Various portage problems/questions

n1hck · n00b Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 34

I recently installed the latest Xine (masked versions) and when I do an emerge sync, then emerge -pu world Xine doesnt show up wanting to downgrade.

I have alsa RC7 installed and the latest unmasked version is rc6 when I do emerge -pu world it wants to downgrade it.

so why does xine not show up in an emerge -pu world?

thank you

Nick D

David_Escott · l33t Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 952 Location: Boston, MA

if Xine is not in the world file then it will not be checked. You can try emerge -up --deep world which will check all the programs in the world file and all their dependencies.

As an example suppose X-1.0 is in the world file and X-1.1 has been released.

X-1.0 depends on Y>1.0
X-1.1 depends on Y>1.1 and Z>1.1

but you went ahead and installed Y-1.2

then emerge -up X will look for the newest version of X namely 1.1 and then make sure its dependencies are satisfied. Y>1.1 is Z>1.1 is not so only X-1.1 and Z-1.1 are installed.

emerge -up --deep X will look for the newest version of X and check that its dependencies are installed. and then do the same for all of its dependencies. So it then checks Y and sees that Y-1.1 is the newest version and will want to downgrade Y-1.2

n1hck · n00b Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 34

ok..so its normal that Xine was not put int he world file...???

lol...

just want to make sure im keeping portage clean and intact, and not messing anything up.

Nick D

David_Escott · l33t Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 952 Location: Boston, MA

The presence or abscence of stuff in the world file is somewhat confusing. In the long run people tend to just make their own world files. You can take the output of qpkg -I and build a world file from that which contains all installed software. From there you can just take the stuff that isn't end-user out and have a functioning world file.

n1hck · n00b Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 34

so the world file can be fooled with? to an extent?

and Xine being absent from the world file had nothing to do with anything I did right?

it was just made that way?

I know I didnt add or take anything out of my world file.

Thanks for the help man!

Nick D

David_Escott · l33t Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 952 Location: Boston, MA

you can mess with the world file to your hearts content. The reason why it wasnt in there was probably due to the fact that it was installed as a dependency of something else. I think the only time something is added to the world file is if you emerge program in which case program is added. If dependency is installed with program it wont be, and emerge -u dependency wont do anything either.

n1hck · n00b Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 34

ok well this changes everything. I always thought the world file was a dynamic generated file or something I shouldnt fool with.

well.. sounds good to me..

so I guess since im using a few masked versions of things (alsa) and a few outdated things that I want to keep (2.4.19 kernel) I can take them out of the world file so they dont get up/downgraded when I do emerge -u world...

I can just have the stuff I want upgraded to be in the world file.

SWEEEET.

thanks man!

Nick D

David_Escott · l33t Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 952 Location: Boston, MA

/var/cache/edb/world

the fact that it is in a cache directory indicates that it can be deleted/modified etc. Items in the cache directory are rebuilt over time and are stored for faster lookup. In terms of the world file it is "rebuilt" as you install ner programs.