Pacsnap: a rollback utility and package snapshot ("pacshot") manager

mcsilva · 2010-02-04 00:39:00

Pacsnap is rollback utility, which allows to get your system back to a previous state before a --sync or a --sysupgrade made by pacman.
It saves packages snapshots ("pacshots") in a database to allow a later rollback.
These pacshots are the list of packages installed in the system at that moment.
If a problematic system upgrade happens, we can rollback to one of the previous saved pacshot, downgrading, removing and installing all the packages needed to achieve that state, using one only command.

I wrote this program because I had several issues doing system upgrades, when I started to use Arch Linux. I felt there was a lack of such tool, to make the rollbacks an easy task.
I'm using it successfuly, but I would like more people to test it and give their feedback.

You can read everything about the tool in this site: http://linux.carreira.com.pt/pacsnap/
and install it for from AUR in http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=34290

Last edited by mcsilva (2010-03-12 11:56:36)

Stythys · 2010-02-04 01:16:23

looks awesome! will give feedback if I ever need to use it

mcsilva · 2010-02-21 15:57:43

A new release "pacsnap-0.8-2" in AUR now includes a man page.
See http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=34290
The program is working very well without bugs until now.
I would appreciate some feedback.

mcsilva · 2010-02-23 00:00:05

pacsnap 0.8.4-1 is out
(http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=34290 or use "yaourt -S pacsnap").
Fixed some minor bugs (see ChangeLog http://linux.carreira.com.pt/pacsnap/0.8.4-1/ChangeLog).

mcsilva · 2010-03-12 11:58:30

pacsnap-0.9-1 is out!
Some minor bugs were corrected and two more options were added:
-c, --clean-cache : similar to pacman --clean, but without deleting packages needed to rollback to existing pacshots.
-f, --force : used with -r option, only in special cases.

mcsilva · 2010-04-27 00:28:27

pacsnap-0.10-1 is out!
A new option was created:
-a, --auto-pacshots : allows creation of "pacshots" scanning pacman logfile (/var/log/pacman.log), reflecting the system as it was at different times.
Read the webpage: http://linux.carreira.com.pt/pacsnap

Last edited by mcsilva (2010-04-27 00:29:35)

GSF1200S · 2012-05-09 21:07:35

Just stumbled onto this package- hasnt been updated in a year, so does it still work? Im kind of hesitant using something pertaining to pacman that isnt up to date. Downgrade is a nice script, but it kind of sucks when the package you want to downgrade has 5 dependencies and you need to -Rdd then -Sdd --asdep <depnames>.

Also, does this maintain the reason for installation of an installed package? In other words, if a package is installed as a dependency, when you revert to an older pacshot, does it keep that as the install reason, or does it become explicitly installed?

Really nice idea and prolly a nice program/script here- always looking for ways to make Arch more stable/recoverable from bugs

*Edit* I know this is an old thread, but in Community Contributions I would figure necromancy rules arent as strict...

Last edited by GSF1200S (2012-05-09 21:08:29)

bernarcher · 2012-05-09 21:26:28

Now, this thread is really old, GSF1200S. And probably the OP may not notice your comment any more.
You may rather want to leave a note in the AUR package comments so that the maintainer has a chance to see it.

Closing.

bernarcher · 2012-05-09 21:41:17

Reopened again, as the necrobumping rules do not that strictly apply to user cotributions.
Thanks to Xyne who made this clear.

GSF1200S · 2012-05-09 22:28:22

bernarcher wrote:

Reopened again, as the necrobumping rules do not that strictly apply to user cotributions.
Thanks to Xyne who made this clear.

Yeah, I really didnt know whether or not I should post a reply in a thread this old. I figured creating a new thread about a project that also had an existing thread might be worse, so i figured id give it a shot. Good idea about commenting on the AUR page though- I didnt think of that

Arch Linux

#1 2010-02-04 00:39:00

Pacsnap: a rollback utility and package snapshot ("pacshot") manager

#2 2010-02-04 01:16:23

Re: Pacsnap: a rollback utility and package snapshot ("pacshot") manager

#3 2010-02-21 15:57:43

Re: Pacsnap: a rollback utility and package snapshot ("pacshot") manager

#4 2010-02-23 00:00:05

Re: Pacsnap: a rollback utility and package snapshot ("pacshot") manager

#5 2010-03-12 11:58:30

Re: Pacsnap: a rollback utility and package snapshot ("pacshot") manager

#6 2010-04-27 00:28:27

Re: Pacsnap: a rollback utility and package snapshot ("pacshot") manager

#7 2012-05-09 21:07:35

Re: Pacsnap: a rollback utility and package snapshot ("pacshot") manager

#8 2012-05-09 21:26:28

Re: Pacsnap: a rollback utility and package snapshot ("pacshot") manager

#9 2012-05-09 21:41:17

Re: Pacsnap: a rollback utility and package snapshot ("pacshot") manager

#10 2012-05-09 22:28:22

Re: Pacsnap: a rollback utility and package snapshot ("pacshot") manager

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