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Diffstat (limited to 'chapter_17.xml')
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1 files changed, 301 insertions, 62 deletions
diff --git a/chapter_17.xml b/chapter_17.xml index eb13319..409349b 100644 --- a/chapter_17.xml +++ b/chapter_17.xml @@ -2,9 +2,13 @@ <!DOCTYPE chapter PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.5//EN" "/usr/share/xml/docbook/xml-dtd-4.5/docbookx.dtd"> -<chapter> +<chapter id="ch_pkg"> <title>Package Management</title> +<indexterm> + <primary>Package Management</primary> +</indexterm> + <para> Package management is an essential part of any Linux distribution. Every piece of software included by Slackware, along with many @@ -17,9 +21,13 @@ worked by running package management tools on a list of packages. Here we'll look at the various tools used for handling Slackware packages. </para> -<section> +<section id="pkg_pktool"> <title><application>pkgtool</application></title> +<indexterm> + <primary>pkgtool</primary> +</indexterm> + <para> The simplest way to perform package maintenance tasks is to invoke <application>pkgtool</application>(8), a menu-driven interface to some of @@ -39,8 +47,21 @@ tools are needed. </section> -<section> -<title>Installing, Removing, and Upgrading Packages</title> +<section id="pkg_install-remove-upgrade"> + <title>Installing, Removing, and Upgrading Packages</title> + +<indexterm> + <primary>installpkg</primary> +</indexterm> +<indexterm> + <primary>removepkg</primary> +</indexterm> +<indexterm> + <primary>upgradepkg</primary> +</indexterm> +<indexterm> + <primary>Installing software</primary> +</indexterm> <para> While <application>pkgtool</application> scores points for convenience, @@ -55,43 +76,63 @@ simplest form, <application>installpkg</application> simply takes a list of packages to install, and does exactly what you would expect. </para> -<screen><prompt>darkstar:~# </prompt><userinput>installpkg blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2.txz</userinput> +<screen><prompt>darkstar:~# </prompt><userinput>installpkg blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2.txz</userinput> Verifying package blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2.txz. Installing package blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2.txz: PACKAGE DESCRIPTION: -# blackbox (Blackbox window manager) -# -# Blackbox is that fast, light window manager you have been looking for -# without all those annoying library dependencies. -# -# Also included in this package is the bbkeys utility for controlling -# keyboard shortcut commands from within Blackbox. -# -# The Blackbox home page is http://blackboxwm.sourceforge.net -# +# blackbox (Blackbox window manager) +# +# Blackbox is that fast, light window manager you have been looking for +# without all those annoying library dependencies. +# +# Also included in this package is the bbkeys utility for controlling +# keyboard shortcut commands from within Blackbox. +# +# The Blackbox home page is http://blackboxwm.sourceforge.net +# Package blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2.txz installed.</screen> <para> You can of course install multiple packages at a time, and in fact use shell wild cards. The following installs all of the "N" series -packages from a mounted CD-ROM. +packages from a mounted CD-ROM: </para> -<screen><prompt>darkstar:~# </prompt><userinput>installpkg /mnt/cdrom/slackware/n/*.txz</userinput></screen> +<screen><prompt>darkstar:~# </prompt><userinput>installpkg /mnt/cdrom/slackware/n/*.txz</userinput></screen> <para> -Removing a package is every bit as easy as installing one. As you might -expect, the command to do this is -<application>removepkg</application>(8). Simply tell it which packages -to remove, and <application>removepkg</application> will check the -contents of the package database and remove all the files and -directories for that package with one caveat. If that file is included -in multiple installed packages, it will be skipped and if a directory -has new files in it, the directory will be left in place. Because of -this, removing packages takes a good while longer than installing them. + At any given time, you can see what packages are installed on your + system by listing the contents of /var/log/packages, + which lists not only every application on your system but also the + version number. Should you want to know what individual files were + installed as a part of that package, <application>cat</application> + the contents of the package: </para> -<screen><prompt>darkstar:~# </prompt><userinput>removepkg blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2.txz</userinput> +<screen> +<prompt>darkstar:~# </prompt> <userinput>cat /var/log/packages/foo-1.0-x86_64.txz</userinput> +</screen> + +<para> + This will return everything from the size of the package, a + description of what it does, and the name and location of every file + installed as a part of the package. +</para> + +<para> + Removing a package is every bit as easy as installing one. As you + might expect, the command to do this is + <application>removepkg</application>(8). Simply tell it which + packages to remove, and <application>removepkg</application> will + check the contents of the package database and remove all the files + and directories for that package with one caveat. If that file is + included in multiple installed packages, it will be skipped and if a + directory has new files in it, the directory will be left in + place. Because of this, removing packages takes a good while longer + than installing them. +</para> + +<screen><prompt>darkstar:~# </prompt><userinput>removepkg blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2.txz</userinput> </screen> <para> @@ -100,31 +141,29 @@ Finally, upgrading is just as easy with (you guessed it), package, then removes whatever files and directories are left-over from the old package. One important thing to remember is that <application>upgradepkg</application> doesn't check to see if the -previously installed package has a higher version number than the "new" +previously installed package has a higher version number than the "new" package, so it can also be used to downgrade to older versions. </para> - - -<screen><prompt>darkstar:~# </prompt><userinput>upgradepkg blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2.txz</userinput> +<screen><prompt>darkstar:~# </prompt><userinput>upgradepkg blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2.txz</userinput> +============================================================================== | Upgrading blackbox-0.65.0-x86_64-4 package using -./blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2.txz +./blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2.txz +============================================================================== Pre-installing package blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2... Removing package -/var/log/packages/blackbox-0.65.0-x86_64-4-upgraded-2010-02-23,16:50:51... - --> Deleting symlink /usr/share/blackbox/nls/POSIX - --> Deleting symlink /usr/share/blackbox/nls/US_ASCII - --> Deleting symlink /usr/share/blackbox/nls/de - --> Deleting symlink /usr/share/blackbox/nls/en - --> Deleting symlink /usr/share/blackbox/nls/en_GB +/var/log/packages/blackbox-0.65.0-x86_64-4-upgraded-2010-02-23,16:50:51... + --> Deleting symlink /usr/share/blackbox/nls/POSIX + --> Deleting symlink /usr/share/blackbox/nls/US_ASCII + --> Deleting symlink /usr/share/blackbox/nls/de + --> Deleting symlink /usr/share/blackbox/nls/en + --> Deleting symlink /usr/share/blackbox/nls/en_GB ... Package blackbox-0.65.0-x86_64-4 upgraded with new package -./blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2.txz.</screen> +./blackbox-0.70.1-i486-2.txz.</screen> <para> All of these tools have useful arguments. For example, the @@ -132,48 +171,248 @@ All of these tools have useful arguments. For example, the packages into an arbitrary directory. The <arg>--dry-run</arg> argument will instruct <application>upgradepkg</application> to simply tell you what it would attempt without actually making any changes to the -system. For complete details, you should (as always) refer to the man +system. For complete details, you should (as always) refer to the man pages. </para> </section> -<section> -<title>Package Compression Formats</title> +<section id="pkg_compression"> + <title>Package Compression Formats</title> <para> -We won't go in depth into the details of package formats, but a few -words should be given here. In the past, all Slackware packages were -compressed with the <application>gzip</application>(1) compression -utility, which was a good compromise between compression speed and -size. Recently, new compression schemes have been added and the -package management tools have been upgraded to handle these. Today, -official Slackware packages are compressed with the -<application>xz</application> utility and end with .txz extensions. -Older packages (and many third party packages) still use the .tgz -extension. + In the past, all Slackware packages were compressed with the + <application>gzip</application>(1) compression utility, which was a + good compromise between compression speed and size. Recently, new + compression schemes have been added and the package management tools + have been upgraded to handle these. Today, official Slackware + packages are compressed with the <application>xz</application> + utility and end with .txz extensions. Older packages (and many + third party packages) still use the .tgz extension. </para> -</section> +<para> + It's worth emphasizing that .tgz and .txz (or, more succinctly, .t?z + files) are very standard, non-unique extensions for compressed .tar + files. This has many advantages; they're easy to build on nearly any + UNIX system (many other package formats require special toolchains), + and they're just as simple to de-construct. +</para> + +<para> + However, it is also important to realize that just because all Slackware + packages <emphasis>are</emphasis> .t?z files, not all .t?z files are + Slackware packages. <application>Installpkg</application> won't + magically install just any .t?z file, only Slackware packages. +</para> -<section> +<section id="pkg_slackpkg"> <title><application>slackpkg</application></title> +<indexterm> + <primary> + slackpkg + </primary> +</indexterm> + +<para> + <application>Slackpkg</application> is an automated tool for + management of Slackware Linux Packages. It originally appeared in + /extra for the release of slackware-12.1, and since the release + of slackware-12.2 it has been included in the ap/ series of a + base installation. +</para> + +<para> + Just as you are able to use <application>installpkg</application> to + install Slackware packages from the /extra directory included on + the install media, you can use <application>slackpkg</application> + to pull packages from the Internet and install them. This is + particularly useful for security updates or significant application + upgrades that are posted to the Slackware servers, some of which you + may want to start using on your own system. +</para> + +<para> + Without <application>slackpkg</application>, the process would be: +</para> + +<orderedlist> + <listitem> + <para> + Notice in the Slackware changelog that an update has been + released. + </para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + <para> + Look on your local Slackware mirror to find a download link of + the package. + </para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + <para> + Download the package from a Slackware mirror to your hard drive. + </para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + Use either <application>installpkg</application> or + <application>pkgtool</application> to install the downloaded + package. + </listitem> +</orderedlist> + +<para> + With <application>slackpkg</application>, this is reduced to: +</para> + +<orderedlist> + <listitem> + <para> + Notice in the Slackware changelog that an update for + <application>foo</application> has been released. + </para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + <para> + <command>slackpkg</command> <arg>install</arg> foo + </para> + </listitem> +</orderedlist> + +<para> + Clearly, this streamlines a fairly common task. +</para> + +<para> + To use <application>slackpkg</application>, configure your system + with a Slackware mirror by editing + <filename>/etc/slackpkg/mirrors</filename> as root. Find + the mirror that is associated with your Slackware version and + architecture, and uncomment it. This list of mirrors offers ftp and + http access, but you must uncomment <emphasis>only one</emphasis> + mirror. +</para> + <para> - The <application>slackpkg</application> is an automated tool for -management of Slackware Linux Packages. It was in /extra for -the release of slackware-12.1, and since the release of -slackware-12.2 it is included in the ap/ series of a base -installation. + Once a mirror has been selected, update the list of remote files by + issuing the initial command <command>slackpkg update</command>. This + should be done any time you notice that a new package has been + posted (regularly checking in with the Slackware changelog is + recommended; see <xref linkend="ch_updates"/> for more information). </para> + <para> - For more information see the <application>man</application> pages for -slackpkg(8) and slackpkg.conf(5). + To search for a package, use <command>slackpkg search foo</command>, + and to install use <command>slackpkg install foo</command>. </para> + <para> -Homepage: <ulink url="http://www.slackpkg.org/">http://www.slackpkg.org/</ulink> + Once a package has been installed with + <application>slackpkg</application>, it can be removed or upgraded + using <application>pkgtool</application> and the other package + management commands as detailed in <xref + linkend="pkg_install-remove-upgrade"/>. +</para> + +<para> + For more information see the <application>man</application> pages + for slackpkg(8) and slackpkg.conf(5), and see its website at <ulink + url="http://www.slackpkg.org/">http://www.slackpkg.org/</ulink> </para> </section> +<section id="pkg_rpm2tgz"> + <title>rpm2tgz</title> + +<indexterm> + <primary>rpm2tgz</primary> +</indexterm> + +<para> + One of the most ubiquitous package formats for Linux software is + RPM; it's not uncommon to find a developer offering their + application for download as either source code or an RPM file, and + no more. In this case, you would have three options: +</para> + +<orderedlist> + <listitem> + <para> + Build your own Slackware package. + </para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + <para> + Compile and install directly from source code. + </para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + <para> + Convert and install from RPM. + </para> + </listitem> +</orderedlist> + +<para> + Building from source code or creating your own Slackware package is + usually not as complex as you might think but installing directly from + source code is generally discouraged because there is no easy way to + track what has been installed on your system after issuing the + <command>make install</command> command. Building your own Slackware + packages is outside the scope of this chapter. So this leaves us with + the helpful tool <application>rpm2tgz</application>. +</para> + +<indexterm> +<primary>rpm</primary> +<secondary>redhat package manager</secondary> +</indexterm> + +<para> + <application>rpm2tgz</application> converts RPM packages into a + Slackware package that can then be installed via + <application>pkgtool</application> or + <application>installpkg</application>. This circumvents the need to + create your own Slackware package but grants you the benefit of + being able to remove, update, and track what you've installed. +</para> + +<warning> + <para> + While a Slackware package is just a shell script and source code, + an RPM package can by comparison be a maze of dependency listings + and special instructions. Therefore, + <application>rpm2tgz</application> will not always work, + especially on very complex applications, and it will never + magically resolve dependencies. + </para> +</warning> + +<para> + To try <application>rpm2tgz</application>, download an RPM file from + a trusted source and convert it: +</para> + +<programlisting> + rpm2tgz foo-x.x.xx.rpm +</programlisting> + +<para> + The result is a .tgz file, so after the conversion is finished, the + original RPM can safely be discarded. Use + <application>installpkg</application> to install the Slackware + package you've just created, provided that you've + installed all dependency code for the application to actually function. +</para> + +</section> +</section> </chapter> |