re:dftp

["brian (b.c.) white" <bcwhite@bnr.ca>]

>I pulled down the 'dftp' program, and noticed at least one minor flaw - 
>it doesn't handle having more than one version of a package around very well.
>for instance, I had an old copy of dpkg-0.93-70 haning around as well
>as the more recent dpkg-0.93-77, and in the 'select' process it didnt realize
>that I already had v...77 and asked me if I wanted to update to it.


I can think of several reasons how this could happen...

1) If the "Packages" (now "Packages-Master") file was out of date when you
did the initial 'dftp scansinst' then it would have guessed that an older
version was installed.

2) You fetched and installed the newer version not using 'dftp'.

3) You deleted the ".packages-installed" file from the "packages" directory.

4) You didn't run the "installed" action of 'dftp' after retrieving the
newer version.


'dftp' keeps it's own list of installed packages.  If this list is not
updated when new packages are installed, then 'dftp' is not aware of
the change.  The "installed" action updates that file and must be done
before the next "getselect" action.

If you can explain exactly what happened, then perhaps I can figure out
what went wrong.


>Also, why is it preferred to --unpack things and not --install them?

Originally (in v1.0, that is), each package was unpacked seperately via
a csh "foreach" loop.  I felt that having them all unpacked before trying
to install was the better way.  Configuring multiple packages could be
a little messy in older versions of 'dpkg' if problems occurred so I
chose to make it a manual step.

Now (in v1.1 -- unreleased), they are all unpacked with one command
and 'dpkg' is cleaner.  I've been trying to decide what to do about
"--install".  I can think of the following choices:

1) Always "--install" all packages.

2) Only "--install" all packages if a special flag ("-install"?) is given.

3) Do a "dpkg --configure -a" after unpacking to configure all packages
   plus some that may be previously unconfigured for some reason.

4) Just print a message saying to do #3 manually.


#4 is what is implemented, but I'm kind of leaning toward #3.  What do
you think?

                                        Brian
                                 ( bcwhite@bnr.ca )

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