Re: Simple solution to pre-installation configuration
On Mon, 27 Jan 1997, Richard G. Roberto wrote:
richr >All this sounded good for a simple start, but ...
richr >>
richr >> Guidelines:
richr >> -----------
richr >>
richr >> 1. The package will never refer to /var/lib/config/packagename for
richr >> configuration information except at installation time. The user might
richr >> run a reconfiguration at any time without activating that new
richr >> configuration. The information in /var/lib/config is only to be
richr >> consulted during installation.
richr >
richr >How will package upgrades know what intermitten changed values to
richr >use if the user doesn't update the /var/lib/config/packagename
richr >file? Shouldn't the user be able to expect continuity across
richr >upgrades instead of having to reconfigure at each
richr >install/upgrade? I think this must be considered. I realize
That is true. I expect the values in /var/lib/config/packagename
to be quite stable. If some values are not there then I would suggest
that the application takes reasonable defaults and proceed.
richr >that packages may change and old values may not exist in new
richr >versions, new values may be added, etc. But I think its worth
richr >it to take this a little further to accomidate upgrades before
richr >letting it loose. Adding an option or two to the utility to
richr >either prompt for reconfiguration or just use existing values or
richr >just use new defaults would be one way to handle this simply.
My example configure script with the adpkg package already reads
/var/lib/config/packagename and then asks the user for changes. Is that
what you are looking for? A reconfiguration is simply another
configuration.
richr >Also adding something to each packages doc directory describing
richr >the configurable variables and where they are would allow users
richr >to edit the files manually to maintain them (in the absence of an
richr >automated maintenance utitility). It may even be possible to
richr >offer a diff on the existing variables and the new variables as
richr >an option and either present to the user or log it to a file.
Some explanation of what the user is configuring is certainly to be
desired. Is it enough to include some help in the configure script or do
we need some extra documentation file to be displayed at configuration
time?
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