On Tue, 20 Oct 1998, Sean Stoner wrote:
> This package, from what I can make of it, is a great addition to linuxconf!
> Since I can't find a helpfile though (see my email with subject "help files
> missing"), it's very difficult to try and use this tool. If someone could
> direct me to the helpfile, that would be tremendous; otherwise I have a
> couple of questions about the functionality.
>
> The biggest pain with managing rpms is keeping up to date with the updates
> (i.e., errata) from the vendors (e.g., RH). A brilliant way of handling this
> would be to compare a list of packages that are currently installed with
> those that are available at an update site (e.g.,
> ftp://ftp.alpha1.net/pub/redhat/updates/5.1/i386/). If there's a package
> that is a later version, then it would basically "store" that update
> somewhere (e.g., "rpm -Uhv
> ftp://ftp.alpha1.net/pub/redhat/updates/5.1/i386/packagename-1.1.1.i386.rpm"
> ). After compiling a list of packages that need updating, it would then
> iterate over them to double check dependencies such that either additional
> packages would be installed or the package updates would be re-ordered to
> best match the dependencies. After all this is done, it could send an email
> to the administrator telling him/her that there are rpm updates waiting to
> be done. Then, the admin could bring up linuxconf and tell it to implement
> the updates, which would then execute this "script" that would have been
> created above.
I have written the help files for managerpm yesterday and probably will
release a new package tomorrow. managerpm is the first module developped
outside of linuxconf source tree and relies on the linuxconf-devel
package. There were some glitches in the strategy to handle the help files
for those modules. So this is coming.
> Does the current implementation do anything like this? As I am writing this,
> I am installing the source to the module to study it in detail. I still
> would very much like to get a hold of the helpfile though.
This is one of the target of managerpm. Currently, it does not support the
ftp protocol. You point it to a directory and provide a file pattern and
it will retrieve the list of all package which are installed on your
system, but not up to date. From this list, you can check/uncheck the
package you want to upgrade. The list clearly show the current installed
version and the new version.
Once you have selected which packages to update (by default, all), it will
run rpm -U on them. Currently, there is no support to suggest missing
package by checking the requirement of the updates. Could be added though.
The dialog also has a check box to show new package (not installed).
The ftp protocol is not supported yet because I have a problem with rpm
(maybe I have missed a feature). If you do this
rpm -U ftp://..../file1.rpm ftp://...../file2.rpm
rpm will create a new ftp session for each file instead of sharing one for
all. This pretty much break a ftp server (inetd will stop the service when
more than 40 connection is made in a single minute).
I guess there is a way around and this is something I would like to do. In
fact, if ftp is supported, the a new checkbox could be added, allowing one
to grab and keep a copy of the packages to upgrade other machine for
example.
One idea many would like to see is thie scenario
point linuxconf to an ftp site
it shows which package have to be upgrade
you do that
you test your box and all is fine
you "push" that, using the netadm module to all the other
boxes in your organisation.
This later feature includes sharing packages list using netadm (easy) and
then sharing package (rpm files) also using netadm. Why ? In many
organisation and network, there are a lot of machine to update and ftp is
not always possible. So potentially several strategy may be supported.
Anyway, managerpm is a small module (< 1000 lines of code). Check the
source and provide patches, ideas. This has a huge potential and we are
only tapping a small part currently.
--------------------------
Jacques Gelinas
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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