[gentoo-dev] Re: etc-update & ._cfg* files: major issue with gentoo?

[Brian Jackson]

I like my menus better ;) Mine will save the diff to a file and clean up the 
cfg file if you want. I don like that ability to show the diff again though. 
I think I might add it. I guess it is good to have choices. I was even 
thinking about writing a PyQT version. 

Viktor Lakics writes: 

> Brian and Dhruba,
>
> This is exactly what etc-update does...I use it with vim diff mode,
> which shows you diff side by side and let you make the changes if
> you want, and drops you back to the selection of action...

Thats nice if you use vim. I don't. 

>
> etc-update even has an ncurses interface (undocumented), just set
> mode="1" in /etc/etc-update.conf.

I just tried it out and it seems like only the first screen is curses, with 
everything else being text based. 

>
> For vim mode uncomment the relevant section in the same file.
>
> There is a script published in the forums
>
> (http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=13390&sid=8a5a38efe9621ddcc819c58efd50abbf),
>
> which can "auto-update" your config files -> this is GREAT because
> it helps you with those files YOU have not tuoched before (these are
> updated) as for the rest what you custumised, you will want to know
> what portage does with them...
>
> Hope this helps... -- Viktor
>
>
>
>
> On Sun, Jan 05, 2003 at 08:27:40PM -0600, Brian Jackson wrote:
>> I didn't even know about etc-update until I saw you mention it in your
>> email. So, being the good sysadmin I am, I wrote a script that has similar
>> functionality. I have actually been getting it ready to release for the
>> past week or 2. I put it up at http://www.mdrx.com/brian/ It finds all the
>> rogue ._cfg* files and diff's them against the real cfg file and displays
>> the diff's. Let me know if you find any problems with it. Also let me know
>> if you would like to see any other features.
>>
>> --Brian Jackson
>>
>> Dhruba Bandopadhyay writes:
>>
>> >Hello,
>> >
>> >I am having great difficulty dealing with one particular feature of gentoo
>> >and would like to bring it to your attention.  I am writing in length
>> >since I very much like gentoo and would like to do whatever I can to
>> >further its progress.
>> >
>> >When emerging packages configuration files beginning with ._cfg* are left
>> >in /etc and other locations and on subsequent emerges portage warns that
>> >one has X number of files remaining.  Now, on many occassions I have had
>> >several of these files on my system and have postponed dealing with them
>> >simply because they are a hassle.  Once in a while however, I use
>> >etc-update to sort them with care.
>> >
>> >There are many problems with the way this is done for a non-expert user
>> >(which may include myself) and the ones below are only a few of them.
>> >
>> >(1) It is not completely clear which files should be deleted and which
>> >overwritten.
>> >(2) Errors can result from making necessary changes using etc-update.
>> >(3) There are no guidelines on the use of etc-update.   Although,
>> >documentation does warn that etc-update can be dangerous and must be used
>> >with care, how is the non-expert user to interpret this advice and how
>> >much does it really tell him about the use of it?
>> >(4) If files are not sorted they stay in their locations indefinitely,
>> >increase in number and portage warns the user about them on its every use.
>> >(5) Even if one does see differences in older versions and new ones how
>> >does one tell if these differences should be preserved or discarded?
>> >(6) If errors or difficulties result how does one rollback?
>> >(7) Shoud sorting be as time consuming as it is currently especially with
>> >the interactive merging of text?
>> >
>> >I can speak from experience about suffering from problems.  For instance
>> >today, despite sorting files as carefully as I could, gdm won't load
>> >anymore and shows no error messages since gdm files were overwritten
>> >(luckily I use xdm) and also fonts in gnome related applications are now
>> >huge and different because font locations were changed.  Now, I did look
>> >at the content of these files before I replaced the older versions but how
>> >is one to know beforehand what is going to cause issues?
>> >
>> >I am not referring to specific errors here but discussing the
>> >functionality of this feature.  Does this really have to be as much of an
>> >effort and annoyance as it is now and must one lose out on the benefits of
>> >new files simply because they do not dare overwrite the older files?  I
>> >would hate for something like this to be a drawback of an otherwise
>> >automated and applaudable OS.
>> >
>> >I hope I have been clear in expressing myself and I don't think for a
>> >minute that I'm alone in this issue.  Hence, I would very much like to
>> >hear comments and suggestions whatever they may be from users and
>> >developers alike.
>> >
>> >Best wishes.
>> >--
>> >Dhruba Bandopadhyay | dhruba@××××××××××××.uk | ICQ 31628525
>> >Gentoo Linux 1.4rc1 | Vanilla Sources 2.4.20 | Enlightenment 16.5
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >--
>> >gentoo-dev@g.o mailing list
>> >
>>
>>
>> --
>> gentoo-dev@g.o mailing list
>>
>
> --
> _______________________________________
> Viktor Lakics
> email: viktor@××××××.net
>
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