Slackware Install Log

lopid · 05-29-2011, 06:40 AM

When installing Slackware 13.37 using the terse option (in Virtualbox), I noticed a couple of packages didn't install properly - something about not being able to run doinst.sh. I obviously need to reinstall them, but I didn't catch the names of all the packages; it was just luck that I happened to glance at them at the time. Does Slackware save a log of these messages?

Peacedog · 05-29-2011, 07:09 AM

Hi lopid, Have a look at /var/log/packages.

Code:

ls /var/log/packages/ > pkgs.txt

Should create a text file with a list of all installed packages on the system.

Good luck. ;-)

lopid · 05-29-2011, 07:37 AM

Sorry, I meant a log of the install messages, particularly any errors or warnings, not the packages themselves.

SAJM · 03-30-2023, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lopid

Sorry, I meant a log of the install messages, particularly any errors or warnings, not the packages themselves.

I know this thread is very old but I see a reply was never given.
This is what I do, redirect the output to a file

Code:

./prog.SlackBuild > logtxt

It's far from a perfect solution because you no longer get the output to the screen.
In my case I knew the install had gone as far as it could go because my laptop crashed!

henca · 03-30-2023, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAJM

I know this thread is very old but I see a reply was never given.
This is what I do, redirect the output to a file

Code:

./prog.SlackBuild > logtxt

Usually you do that as you want to save error messages to that log file. However, often error messages are written to stderr instead of stdout. To also get the error messages to the file you will need to:

Code:

./prog.SlackBuild >& logtxt

(with bash it is also possible to separate stdout and stderr to different files)

regards Henrik

LuckyCyborg · 03-30-2023, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by henca

Usually you do that as you want to save error messages to that log file. However, often error messages are written to stderr instead of stdout. To also get the error messages to the file you will need to:

Code:

./prog.SlackBuild >& logtxt

(with bash it is also possible to separate stdout and stderr to different files)

regards Henrik

Man, the OP of this long time dead thread looked in the year of 2011 for the full log of the Slackware installer, with the errors and warnings and whatever else. He does NOT looked for the logs of SlackBuilds.

Anyway, such of thing (an installer log) does not exists even today, 12 years later, on the installer shipped by the soon to be Slackware 15.1 .

SAJM · 03-30-2023, 01:34 PM

I just gave slackbuilds as an example for a typical logging senario.
The thread was still open and felt a reply would do no harm.
The details are still valid are they not?

LuckyCyborg · 03-30-2023, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAJM

I just gave slackbuilds as an example for a typical logging senario.
The thread was still open and felt a reply would do no harm.
The details are still valid are they not?

You responded fully off-topic, because the OP of this thread wanted a log of what is done when is installed Slackware with its installer by booting the install DVD (probably CD at that time), it's NOT about SlackBuilds.

It's about the installer and it's logging couldn't be solved with an output redirection. Simply because the Slackware tools (scripts) wasn't written with the activity logging in mind.

Anyway, in this LQ no thread is locked unless goes wild. And just because you can post in a thread after 12 years, does NOT mean that you should post totally off-topic in a 12 years old thread.

SAJM · 03-30-2023, 01:50 PM

You are correct, I missed his 1st message and did go off topic. I humbly beg leave to apologise.

lopid · 03-30-2023, 03:34 PM

Thanks :-)

I can't remember how the installation was initiated but it probably used dialog interactively. If it was just a simple one shot command I could indeed have redirected both stdout and stderr to both the terminal and a file, using tee. However, I would not have thought to do that ahead of time, because I wouldn't have anticipated anything going wrong.

You'll be glad to know I'm no longer looking for the missing packages.

SAJM · 03-30-2023, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lopid

Thanks :-)

I can't remember how the installation was initiated but it probably used dialog interactively. If it was just a simple one shot command I could indeed have redirected both stdout and stderr to both the terminal and a file, using tee. However, I would not have thought to do that ahead of time, because I wouldn't have anticipated anything going wrong.

You'll be glad to know I'm no longer looking for the missing packages.

It's good of you to reply after all this time.
I learnt a bit because I never thought of stderr.
I also learnt some people take off topic very very seriously indeed - won't make that mistake again. LOL

Pithium · 03-30-2023, 11:35 PM

https://xkcd.com/979/

May this topic rest in peace.

drmozes · 03-31-2023, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lopid

When installing Slackware 13.37 using the terse option (in Virtualbox), I noticed a couple of packages didn't install properly - something about not being able to run doinst.sh. I obviously need to reinstall them, but I didn't catch the names of all the packages; it was just luck that I happened to glance at them at the time. Does Slackware save a log of these messages?

If you're up for it, you can boot the Installer and apply this patch before you begin installation.
This has been in the ARM port for years and I haven't got around to upstreaming it.
The install log is dropped into /tmp within the installed OS, so you can review it after first boot (or from within the installer directly if you use one of the other shells and look in /mnt/tmp )

Code:

root@bladswede:~/ac/source/installer/arm# cat installer-patches/slackinstall-logerror.diff 
--- usr/lib/setup/slackinstall.orig     2017-11-23 14:55:02.738365359 +0000
+++ usr/lib/setup/slackinstall  2017-11-23 14:58:45.053362380 +0000
@@ -134,14 +134,17 @@
     fi
     sleep 1
     # Install the package series:
+    mkdir -pm1777 $ROOTDIR/tmp
     for package in $SRCPATH/$series/*.t?z ; do
       if [ "$MODE" = "full" ]; then # install the package
         [ "x$REMOTESVR" != "x" ] && get_pkg $series $(basename $package) '-q'
-        installpkg -root $ROOTDIR -infobox -priority ADD $package
+        printf "\nInstall report for $package:\n" >> $ROOTDIR/tmp/installpkg-report.log
+        installpkg -root $ROOTDIR -infobox -priority ADD $package 2>> $ROOTDIR/tmp/installpkg-report.log
         ERROR=$?
       elif [ "$MODE" = "terse" ]; then # install the package with terse description
         [ "x$REMOTESVR" != "x" ] && get_pkg $series $(basename $package) '-q'
-        installpkg -root $ROOTDIR -terse -priority ADD $package
+        printf "\nInstall report for $package:\n" >> $ROOTDIR/tmp/installpkg-report.log
+        installpkg -root $ROOTDIR -terse -priority ADD $package 2>> $ROOTDIR/tmp/installpkg-report.log
         ERROR=$?
       else
        if [ "x$REMOTESVR" != "x" ]; then
@@ -149,7 +152,8 @@
          $TMP/tagfiles/$1/tagfile | grep -qw SKP \
          || get_pkg $series $(basename $package) '-q'
        fi
-        installpkg -root $ROOTDIR -menu -tagfile $TMP/tagfiles/$1/tagfile $package
+        printf "\nInstall report for $package:\n" >> $ROOTDIR/tmp/installpkg-report.log
+        installpkg -root $ROOTDIR -menu -tagfile $TMP/tagfiles/$1/tagfile $package 2>> $ROOTDIR/tmp/installpkg-report.log
         ERROR=$?
       fi
       if [ ! $ERROR = 0 ]; then