naming	Use application name (no wine- prefix unless conflicts)
Architecture	`x86_64` (even if 32-bit Windows app - wine provides multilib)
Wine dependency	Depend on `wine` or `wine-staging`
Install location	`/opt/appname/` or `/usr/share/appname/`
Wrapper script	Required in `/usr/bin/` to launch via wine
WINEPREFIX	Use per-application prefix in user's home
Desktop integration	Provide .desktop file with correct Exec line

Wine Template

bash

pkgname=example-app
pkgver=1.0.0
pkgrel=1
pkgdesc="Example Windows application (Wine)"
arch=('x86_64')
url="https://example.com"
license=('custom')
depends=('wine')
optdepends=('wine-gecko: HTML rendering'
            'wine-mono: .NET support')
source=("https://example.com/download/Example-$pkgver.exe")
sha256sums=('...')

package() {
    # Install Windows executable and files
    install -dm755 "$pkgdir/opt/$pkgname"
    install -Dm755 Example-$pkgver.exe "$pkgdir/opt/$pkgname/example.exe"
    
    # Install wrapper script
    install -Dm755 /dev/stdin "$pkgdir/usr/bin/$pkgname" << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
export WINEPREFIX="$HOME/.wine-example"
export WINEARCH=win32  # or win64

# Initialize prefix if needed
if [ ! -d "$WINEPREFIX" ]; then
    wineboot -u
fi

# Launch application
exec wine /opt/example-app/example.exe "$@"
EOF
    
    # Desktop file
    install -Dm644 /dev/stdin "$pkgdir/usr/share/applications/$pkgname.desktop" << EOF
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Example Application
Comment=Example Windows app via Wine
Exec=/usr/bin/$pkgname
Icon=$pkgname
Type=Application
Categories=Utility;
EOF
    
    # Install icon
    install -Dm644 icon.png "$pkgdir/usr/share/pixmaps/$pkgname.png"
    
    # Install license
    install -Dm644 LICENSE "$pkgdir/usr/share/licenses/$pkgname/LICENSE"
}

Wine Common Issues

Issue	Cause	Fix
Shared WINEPREFIX	Multiple apps using default prefix	Use dedicated WINEPREFIX per app
Wrong architecture	32-bit app with win64 prefix	Set WINEARCH=win32
Missing DLLs	Native Windows DLLs needed	Bundle DLLs or use winetricks
Installer won't extract	Wrong extraction method	Use cabextract or innoextract
Desktop file won't launch	Wrong Exec path	Use absolute path to wrapper script
Icon not showing	Wrong icon format	Extract .ico with wrestool/icotool

MinGW Packages

MinGW packages cross-compile software to run on Windows using mingw-w64 toolchain.

MinGW Key Rules

Rule	Description
Package naming	`mingw-w64-pkgname` (static: `mingw-w64-pkgname-static`)
Architecture	Always `any` (unless executables run on build system)
Prefixes	`/usr/i686-w64-mingw32/` and `/usr/x86_64-w64-mingw32/`
Dependencies	Always depend on `mingw-w64-crt`
makedepends	Always include `mingw-w64-gcc`
options	Always: `!strip`, `staticlibs`, `!buildflags`
Build both	32-bit (i686) AND 64-bit (x86_64) versions

MinGW Template

bash

pkgname=mingw-w64-example
pkgver=1.0.0
pkgrel=1
pkgdesc="Example library (mingw-w64)"
arch=('any')
url="https://example.com"
license=('GPL')
makedepends=('mingw-w64-configure')
depends=('mingw-w64-crt')
options=('!strip' '!buildflags' 'staticlibs')
source=("https://example.com/example-$pkgver.tar.gz")
sha256sums=('...')

_architectures="i686-w64-mingw32 x86_64-w64-mingw32"

build() {
  cd example-$pkgver
  for _arch in ${_architectures}; do
    mkdir -p build-${_arch} && pushd build-${_arch}
    ${_arch}-configure ..
    make
    popd
  done
}

package() {
  for _arch in ${_architectures}; do
    cd "example-$pkgver/build-${_arch}"
    make DESTDIR="${pkgdir}" install
    ${_arch}-strip --strip-unneeded "$pkgdir"/usr/${_arch}/bin/*.dll
    ${_arch}-strip -g "$pkgdir"/usr/${_arch}/lib/*.a
    rm -r "$pkgdir"/usr/${_arch}/share/{doc,man,info}
  done
}

MinGW Common Issues

Issue	Cause	Fix
Files in /usr/local	Wrong prefix	Set --prefix=/usr/${_arch}
Missing DLLs	Not in bin/ directory	Install DLLs to /usr/${_arch}/bin/
Only 32-bit or 64-bit	Missing architecture	Build for both i686 and x86_64
No static libraries	Only shared built	Build both shared and static

Electron Packages

Electron packages bundle web applications with Chromium and Node.js runtime. Use system electron when possible.

Electron Key Rules

Rule	Description
Use system electron	Prefer `electron` package over bundled runtime
Package naming	No special suffix (use upstream name)
electron dependency	Add versioned `electron*` (e.g., `electron34`) to `depends`
Architecture	`any` if no native extensions, `x86_64` if compiled modules
Wrapper script	Required to launch app with system electron
Resources location	`/usr/lib/appname/` (arch-dependent) or `/usr/share/appname/` (any)

Electron Template

bash

pkgname=example-app
pkgver=1.0.0
pkgrel=1
pkgdesc="Example Electron application"
arch=('x86_64')
url="https://example.com"
license=('MIT')
depends=('electron34')
makedepends=('npm' 'nodejs')
source=("https://example.com/$pkgname-$pkgver.tar.gz")
sha256sums=('...')

build() {
    cd "$pkgname-$pkgver"
    
    # Update electron version
    npm pkg set devDependencies.electron=$(cat /usr/lib/electron34/version)
    
    # Install dependencies
    npm install
    
    # Build with electron-builder
    ./node_modules/.bin/electron-builder --linux --x64 --dir \
        -c.electronDist=/usr/lib/electron34 \
        -c.electronVersion=$(cat /usr/lib/electron34/version)
}

package() {
    cd "$pkgname-$pkgver"
    
    # Install app resources (not electron runtime)
    install -dm755 "$pkgdir/usr/lib/$pkgname"
    cp -r dist/linux-unpacked/resources/app "$pkgdir/usr/lib/$pkgname/"
    
    # Create wrapper script
    install -Dm755 /dev/stdin "$pkgdir/usr/bin/$pkgname" << EOF
#!/bin/sh
exec /usr/bin/electron34 /usr/lib/$pkgname/app "\$@"
EOF
    
    # Desktop file
    install -Dm644 "$pkgname.desktop" "$pkgdir/usr/share/applications/$pkgname.desktop"
    
    # Icon
    install -Dm644 icon.png "$pkgdir/usr/share/pixmaps/$pkgname.png"
    
    # License
    install -Dm644 LICENSE "$pkgdir/usr/share/licenses/$pkgname/LICENSE"
}

Electron Common Issues

Issue	Cause	Fix
Bundled electron	Not using system electron	Use electron dependency + wrapper
Wrong electron version	Version mismatch	Match electron version in package.json
Missing app.asar	Wrong build output	Check electron-builder config
Wrapper doesn't work	Wrong path to app	Verify /usr/lib/$pkgname/app exists

CLR Packages (.NET/Mono)

CLR packages use Mono runtime for .NET applications. Mono provides CLR runtime on Linux.

CLR Key Rules

Rule	Description
Package naming	Append `-mono` suffix (e.g., `example-mono`)
arch	Always `any` (Mono doesn't support 64-bit compilation yet)
options	Always include `!strip`
mono dependency	Always add `mono` to `depends`
Signed assemblies	GAC installation requires signed DLLs
Debug database	Convert .pdb to .mdb: `pdb2mdb Foo.dll`
Executables	Install shell wrapper to `/usr/bin`

CLR Template

bash

pkgname=foo-mono
_pkgname=foo
pkgver=1.0.0
pkgrel=1
pkgdesc=".NET library for Foo"
arch=('any')
url="https://example.com"
license=('GPL')
depends=('mono')
makedepends=('mono')
options=('!strip')
source=("https://example.com/$_pkgname-$pkgver.tar.gz")
sha256sums=('...')

build() {
    cd "$_pkgname-$pkgver"
    xbuild Foo.sln
}

package() {
    cd "$_pkgname-$pkgver/bin/Release"
    
    # For libraries: install DLL
    install -Dm644 Foo.dll "$pkgdir/usr/lib/$_pkgname/Foo.dll"
    
    # For executables: install wrapper script
    install -dm755 "$pkgdir/usr/bin"
    cat > "$pkgdir/usr/bin/$_pkgname" << 'EOF'
#!/bin/sh
exec mono /usr/lib/$_pkgname/Foo.exe "$@"
EOF
    chmod 755 "$pkgdir/usr/bin/$_pkgname"
}

CLR Common Issues

Issue	Cause	Fix
Assembly not found	Wrong DLL location	Install to /usr/lib/appname/
Strip breaks DLL	makepkg strips .NET assemblies	Add !strip to options
Missing mono runtime	Not in depends	Add mono to depends
GAC install fails	Unsigned assembly	Sign assembly or skip GAC