Pacman Handling of Configuration Files

max_sipos · 2006-02-11 19:07:26

Hello,

This morning Arch welcomed me with a few problems as usual. The thing I noticed for the first time was a weird handling of configuration files. After rebooting my computer I realized X11 didn't get up. I realized that pacman has replaced /etc/inittab (and saved the old one with /etc/inittab.pacsave). And worst of all a quick diff shows that nothing of importance actually changed in inittab.

Now, I believe this kind of behaviour is not acceptable. This could easily render a machine unusable (just think of complicated reinstallations on mini laptops without bootable cd-roms, etc)... Or imagine setting up somebody's computer to boot up in X, and having the person be welcomed by a getty.

To conclude, I believe that focus on a pacman -Syu should be on hassle-less updates, with as little risk of breaking anything. Thus, the default behavior (described in man as):

original=X, current=Y, new=Z
All three files are different. So we install the new file, but
back up the old one to a .pacsave extension. This way the user
can move the old configuration file back into place if he
wishes.

should, in my opinion be the same like for:

original=X, current=Y, new=X
Both package versions contain the exact same file, but the one
on the filesystem has been modified since. In this case, we
leave the current file in place.

Or, at least, I think there should be an optional flag to change /etc files config conflicts behaviour. Rebuttals, please

--
Maksim Sipos

Dusty · 2006-02-11 20:10:07

deja vu... did you or somebody else not post this exact message several months ago? Or am I just mixing up past present and future again? :-D

What I remember is this discussion coming up, somebody reminding the poster that there is a NoUpgrade option to allow specific files to not be overwritten in /etc/pacman.conf (for example: NoUpgrade = etc/inittab ). and Judd eventually making some kind of additional option to pacman to make it so that NoUpgrade is the default for something if that's what you want.

I swear I've read your message word for word in the past. I'm scared now... :oops:

Dusty

Dusty · 2006-02-11 20:12:57

This must be the post I think of...
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=6524&start=0

Arch Linux

#1 2006-02-11 19:07:26

Pacman Handling of Configuration Files

#2 2006-02-11 20:10:07

Re: Pacman Handling of Configuration Files

#3 2006-02-11 20:12:57

Re: Pacman Handling of Configuration Files

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