Re: [gentoo-user] Creating a LFS system with Portage

["Alon Keren" <alon.keren@gmail.com>]

On 9/19/06, Richard Fish <bigfish@asmallpond.org> wrote:
> On 9/19/06, Alon Keren <alon.keren@gmail.com> wrote:
> > My aim is to have the ability to regularly build and maintain
> > completely customized Linux systems.
>
> This should be possible by using your own local portage tree (probably
> based initially on Gentoo's tree) that you update somewhat manually
> with ebuilds and eclasses as you want.  Combined with pre-built binary
> packages, and a 'golden' portage configuration and world file, it
> should be relatively simple & quick to stage a new system.
>
   ....
>
> This _is_ going to require a solid understanding of how Gentoo/Portage
> works, but not necessarily how to write ebuilds/eclasses.  You need to
> understand what we mean by "portage tree", "world file", "use flags",
> "profile", "binary packages", etc.  The best way to acquire this
> knowledge is to install and use Gentoo, daily, for something
> significant (like your desktop!).
>
Yes, I realize that deep understanding of Portage would obviously be
required, as will writing ebuilds (and copying some of Gentoo's).

> > The ROOT variable is probably a major part of the solution, but is it
> > enough? I've also found '/usr/portage/scripts/bootstrap.sh', which
> > seems suspiciously relevant, but comes with little external
> > documentation.
>
> bootstrap.sh _is_ for only rebuilding the toolchain.  Probably not
> what you want at all....
>
It's actually what I DO want. As I've previously explained, it would
give me the control I need over the system.


> If Gentoo's minimal installation CD and a stage1 install doesn't work
> for you, you can build your own release media with catalyst (no, it
> isn't just for rebuilding the toolchain).
Release media would be good, but I'd like to know how more about how
Catalyst produces the toolchain.

> The ROOT variable is used to install packages into a different (fex
> chroot) directory.  It is usually used for things like
> cross-compilation environments where one wants to build binary
> packages for another system, although not always.
>
Cross-compilation is something I would like to be able to do.

>From what I've gathered so far, it looks llike it should be possible
to build a complete customized toolchain with Portage, even if it'd
require some tweaking; at the center of it being the ROOT env.
variable and 'bootloader.sh'. Still, I wish I could get input from
someone who's actually done such a thing.


Alon


PS.

Please CC me your replies as I'm not subscribed to messages from this list
-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list