Subject: Re: suggestion for package updates mechanism
To: None <tech-pkg@netbsd.org>
From: Benedikt Meurer <bmeurer@fwdn.de>
List: tech-pkg
Date: 09/27/2002 10:28:22
On Fri, 27 Sep 2002, Xavier HUMBERT wrote:

> I am in the process of upgrading an old 1.5 box to 1.6-current
> 
> It is not a surprise that perl stops working.
> > perl: Unsupported relocation type 21 in non-PLT relocations
> [pkg_info output snipped] 
> 
> The p5-Things are perl modules, afaik there is always dynamic loading for
> perl modules
> Then, all other dependencies are shell or perl scripts.
> 
> So, in fact, if I type "make update" in lang/perl5 those will be
> deinstalled, then reinstalled, with little usefulness
> 
> So here is my suggestion :
> 
> In the Makefile, hence in /var/db/pkg/whatever, using *two* kinds of
> dependencies : hard (the dependent software is statically linked against
> us), or soft (the dependent software only needs us to be here, with a
> version>=M.m-r)

Statically linked software wouldn't be a problem, as they don't need the
libraries at all once linked, you mean shared libraries instead?

> Or you may call it BuildDepends/Depends, like it is in Fink, the package
> manager for MacOSX/Darwin, even if it is a slightly different concept.

We already have BuildDepends/Depends, and indeed, this is a different
concept. 

But in general, the idea of dividing installed package dependecies into
hard (the package is dynamically linked against us) and soft (the package
only requires us to be there) is good.

Benedikt

-- 
And on the seventh day, He exited from append mode.