Date:        Fri, 23 Jun 2000 17:17:47 +1000
    From:        Simon Burge <simonb@netbsd.org>
    Message-ID:  <200006230717.RAA19811@balrog.supp.cpr.itg.telecom.com.au>

  | Can someone test the patch below on a NetBSD box prior to 1.4Z?

Works fine on 1.4.2/sparc.

I attempted to test it on my 1.3.3-KAME/i386 system, but there I couldn't
get the make system to co-operate at all...

First, it complains when executing..

PKGTOOLS_VERSION!=${IDENT} ${PKG_CREATE} ${PKG_DELETE} ${PKG_INFO} ${PKG_ADD} |
${AWK} 'BEGIN {n = 0;}; $$1 ~ /\$$NetBSD/ && $$2 !~ /^crt0/ {gsub("/", "", $$4);
 if ($$4 > n) {n = $$4;}}; END {print n;}'

That the command returns a non-zero exit status, subsequently assigns
nothing null string) to PKGTOOLS_VERSION which then fails the test (bad syntax)
in the uptodate-pkgtools target.

Defeat that (by assigning /some/trash/path to IDENT) and I get a core dump
from the shell.

Attempting to update the pkg tools also resulted in a core dump from the
shell.

For all the good intentions, I think the dream of keeping pkgsrc working
on 1.3 systems has migrated into the sewer (and so is now a pipe dream...)

I guess I could update the shell, make, pkgtools, ... but I think it would
be easier to simply update the whole system than that, and as soon as it
is decided that that is the way forward, then the justification for keeping
pkgsrc working on 1.3* systems evaporates.

kre

ps: for what it's worth, PKGTOOLS_VERSION should be getting set to 19981109
on this system - that's what the command (pipeline) generates when I run it
manually (and it sets $? to 0).

pps: I did avoid using pkgsrc, and installed your patched version of skill
on the 1.3.3-KAME/i386 system, and it works there just fine, so I think
you can safely commit your changes.   If someone ever does retrofit current
pkgsrc to 1.3*, skill should work OK...