Otherwise I would be installing the full IDE just for that. I only need the Pascal compiler.
Installation
If you only need non-GUI components: in Lazarus: Package/Open Package File, select laz_fpspreadsheet.lpk, click Compile. Now the package is known to Lazarus (and should e.g. show up in Package/Package Links). Now you can add a dependency on laz_fpspreadsheet in your project options and fpspreadsheet to the uses clause of the project units that need to use it.
But there it says that to install it, I need to do it using Lazarus's Package Manager. Is there an alternative way to install this unit (and its dependencies) from the command line?
The Lazarus code editor is Pascal-aware. E.g. (once the editor knows what files are where) on the statement "MyWorkbook := TsWorkbook.Create;" double click to select the word TsWorkbook, then (for Linux) control-click - the code editor opens another tab with the cursor pointing at the class definition of TsWorkbook.
If you use another editor for Pascal programming, you'll still need to set up that editor to do similar. Which editor do you use?
The lpk file specifies the files that make up the package. Again, if you use another editor, well, firstly is it lpk-aware?
Dunno about installing, but once you set up a Lazarus project for your application, then you could build it from the CLI with the command "lazbuild myproject.lpi".
....Yeah, emacs user are like that....
Emacs.
In this case, it only tookSame model will also build the GUI components, you just need to get the command line right.to build all (non-visual) units. The only thing needed from Lazarus were some units (avglvltree and its dependencies).
fpc -Fu<"lazutils" directory> -Fi.. fpspreadsheet fpc -Fu<"lazutils" directory> -Fi.. fpsallformats
I'll try lazbuild next time,Lazbuild is great if you already have a Lazarus install with all the packages you need but if you want to to do automated builds for quality control, remote builds for eg Debian etc, a pure FPC build is the way to go. Maybe Warfley's script helps the Lazbuild model but the pure FPC is dead easy (and easier to debug) once you have it in place. Easy to turn into a makefile too.