devtools 'pkgctl build', setup a config file?

NuSkool · 2025-02-21 18:48:53

When building large pkgs, ie: linux, my root partition has only ~15G free space which is too small for some pkgs.

No big deal, just set the chroot location in my home partition.... except this isn't a documented option for 'pkgctl build'.

I ended up editing the 'archbuild' script to place the chroot where I wanted it. This seems to work well so far, but is not a viable long term solution.
Later on, I dug in to learn that the 'extra-x86_64-build' can be used to build core packages and has the '-r </path/to/chroot>' option.

I also consulted in an online LLM, which I believe hallucinated the variable DEVTMPFS, which reportedly is used by 'pkgctl build' if set.
FYI: I seldom try the LLM option, know the pitfalls, and everything must be verified.

My question is, could I set up a config file for one of the scripts that 'pkgctl build' would use for all clean chroot builds, to use my preferred location?

If all else fails, I'll use 'extra-x86_64-build' or maybe a wrapper for 'pkgctl build'.

Last edited by NuSkool (2025-02-21 18:54:54)

tekstryder · 2025-02-21 21:27:14

• https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Develo … lassic_way

Have you tried the Classic method?

That's all I use, so cannot speak to those scripts. Simply...

1) define a CHROOT mountpoint in tmpfs (could be anywhere).
2) mkarchroot $CHROOT/root base-devel
3) makechrootpkg -c -r $CHROOT

NuSkool · 2025-02-21 22:11:39

tekstryder wrote:

• https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Develo … lassic_way
Have you tried the Classic method?

Yea I've followed that. In fact I've written an AUR hepler that builds in either an nspawn container or clean chroot.

I'd just like a way to globally set a config for 'pkgctl build' because I'd be handy and I'd like to stay with official scripts/methods for modifying and building official packages.

There's the script you mention, 'extra-x86_64-build' and also 'makechrootpkg' script, which takes an '-r' location option.
Was thinking it may be something I'm just overlooking. There's a lot of interaction between the suit of scripts in 'devtools' package though.
Also thinking a package maintainer or experienced 'devtools' user could easily point me in the right direction.

What makes 'pkgctl build' kinda nice over the other options is it takes care of the chroot as in creating, updating, cleaning etc..

AFAIK, the others require a bit more hands on. I've honestly not played around much with 'devtools' since the last rewrite for the git migration though.

Last edited by NuSkool (2025-02-21 22:13:14)

tekstryder · 2025-02-21 22:46:13

NuSkool wrote:

When building large pkgs, ie: linux, my root partition has only ~15G free space which is too small for some pkgs.
No big deal, just set the chroot location in my home partition.... except this isn't a documented option for 'pkgctl build'.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding or oversimplifying your question.

Do you seek a way for pkgctl build to use an alternate chroot location?

If so, just mount the default chroot location (/var/lib/archbuild/) elsewhere.

EDIT: This doesn't seem to be what you want.

EDIT2: soft linking /var/lib/archbuild/ elsewhere also works to move the build off the root partition.

I did this and built out an "official" package without issue using unmodified configs and pkgctl build.

Last edited by tekstryder (2025-02-21 23:51:49)

NuSkool · 2025-02-22 00:14:01

Do you seek a way for pkgctl build to use an alternate chroot location?

Well yes, a standard way rather than my edit though...

I edited the script 'archbuild', which is sourced/called by 'pkgctl build'.
The edit did work well at relocating the chroot where I needed it to be.
Not necessarily the right way, but I was having too much fun to at the time to go through all the documentation I guess.
Being Linux, as users we're normally pretty good at figuring ways to get around any issues we run into.

Now that the dust has settled though, I thought I'd look into doing it right way.

I haven't read all the documentation yet.* Currently .....

* devtools has 40+ scripts + libs and nearly 50 man pages.
I'd bet half or more get called/used by 'pkgctl build', which is a wrapper script gluing it all together.

I know the script I edited, doc makes no reference to a config.
Same goes for the next several scripts docs I read.
There is also at least one script that had no documentation
I recognize several scripts names from years past that had no docs...

So I'm hoping to get lucky and get info on either an undocumented configs, and/or
Figure out which script that can use a config, would work for what I'm looking for.

TLDR: The edits I made relocate the chroot and worked well, I'm looking for a better quality long term solution.

If so, just mount the default chroot location elsewhere.

Yea that's a good idea and something I hadn't thought about. That would work well but adds another step.
If more than a few steps are needed I tend to get easily distracted creating scripts to do it. lol

Last edited by NuSkool (2025-02-22 00:27:54)

Arch Linux

#1 2025-02-21 18:48:53

devtools 'pkgctl build', setup a config file?

#2 2025-02-21 21:27:14

Re: devtools 'pkgctl build', setup a config file?

#3 2025-02-21 22:11:39

Re: devtools 'pkgctl build', setup a config file?

#4 2025-02-21 22:46:13

Re: devtools 'pkgctl build', setup a config file?

#5 2025-02-22 00:14:01

Re: devtools 'pkgctl build', setup a config file?

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