Install Masked Package

[Evileye]

How do I install a masked package?

[SlashRhumSlashNeisson]

Hi,

are you serious

http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Use_Portage_Correctly#A_Good_Method:_.2Fetc.2Fportage.2Fpackage.keywords


example for gspcav1 package

In /etc/portage/

[slycordinator]

If it is masked by keyword, meaning like you are running x86 and it is keyworded as ~x86 for unstable/not-fully-tested) then you would need to do something like this:

[Hu]

The original poster did not specify which type of mask, and seems sufficiently ill-informed about masking that I am going to assume he or she may not know the consequences of overriding a mask. If the reader does know the consequences and just did not know the method, then ignore the rest of this post.

Packages are masked on purpose, usually because they are not deemed suitable for consumption by unwarned users. Unmasking the package is notification to Portage that you have been warned of the consequences of using the package, and want to proceed anyway. If a package is masked by keywords, that is an indication it may not or will not build and run correctly on your system. For instance, packages which are not 64-bit clean are marked as broken on 64-bit architectures. A package which is "unstable" may work perfectly well or it may not. If the package is masked by package.mask, that is a deliberate act by a developer to try to prevent more serious problems. Common reasons for placing a package in package.mask include, but are not limited to:

- Known serious security vulnerabilities, such as remote execution of arbitrary code.
- Known major incompatibilities with other common packages, such as an API change that breaks the compilation of other packages (e.g. neon breaks API quite often).
- Pending removal from the Portage tree, so users should not start using it now.
- Experimental package that requires extensive testing by informed users before it is unleashed on the general userbase, such as baselayout-2.

Finally, the big warning:
Masked packages often receive less or even no support. If you unmask a package without knowing what you are doing, you may be left to clean up the mess yourself if anything breaks. Forum regulars can try to help resolve problems, but you could create a sufficiently large mess that there is no quick way out.

[Evileye]

@SlashRhumSlashNeisson - Yeah I am serious but I'm not going to install a masked package because of what Hu said.

@slycordinator -Thanks for the info

@Hu - Ok I won't use a masked package because I don't want to screw up my system

[Hu]

[Evileye]

[square_]

it makes a difference whether a package is masked by keyword (unmask in /etc/portage/package.keyword) or hard masked (unmask in /etc/portage/package.unmask).
masked by keyword could be fine, most likely just not thoroughly tested.

i use a full ~x86 system without much trouble, every now and then i have to mask a single package-version that doesnt work on my system.

most new versions of packages start keyword-masked.

[achlice]

nothing to do ~~~~~~~~~ just see it ~~
_________________
just do it ~~

[Hu]

I agree with square_. That package is neither hard masked nor critical to proper system operation. It is quite likely safe to install it.

[RodEz]

there is autounmask,a good utility that modify your .keywords file automatically.

[nixnut]

Moved from Installing Gentoo to Duplicate Threads.
Moved in favour of https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-33534.html
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