Allow Helm create starters option to use paths

Updated docs to reflect changes

cmd/helm/create.go

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ func newCreateCmd(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 		},
 	}
 
-	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&cc.starter, "starter", "p", "", "the named Helm starter scaffold")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&cc.starter, "starter", "p", "", "the name or path of the Helm starter scaffold")
 	return cmd
 }
 
@@ -97,6 +98,12 @@ func (c *createCmd) run() error {
 	if c.starter != "" {
 		// Create from the starter
 		lstarter := filepath.Join(c.home.Starters(), c.starter)
+		// Check without helm home
+		if _, err := os.Stat(lstarter); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			if _, err := os.Stat(c.starter); err == nil {
+				lstarter = c.starter
+			}
+		}
 		return chartutil.CreateFrom(cfile, filepath.Dir(c.name), lstarter)
 	}
 

docs/charts.md

@@ -843,6 +843,7 @@ The `helm create` command takes an optional `--starter` option that lets you
 specify a "starter chart".
 
 Starters are just regular charts, but are located in `$HELM_HOME/starters`.
+You can specify the path to a starter using the `--starter` option.
 As a chart developer, you may author charts that are specifically designed
 to be used as starters. Such charts should be designed with the following
 considerations in mind:
@@ -853,6 +854,3 @@ considerations in mind:
 - All occurences of `<CHARTNAME>` will be replaced with the specified chart
   name so that starter charts can be used as templates.
 
-Currently the only way to add a chart to `$HELM_HOME/starters` is to manually
-copy it there. In your chart's documentation, you may want to explain that
-process.