Portage logs... people keep tell me to read em...

[Kde_User]

I keep hearing people telling me to read portage logs, but i cant find them, in /var/log/ :/ i am compiling software, and it seems i must be next to this system 24x7 while it works,,, my eyes are allready hurting... can you pls tell me where these logs are, latest message: you need to type revdep-rebuild... and i type wheris revdep-rebuild and its nowhere... ahh. i cant get back to it either...

[adsmith]

There are two relevant logs.
/var/log/emerge.log tracks all emerge processes. It can be used to watch progress, but doesn't give all the info messages or anything.

To turn on logging, make sure this is in your /etc/make.conf

Code: Select all

PORTAGE_ELOG_CLASSES="warn error log info"
PORTAGE_ELOG_SYSTEM="save"

the logs will show up under /var/log/portage/elog

EDIT: (I think this is on by default in a new-ish baselayout, isn't it?) Also, you can look at /etc/make.conf.example to see how to have these logs emailed to you. it's very convenient!

[Mark Clegg]

By default the logs goto screen, which is why you're having to watch them scroll past.

You can divert them to E-Mail by setting the PORTAGE_ELOG.... entries in your make.conf

Example - change to suit your own setup...

Code: Select all

PORTAGE_ELOG_SYSTEM="mail"
PORTAGE_ELOG_MAILURI="root@localhost localhost"
PORTAGE_ELOG_MAILFROM="portage@localhost"
PORTAGE_ELOG_MAILSUBJECT="package \${PACKAGE} merged on \${HOST} with notice"

As for revdep-rebuild - that's part of the gentoolkit package, which you should merge.

[Kde_User]

What about the previous problems, where are the logs for that? or do i need to re-install to get back to there...

[adsmith]

What sort of problems?

If anything actually fails, emerge will exit with a failure code. The stuff that comes through the ELOG system is usually just configuration advice.

I personally would not go back and re-emerge just to get those notices. Especially if this is a new install, you're probably OK if you go through your emerge's, then do a revdep-rebuild.

Also, if you are REALLY curious, the messages are written into the ebuilds, under /usr/portage.

[Kde_User]

yep, this was a fresh install, so i need to emerge somthing to get revdep-rebuild, and then i can continue? this system is giving me a lot of errors, gnome has many errors, and programs take 3 times as long to start as they do in other linux systems

[adsmith]

Well, if you have particular errors, feel free to post them in the relevant forums, and we'll try to help.

[Kde_User]

Well, after many fights with this, i finaly gave up, moving back to debian.... somehow libdvdcss is inclueded in gnome, hence i cant use gentoo, goodbye for now, i may return when i have a new computer and way to remove libdvdcss, and when portage is better, eg it can remove things... maybe i will come back in 2008, for now, goodbye. I learned a lot from gentoo, but it takes more time that i will be having soon.

[ohadbasan]

Hello,

This solutions works for me.
but, let's say i merge 100 packages
the system logs 100 new files in the elog directory
do i actually have to go one by one and search for a relevant message?
most of the messages are irrelevent (such as "updating XYZ"
is there a simpler way?

Thanks.

[John R. Graham]

You can emerge app-portage/elogv or app-portage/kelogviewer, both of which provide some automation.

- John

[ohadbasan]

Thanks alot!