Merge Current and Pacnew Files?

brando56894 · 2011-08-01 04:40:43

Occasionally whenever a new config file comes along it gets saved as a pacnew extension and I know how to manage them with yaourt -c, but doing it that way either replaces the old one with the new one and setting all of my values back to default, leaving me to edit it manually or keeps the old file (among other options). Is there a way to apply the updates to the config files while keeping my original values?

jomasti · 2011-08-01 05:07:45

Yaourt uses pacdiffviewer for that, right? I don't use it, so I'm not sure how it works. Does it not give you the option to show the differences? I personally use pacdiff from the pacman-contrib package. I think it's best to go through and decide what to keep or update rather than have any updates automatically applied.

karol · 2011-08-01 05:07:50

brando56894 wrote:

Is there a way to apply the updates to the config files while keeping my original values?

No, because sometimes config changes in such a radical way that manual intervention is required.

brando56894 · 2011-08-01 05:14:59

@jomasti it actually uses vimdiff

@karol so I have to manually update the files each time? That's a pain in the ass...

karol · 2011-08-01 05:19:02

brando56894 wrote:

@karol so I have to manually update the files each time? That's a pain in the ass...

1. Update less often.
2. Learn about the backup files so you don't alter the standard ones unnecessarily - you might prefer an extra file or two that won't generate .pacnew files rather than keep your settings in one file: e.g. modprobe.conf v. some other /etc/modprobe.d/*.conf

bernarcher · 2011-08-01 06:33:55

brando56894 wrote:

@karol so I have to manually update the files each time? That's a pain in the ass...

Not necessarily so if you know what you are doing. I regularly use vimdiff ro merge pacnew files. That way I can concentrate on the actual differences. Most times it is only a simple matter of copy and paste, occasionally also some deletion.

One gets used to it over time. You learn what you had altered and won't ever touch. And you learn to wager about differences. Just don't change anything you do not understand. Well, after all, this is the Arch way. I check docs, the developer forum if (seldom) needed, ask Google and follow this forum of course.

And never forget to keep backups before any change!

Last edited by bernarcher (2011-08-01 06:36:22)

graysky · 2011-08-01 06:55:11

+1 for vimdiff

See: http://amjith.blogspot.com/2008/08/quic … orial.html

Inxsible · 2011-08-01 08:39:28

meld is another program which does a side by side comparison and you can make changes simply by clicking at sections you want to bring in.

karol · 2011-08-01 14:44:43

You can pay sb to do it for you ;-)

estevao · 2011-08-02 11:44:09

Inxsible wrote:

meld is another program which does a side by side comparison and you can make changes simply by clicking at sections you want to bring in.

Yes, I think meld is a great solution for this.

Last edited by estevao (2011-08-02 11:45:00)

brando56894 · 2011-08-03 18:52:14

Thanks, I'll check it out.

Arch Linux

#1 2011-08-01 04:40:43

Merge Current and Pacnew Files?

#2 2011-08-01 05:07:45

Re: Merge Current and Pacnew Files?

#3 2011-08-01 05:07:50

Re: Merge Current and Pacnew Files?

#4 2011-08-01 05:14:59

Re: Merge Current and Pacnew Files?

#5 2011-08-01 05:19:02

Re: Merge Current and Pacnew Files?

#6 2011-08-01 06:33:55

Re: Merge Current and Pacnew Files?

#7 2011-08-01 06:55:11

Re: Merge Current and Pacnew Files?

#8 2011-08-01 08:39:28

Re: Merge Current and Pacnew Files?

#9 2011-08-01 14:44:43

Re: Merge Current and Pacnew Files?

#10 2011-08-02 11:44:09

Re: Merge Current and Pacnew Files?

#11 2011-08-03 18:52:14

Re: Merge Current and Pacnew Files?

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