Re: [gentoo-user] update fails, but I don't see why

[Dale]

n952162 wrote:
> On 12/13/20 9:06 PM, Dale wrote:
>>
>> I agree.  I update once a week.  It seems a pretty good balance between
>> not having to do it to often and not having such drastic changes that it
>> makes things hard to work through.
>>
>> That said, when the tree is in the process of huge changes, it can
>> create problems even with weekly updates.  Right now, it is python and
>> the speed it is moving at.  Some versions that have been around for
>> ages, 2.7, is being removed.  Then python 3.6 is leaving etc etc etc.
>> Those of us that have been around long enough have seen this with other
>> packages as well.  Some packages are just hard to upgrade to begin with
>> and some create circular problems. The longer it goes between updates,
>> the larger that problem gets to be.  You get two different packages
>> doing that, you can find yourself running around in circles trying to
>> get emerge to chew what it can.
>>
>> While I usually do updates on Sunday evening, I'm considering doing
>> twice a week, Sunday and Wednesday.  At least until python settles down
>> a bit. Thing is, I think the worst part may be about over.  I think 2.7
>> is gone here, I think 3.6 is too.  That's two down.  It seems 3.7 and
>> above will be around a while but if they start going away soon, I may do
>> two updates a week if it starts making updates harder.
>>
>> Time can be a problem but sometimes it just depends on what packages
>> have changed and how fast they have changed.  For some systems that
>> haven't been updated in a while, having to remove python 2.7 and 3.6 in
>> one go, can cause problems that are hard to get around.  Right now just
>> isn't a good time to let updates get to far apart.
>>
>> The only thing that makes some of this survivable, getting help on this
>> mailing list.  Some people can decode the output of emerge and find a
>> way to work through it. Some are fairly easy, some not so much.
>> Sometimes removing/commenting out things in the world file will help.
>> Sometimes doing @system first helps. Sometimes you just have to update
>> certain packages in small chunks to get through a upgrade.  Finding that
>> right option sometimes requires help.
>>
>> Just some thoughts.
>>
>> Dale
>>
>> :-)  :-)
>>
>>
>>
>
> My problem is I can't find a diagnostic methodology.  The one I most
> often hear is, update more often, or trail and error solutions.
>
> Does all that information in emerge's output point the way to the
> problem, and I just have to learn to understand it,  or am I just
> wasting my time there?  Are there better tools than log parsing? I know,
> there are lots of good tools,  but there needs to be methodology for
> using them (like understanding gentoo ;-) )
>
>
>


I been using Gentoo for a good long while and most of the time, I still
can't understand what it spits out onto my screen.  I've seen some say
to start at the bottom, then work your way up.  Even with that, it
doesn't help me understand it most times.  Generally, I do some trial
and error.  If that fails, post to this list including everything I can
that is relevant. 

I think the thing that has helped me the most, good defaults when
updating the system.  I set the -1 emerge option as a default to keep
the world file clean.  After that, the rest is about updating as deep as
I can to keep things as sane as possible.  Sure, it may update things
other options would leave out but it gives me a more stable system. 
It's rare that I have software crash.  It happens but is usually cleared
up with the next upgrade.  I don't have them because of some mismatch
between different versions of software tho.  Doing just a plain emerge
-u world is not near as good as emerge -uUDN world.  Just the -D will
make a big difference.

I posted this before but not sure what thread it was.  This is my
default options from make.conf.  Keep in mind, this links to the real
one in /etc/portage.  I'm still used to the old location.


root@fireball / # cat /etc/make.conf | grep emerge
EMERGE_DEFAULT_OPTS="--with-bdeps y --backtrack=100 --keep-going -v -j5
--quiet-build=n -1 --unordered-display"
root@fireball / #


I haven't adjusted that in a while but may look into it later.  I've
seen a few posts about some new options.  Over the years tho, that has
given me a pretty stable system.  Depending on what packages are getting
updated upstream, one may can wait a month or so between updates.  At
times tho, weekly may be a lot easier.  It reminds me of the old
question; how do you eat a elephant?  One bite at a time is a lot easier
than trying to swallow it whole.  Updating a Gentoo system is sort of
the same way.  It is a lot easier than it was 10 or 15 years ago tho. 

Just some ideas and how I do things.  Your mileage may vary. 

Dale

:-)  :-)