Arch Linux

Pival81

Member

Registered: 2015-10-09

Posts: 29

[SOLVED] Shouldn't the linux packages provide "linux"?

Hi, i recently wanted to try out linux-zen, and i want to stick with it.
But i also need gcdemu and vhba-module is a dependency, but the linux package is required, while i don't need it.
I think i can force it to install it without installing the linux package, but it would be just an hack, so i thought: shouldn't the "provide" function in the pkgbuild be used, so that the kernel i prefer can be installed alongside a package that requires the linux package, without installing it?
I checked and most of the kernels in the aur and in the official repos don't do this, why?

Last edited by Pival81 (2016-08-21 12:19:51)

Awebb

Member

Registered: 2010-05-06

Posts: 6,286

Re: [SOLVED] Shouldn't the linux packages provide "linux"?

linux-* packages do not provide linux, because they are not supposed to conflict with one another. There is no reason to prevent different kernels from coexisting peacefully. I think more people would complain about a conflict, than people do about having to install another ~150 MiB for Linux and the occasional necessity to build their own somemodule-* versions.

fsckd

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2009-06-15

Posts: 4,173

Re: [SOLVED] Shouldn't the linux packages provide "linux"?

vhba-module is built specifically for the linux package. You should use vhba-dkms from the AUR if you want that for other kernels.

You can install multiple kernels simultaneously. You can have packages which only are for specific kernels. DKMS stuff can be built for all installed kernals. See the wiki.

Moving from Arch Discussion to Newbie Corner.

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frank604

Member

From: BC, Canada

Registered: 2011-04-20

Posts: 1,212

Re: [SOLVED] Shouldn't the linux packages provide "linux"?

I'll try to rephrase your post the way I read it:

You like linux-zen.
You need gcdemu and vhba-module.  These two packages have 'depends' and 'makedepends' to stock linux kernel.
You don't like linux stock kernel.

You have two choices:

Choice A)
Keep linux stock installed and update it as it comes.  Create a boot entry for this kernel in case linux-zen is not bootable or regresses/introduces a bug.

Choice B)
Modify the pkgbuild to depend on linux-zen instead of linux and  change makedepends to linux-zen-headers instead of linux-headers.
You will only be building the module against linux-zen and if you boot in linux, the modules won't be there.

Modules anything else built against a kernel default to linux stock.  If you are compiling/installing your own kernel, just set them manually to build against linux-zen.

The pkgbuild for vhba-module is here
The pkgbuild for linux-zen is here
I could not find what gcdemu is.

Edit: wow, double ninja....

Last edited by frank604 (2016-08-20 21:27:17)

Pival81

Member

Registered: 2015-10-09

Posts: 29

Re: [SOLVED] Shouldn't the linux packages provide "linux"?

Well, wow! I didn't expect to receive 3 answers already!
Like fsckd said, vhba-dkms is exactly what i needed, thank you!
I now understand why the linux packages dont use the provide array, and it seems that dkms is the tool for this kind of situations, right?
Also, it is probably best if i have a "fallback" kernel, just in case...
Thank you all for your responses! (and sorry for poor english)

Awebb

Member

Registered: 2010-05-06

Posts: 6,286

Re: [SOLVED] Shouldn't the linux packages provide "linux"?

If you're satisfied, please mark the thread as solved.

(and sorry for poor english)

No worry, English language enough robust to be hit with club. Just no wash over 40°C.