Re: Sizes and Packages in dselect

[Ian Jackson <iwj10@cus.cam.ac.uk>]

Bruce Perens writes ("Re: Sizes and Packages in dselect "):
> I think I have the algorithm to do this. Please see if the following makes
> sense. I can give you pseudocode (or real code) if necessary.
> 
> For each file in the files list, find the deepest existing directory
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This is where the problem starts :-).  Obviously this can be done
fairly easily if you're willing to have the user download a list of
all the files included in every package, plus their sizes.  I don't
think that's reasonable, though; even compressed, the Contents file
for just the main part of the distribution is 120Kb.

> Does this make sense? I can elaborate if you like.

Yes, your algorithm probably makes sense (I didn't read it in great
detail).  However, the problem isn't the algorith, I think, but the
question of how to get the data it needs to dselect.

I think it's probably better just to stick a single `Size' field in
the Packages file.

Ian.