Re: [Pkgutil-users] patch to support non-standard VERSION entries

[Dagobert M. <da...@op...>]

Hi Mark,

Am 26.07.2010 um 16:56 schrieb ma...@pr...:
>> What we at CSW have found is that it's more or less impossible to
>> compare unknown version strings and _know_ which one is newer, simply
>> due to not knowing which ruleset the author of that software used.  
>> Not
>> to mention when they all of a sudden change it.
>
> Understood we might not catch 100% of cases, but if we can catch 98%  
> of cases, the outlying 2% can be treated as exceptions.  1.0 vs.  
> 1.0b2 would actually still work given the patch I presented you,  
> because the b would be stripped leaving 1.0 vs. 1.02.  What wouldn't  
> have worked was 1.0 vs. 1.0b.  But I have yet to find an example  
> like this from one of our vendors (all the examples I can find will  
> work with the patch I sent you).

Ok. But I would either rely 100% on the builtin-mechanism or 100% on  
the mapping file. Don't try to guess or hell breaks loose.

>> How about adding a script to the pkgutilplus package that unpacks a
>> package, adds a REV-field and repacks it again? ;-)
>
> Dago's suggestion of a separate mapfile is also a good idea, where  
> the comparison logic can be fine tuned, although expecting this to  
> be done for every non-CSW package is onerous.

You would write a REV-string extractor for every vendor, for VRTS this  
could be taken from "PSTAMP=VERITAS-5.0:25-May-2006"

> Start with good built-in logic that works for 98% of cases, then use  
> a mapfile to clean up the exceptions.

...and bail out on the remaining 2% if there is no mapfile.

> I realise pkgutil was originally only written for CSW, but I believe  
> there is a gain to be had in building in full non-CSW support so a  
> wider audience can realise its benefits.  It's a great tool that  
> plugs a sizeable gap in Solaris package management.
>
> The other issue I'm going to be looking into shortly is that of  
> supporting multiple versions of the same package.

Usually you use different catalogs for this and then use overlays in  
pkgutil.conf on all these, e.g.
   veritas41/
   veritas50/
   veritas51/

> Can I check, is bldcat GPLed?  It didn't say so in the comment at  
> the top of the script.

I guess so.


Best regards

   -- Dago