Arch Linux

probackup-nl

Member

From: Delft

Registered: 2017-11-15

Posts: 83

Website

pacman -Fo > warning: database file for 'core' does not exist [solved]

Trying to run a

pacman -Fo /usr/bin/xyz

for the first time (yes, a newbie).

The result is:

warning: database file for 'core' does not exist
warning: database file for 'extra' does not exist
warning: database file for 'community' does not exist
warning: database file for 'archlinuxfr' does not exist

Wouldn't it be more user friendly to show something like?

warning: run "pacman -Fy" to download database files [25,8 MiB] to path /xyz

Instead of having to search the internet, the forum and then the wiki, to find the resolution...

Last edited by probackup-nl (2017-11-27 21:15:55)

dockland

Member

From: Sweden

Registered: 2015-06-06

Posts: 861

Re: pacman -Fo > warning: database file for 'core' does not exist [solved]

It's all in the man page for pacman.

---

I possess a device, in my pocket, that is capable of accessing the entirety of information known to man.
I use it to look at funny pictures of cats and to argue with strangers.

apg

Developer

Registered: 2012-11-10

Posts: 211

Re: pacman -Fo > warning: database file for 'core' does not exist [solved]

https://git.archlinux.org/pacman.git/co … 9cfe724596

Trilby

Inspector Parrot

Registered: 2011-11-29

Posts: 29,532

Website

Re: pacman -Fo > warning: database file for 'core' does not exist [solved]

dockland, while true, it's still good for software to have error messages that are as informative as practical (while still being concise and not requiring additional code).

If that we're not the case, every error message from every program would be "RTFM idiot!".  While that would be a bit of fun, I prefer getting responses like "command not found" or "permission denied" as these are just as efficient but much more informative.

EDIT: see, for example, how much vitriol GNOME (rightly) gets for it's common error message "Oh no, something has gone wrong!"  That is not a characteristic of good software.

Last edited by Trilby (2017-11-25 15:06:44)

---

"UNIX is simple and coherent..." - Dennis Ritchie, "GNU's Not UNIX" -  Richard Stallman

dockland

Member

From: Sweden

Registered: 2015-06-06

Posts: 861

Re: pacman -Fo > warning: database file for 'core' does not exist [solved]

True. I agree. I wasn't a man page eater my self, but indeed, there's a l o t of information in the man pages that many, my self included, just ignored until i discovered the beauty of them (kind of) just a year back.
But as i more clearly can see now, the question wasn't really about what/why/how or When, but specifically asking about these messages.
Sorry about the buzz. I missunderstood the general statement/question.

---

I possess a device, in my pocket, that is capable of accessing the entirety of information known to man.
I use it to look at funny pictures of cats and to argue with strangers.

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 11,560

Re: pacman -Fo > warning: database file for 'core' does not exist [solved]

IMO, it's better to show the error rather than trying to guess at the cause of the error or suggesting fixes.

probackup-nl

Member

From: Delft

Registered: 2017-11-15

Posts: 83

Website

Re: pacman -Fo > warning: database file for 'core' does not exist [solved]

Thanks to all, and the patch from "Andrew Gregory" that makes Arch pacman a little more (newbie) user friendly.

The database file does not exist error message will improve in (Pacman --version) > v5.0.2 (according to https://git.archlinux.org/pacman.git/tag/?h=v5.0.2 release being dated about 1 month before the patch commit)

PS It's also efficient in time, not having to (re-)read the manuals.

Last edited by probackup-nl (2017-11-25 14:51:13)

eschwartz

Fellow

Registered: 2014-08-08

Posts: 4,097

Re: pacman -Fo > warning: database file for 'core' does not exist [solved]

The message will improve in pacman 5.1

pacman 5.0.1 and 5.0.2 were maintenance patch-releases containing selected bugfixes, meant to tide us over until the next minor release.

---

Managing AUR repos The Right Way -- aurpublish (now a standalone tool)

qwivan

Member

Registered: 2018-01-01

Posts: 3

Re: pacman -Fo > warning: database file for 'core' does not exist [solved]

I have just encountered this problem。
You should use

sudo pacman -Fy

to update databases。

Trilby

Inspector Parrot

Registered: 2011-11-29

Posts: 29,532

Website

Re: pacman -Fo > warning: database file for 'core' does not exist [solved]

*headdesk*

Congratulations on totally failing to read anything currently in the thread.  The question was not how to fix the problem as that was already in the OPs original post - the question was just on the error message being ambiguous.

---

"UNIX is simple and coherent..." - Dennis Ritchie, "GNU's Not UNIX" -  Richard Stallman