Re: logging

[Behan Webster <behanw@verisim.com>]

Jason Gunthorpe wrote:
> 
> I asked about this before, what sort of logging do we want in apt? I was
> going to arrange to call dpkg through script(1) so that we get a nice log
> of events, but where should this log go?
> 
> /var/log/apt/dpkg-<DATE> ?
> 
> How do we keep that clean?
> 
> Whats the general policy on logging erratic things?

This may not answer exactly the question you were asking, but I would
like to see output from dpkg sectioned somewhat.  I understand that this
can't be done until later, but just so people are thinking about it. 
I.e. this is a wish list for when apt is more tightly integrated with
dpkg (through a pipe or library, or whatever).

As near as I can figure it, there are several different things that dpkg
outputs (actually output from dpkg and the various pre/post rm/inst
scripts).

1. Dpkg output (reading db/replacing package/setting up...)
2. Information printed by postinst for the user (call this user
information)
3. Interactive setup output (user input to configure package)

Part three will have to be encapulated somehow later on when we get apt
to do network installs, so lets treat that output as taken care of.

Output from one could be displayed as a progress bar and a text box
listing what is currently being done (i.e. "Unpacking base-files",
"Setting up hylafax-server")

It would be nice if the messages from part 2 (especially those that
currently have a "press <enter> to continue" because people want to make
sure people read it) can scroll in it's own window so installers can see
informational messages from the packages they are installing.

I think in this way the output that the installer is reading can be kept
to a minimum and still get the same information.

However, I'd still want the session log files containing all this info
together like the one (I think) you are asking about now.

Does that make sense to everyone?  Comments?

Behan

-- 
Behan Webster     mailto:behanw@verisim.com
+1-613-224-7547   http://www.verisim.com/


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