How to test an ebuild without messing the system up

bernhardd · n00b Joined: 31 Aug 2012 Posts: 8

Hi,

Is there an easy way to test a modified ebuild without messing the system up, e.g, no install into /usr. I have modified the openfoam ebuild and I dont want to overwrite the installed version, while testing the new ebuild.

regards,
Bernhard

Jaglover · Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 11:20 pm Post subject:

You can install into /usr/local, it should be before /usr on your $PATH, so it will take precedence over version in /usr.
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ppurka · Advocate Joined: 26 Dec 2004 Posts: 3256

Don't install it! Use --buildpkgonly to only build it and package it without installing it. This emerge switch has one caveat - the dependencies of the ebuild must already be installed in the system.
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Oniryczny · Guru Joined: 01 Dec 2011 Posts: 419 Location: Poland

what about sandbox?
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John R. Graham · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 10:23 am Post subject:

Too complicated. How about the ebuild command? Or, just use quickpkg on the installed version so you have a good backup.

- John
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Genone · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 11:52 am Post subject:

The main question is what you want to test. For a simple build test ebuild(1) or --buildpkgonly can work. For a runtime test it may be possible to run it from the image/ build directory without running the "merge" phase, but that depends on the software. In doubt there's always the option to setup a chroot/VM/container for testing.

John R. Graham · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 12:51 pm Post subject:

One other point that hasn't been mentioned. Portage is fairly clever about when it makes permanent modifications to your system. Unless the ebuild-driven package build and install (which Portage does to a temporary location) are completely successful, Portage won't make any modifications to your installed packages. So, in truth, I think you're over thinking this. The easiest way to test a modified ebuild is to emerge it.

- John
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bernhardd · n00b Joined: 31 Aug 2012 Posts: 8

Thank you very much for all your suggestions. I have not thought of a chroot environment before. Would this work to create a copy of my system for chroot:

mkdir /path/to/chroot/{bin,dev,etc,lib32,lib64,opt,proc,root,run,sbin,sys,tmp,usr,var}
cp -a -t /path/to/chroot/ /bin /etc /lib* /sbin /usr
mount -t proc none /path/to/chroot/proc
mount --rbind /sys /patch/to/chroot/sys
mount --rbind /dev /path/to/chroot/dev

regards
Bernhard

phajdan.jr · Posted: Sat Jul 27, 2013 4:36 am Post subject:

I rather recommend something similar to http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/base/x86/chroot.xml to create the chroot.
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bernhardd · n00b Joined: 31 Aug 2012 Posts: 8

I will take a look at it.

thanks
Bernhard