Re: [gentoo-catalyst] Couple of questions

[Chris Gianelloni]

On Wed, 2005-12-14 at 09:51 -0600, Mikey wrote:
> On Wednesday 14 December 2005 09:03, Chris Gianelloni spammed:
>
> > Using a seed with only python 2.4 is the proper solution.  If you do not
> > have such a seed, build a stage4 tarball with only python in it with
> > your new snapshot.  You can use a 2005.1-r1 stage3 as your seed.  Have
> > the stage4 run python-updater in your fsscript.  You can then use this
> > updated stage4 as your seed for building stage1.
>
> Python will be automatically upgraded at stage3, which means that catalyst
> is creating a stage3 with both versions of python.  Actually both versions
> of anything that might be slotted during that build of the stage3 target.
> Call me anal but that seems to be a rather poor state to leave it in.
> Regardless, the functionality provided by the stage4 fsscript is a
> workaround...

OK.  I'm going to list the proper process for creating "clean" stages.

> Perhaps I am wanting  catalyst to do something that it is not intended to
> do, maybe you can clarify for me.
>
> I want to be able to create clean, pristine, generic x86 stage1s with the
> current toolchain to use as my seed for subsequent builds.  From mistakes I
> have been making and what you have been telling me, I am going to assume
> the following is the correct way to do this?

It isn't.  I'll answer in-line.

> Create a stage1 seed to use for future stage2s

Yes and no.  You will want to create a stage1, but not in any way that
you have described.

> 1) Use an unaltered stage1-x86-2005.0-r1.tar.bz2 from gentoo with a generic
> spec file, no changes in anything, only specify the source and snapshot, to
> create a stage2.  This will create a stage2 with the current gcc, binutils,
> glibc, etc...

This is unnecessary.

> 2) Use the resulting stage2, with no customizations, to create a stage3.

Again, unnecessary.

> 3) Use the resulting stage3 to create a new stage1, which would now contain
> the updated toolchain.

Instead of wasting all the time of building your own stage3 just to
build a stage1, use stage3-x86-2005.1-r1.tar.bz2 and build your stage1
from this.  Building a stage1 will *always* be up-to-date to what is in
your snapshot.  No files from the stage3 are actually put into the
stage1 tarball, so it can be older than your snapshot.  This is how we
build newer Gentoo releases.

> Use my new stage1 to create my customized stage2/3s

Correct.

> 1) Use the stage1 seed created above, create spec file for stage2 with my
> cflags, chost, cxxflags, and (where do use flags fit in)?

You cannot set USE flags for your lower stages.  You will need to create
a profile.  The USE flags *must* match what is in the profile.

> 2) Use the new stage2 to create a stage3, I am assuming the cflags, chost,
> cxxflags, and use flags will migrate from the stage2 via the
> catalyst-generated make.conf and need no alteration?

Correct.  These come from the seed stage for stages 1 and 3 (under _rc9
and up).

> I am a little confused about where my USE preferences need to be applied and
> how they migrate from stage2 -> stage3 -> stage4.  Would they go in the
> stage2 spec file with stage2/use, or a env script, or would I need to hand
> edit the stage2 make.conf before using it?  Afterwards, will I ever need to
> change the USE flags again for that particular release?

Well, stage2/use is invalid and ignored.  Also, stage3/use is invalid
and ignored.  You do not change the USE in stages 1 through 3.  Period.
To make changes to these stages, you need to make a new profile with
your changes.  This could either be done via editing your portage tree
before making the snapshot, or as portdir_overlay in each spec file.  No
hand-editing is ever required.

-- 
Chris Gianelloni
Release Engineering - Strategic Lead
x86 Architecture Team
Games - Developer
Gentoo Linux