Re: [gentoo-user] Re: 32/64bit confusion

[Zeerak Mustafa Waseem <zeerak.w@gmail.com>]

On Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 12:15:41AM +0300, Nikos Chantziaras wrote:
> On 08/24/2010 11:53 PM, tparker@etherstorm.net wrote:
> > I have a new (first) gentoo amd64 install, multilib, and have been
> > searching the docs, forums and google for information on how to handle
> > emerges for 32bit programs on the 64bit install.
> >
> > I have found some references to using -bin for 32bit programs (example:
> > "emerge wine-bin" to get the 32bit version or "emerge wine" to get the
> > 64 bit version) but I haven't been able to get that to work; emerge
> > wine-bin returns: 'emerge: there are no ebuilds to satisfy "wine-bin".'
> 
> There is no such package.  There are only very few -bin packages.  In 
> other words, "-bin" is not a magic string you append to package names.
> 
> As for Wine, the ebuild changed recently to offer both 64bit as well as 
> 32bit Wine.  I think the binaries are called "wine32" and "wine64".  Two 
> new USE flags have been introduced to control this: "win32" and "win64". 
>   By default, both are enabled.  If you disable the "win64" USE flag, 
> you'll get only the 32bit Wine.  And vice versa of course.
> 
> 

A good idea might be to install the package app-portage/eix. It allows you to, amongst other things, to search for packages in case you're uncertain about a package name. The search will also tell you whether the package is installed, what version as well as what use-flags there are for the package.
There are a lot of other benefits to this application so read the man page.

As for 64 bit and 32 bit packages goes it really does depend on package, some only offer 32 or 64 bit, some offer both. You'll have to look into the use-flags of the packages. 

-- 
Zeerak Waseem