[gentoo-catalyst] documentation

[gentoo-catalyst] documentation

[William Kilian]

I went through the threads thus far and pulled out what I think should be added to the online documentation. I don't know the proper way to add it to the documention. It's all written by John Davis, Chris Gianelloni, or me. I edited a little.

FAQs:
-----
Where do I put per-package use flags, mask settings, etc.?

Catalyst supports the configuration files in /etc/portage. Just add the
following to your spec file.

portage_confdir: /path/to/custom/etc/portage

Note that you need to use the same portage_confdir for your seed stages.
--
Should I really build my own stage1 or just use stage1s from gentoo mirrors?

Just use the stage1 from the mirrors, unless you use
--
How do I keep a GRP updated?

To keep your GRP updated, all that you will have to do is regenerate
your snapshot and rebuild the GRP set. Catalyst will take care of the
upgrades automatically by only rebuilding the packages that have been
upgraded.
--

Refererence:
------------
Options clst_storedir and clst_sharedir go in catalyst.conf.
--
Don't use a symlink for your portage_confdir.
--
For grp, tinderbox, and livecd targets, the target/use setting uses normal portage USE syntax.
--
Your seed stage should never have anything in /etc/portage, at all.  If
you are using a portage_confdir for one target, then you will need it
for them all (unless it doesn't apply).  For example, if you make a
change to glibc in your portage_confdir, then you must use the same
portage_confdir throughout the entire build process, or glibc will be
rebuilt in a later target when emerge --newuse is called.  Everything
must be consistent across all targets, otherwise the latest target's
environment takes precedence.

The seed is basically devoid of portage configuration data because it 
shouldn't have an /etc/portage or a /usr/portage/profiles and its 
make.conf (if any) is ignored. The spec file use flags during an 
applicable build are functionally equivalent to USE= in make.conf on a 
normal system. The profile information is provided by the snapshot and 
portage_confdir provides the information a normal system's /etc/portage 
directory would provide. The snapshot's profile, target/use, and 
portage_confdir are used the same way as portage on a normal system uses 
its profile, USE in make.conf, and portage_confdir.

--
gentoo-catalyst@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-catalyst] documentation

[John Davis]

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On Wed, 2004-12-29 at 10:38 -0600, William Kilian wrote:
> I went through the threads thus far and pulled out what I think should be added to the online documentation. I don't know the proper way to add it to the documention. It's all written by John Davis, Chris Gianelloni, or me. I edited a little.
> 
> FAQs:
> -----
> Where do I put per-package use flags, mask settings, etc.?
> 
> Catalyst supports the configuration files in /etc/portage. Just add the
> following to your spec file.
> 
> portage_confdir: /path/to/custom/etc/portage
> 
> Note that you need to use the same portage_confdir for your seed stages.
> --
> Should I really build my own stage1 or just use stage1s from gentoo mirrors?
> 
> Just use the stage1 from the mirrors, unless you use
> --
> How do I keep a GRP updated?
> 
> To keep your GRP updated, all that you will have to do is regenerate
> your snapshot and rebuild the GRP set. Catalyst will take care of the
> upgrades automatically by only rebuilding the packages that have been
> upgraded.
> --
> 

Added to the FAQ, and I added your name to the Contributors list.
Thanks!

> Refererence:
> ------------
> Options clst_storedir and clst_sharedir go in catalyst.conf.
> --

Done.

> Don't use a symlink for your portage_confdir.

Don't need this as we are going to use a bind mount for portage_confdir.

> --
> For grp, tinderbox, and livecd targets, the target/use setting uses normal portage USE syntax.
> --

Added to the FAQ.

> Your seed stage should never have anything in /etc/portage, at all.  If
> you are using a portage_confdir for one target, then you will need it
> for them all (unless it doesn't apply).  For example, if you make a
> change to glibc in your portage_confdir, then you must use the same
> portage_confdir throughout the entire build process, or glibc will be
> rebuilt in a later target when emerge --newuse is called.  Everything
> must be consistent across all targets, otherwise the latest target's
> environment takes precedence.
> 

I specified the importance of portage_confdir continuity in the
reference manual.

> The seed is basically devoid of portage configuration data because it 
> shouldn't have an /etc/portage or a /usr/portage/profiles and its 
> make.conf (if any) is ignored. The spec file use flags during an 
> applicable build are functionally equivalent to USE= in make.conf on a 
> normal system. The profile information is provided by the snapshot and 
> portage_confdir provides the information a normal system's /etc/portage 
> directory would provide. The snapshot's profile, target/use, and 
> portage_confdir are used the same way as portage on a normal system uses 
> its profile, USE in make.conf, and portage_confdir.
> 

This point belongs in more of a HOWTO document .. (good point though)

Cheers,
-- 
John Davis <zhen@gentoo.org>
The Gentoo Foundation
Trustee | Release Engineering Manager | Catalyst code monkey

---
"When people learn no tools of judgement and merely follow their hopes,
the seeds of political manipulation are sown"
- Stephen Jay Gould

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