Re: how to upgrade a whole machine ...

[Dieter Baron <dillo%KD119105101110.ppp-bb.dion.ne.jp@localhost>]

In article <AD44D7F0-D25D-4078-906A-0B42A388403D%beer.org@localhost> Herb wrote:
: I'm writing this prematurely because I'm on my 3rd attempt at building  
: the binary packages I need for my mail server.  My mail server is  
: colocated somewhere.  It doesn't even have a DVD drive... I can't just  
: burn it down to the ground and rebuild it from scratch... I need to  
: upgrade it in-situ and I need to do it remotely...  Why isn't there an  
: obvious way to do this?   Why is this black magic?

  I understand your frustration.  This is indeed the area where pkgsrc
lacks the most.  We're working on it, but it's slow going.  Also,
there is no one method that fits all needs.

  Firstly, if the default settings are okay for you, you can use
binary packages from the official bulk build.  That is relatively
easy, just point pkg_chk at the official binary package repository.
(Being able to provide binary packages for non-default option settings
is on the roadmap.)

  If you need custom settings, you'll have to build packages on your
own.

  This can be done directly, using make in the relevant pkgsrc
directories or using a script like pkg_chk.

  Or it can be done on another machine or in a sandbox.  For this, you
can use pkg_comp (which I have no experience with), or with a limited
bulk build.  A limited bulk build will build all the packages you
listed and all their dependencies.  You can then use these to install
the machine proper, in much the same way as using the official binary
packages.


  Do any of these approaches look acceptable for you, and would making
them easier and better documented address your concerns?


  (I'm compiling a list of things we need to address to make pkgsrc
usable for users (with reasonable effort), so we have a plan where we
need to go and how to get there.)

                                        yours,
                                        dillo