Keeping Slackware64 multilib updated . . .
 

Hi all,

I'm going to install Slackware 13.1 soon and I may also install the 32-bit compatibility libraries from Eric (Alien BoB).

I'd like confirmation on the process of updating multilib Slackware when there's a security patch. I'm talking about running the -stable branch, by the way.

1. Under the normal methods of updating (e.g. 'slackpkg upgrade-all' or using the script I developed to download a local mirror of the patches directory and install from there, or even doing it by hand), the regular 64-bit packages will get updated.
   
2. However, the 32-bit compatibility versions of those files won't get updated. Right?
   
3. So I'll need to download the new 32-bit patches, run the convertpkg-compat32 script on them, and then upgradepkg the new files.

Is that correct?

Regards,

It's correct.

Yep. No worries. One could even write a script to check if 32 bit updates are needed...

hey guys
So, exactly what is the procedure to upgrade the multilib packages??

where do I get the patches?
thx

Also, I still have all the original multilib pkgs in /home/compat32

linus72,

I haven't done this yet, but the way I understand it is this: when an update happens for one of the libraries that you have as both 64-bit native and compat32, you need to download both from the <path to your favorite mirror>/slackware64-13.1/patches/packages and ../slackware-13.1/patches/packages.

Upgradepkg the native one.

Run the AlienBob script to make the 32-bit one a compat32 library and then upgradepkg that one too.

AlienBob has a script I've used for years "rsync_slackware_patches.sh" that I modified for my own use and how I have my Slackware tree set up on my archive drive. I have it set for a monthly cron to grab both x86 and x86-64 patches. I then check for anything new, update the 64-bit patches, check for the same 32-bit patches, run 'convertpkg-compat32' and then update those.

Simple. Someday I might even automate it all.

Enjoy.

Here is the name of Up to date Post I stumbled onto last night here in Slackware forum. Great tool for alien's multilib with awsome detailed instructions on usage. Don't overlook this new tool:

"First release of compat32pkg. A simple tool for managing package to format compat32.."

http:////www.linuxquestions.org/ques...mpat32-831581/ ;)

I've been following the compat32pkg thread and it looks like a great tool.

On the other hand, since Slackware64_13.1 came out, and I installed the multi-lib stuff, there've been only a few patches that need to be converted to compat32: libtiff, libpng, and seamonkey-solibs.

That's not too much to keep track of. ;)

You're right, once the multilib is installed there will not much to keep track. However, with compat32pkg you'll not have to do this by hand, and, you could also create a cron job to automate this.

Moreover, when using compat32pkg to install the 32-bit part of the multilib from the network (ex: compat32pkg --mirror @USA-13.1 --install /etc/compat32pkg/multilib-32bit-packages.lst), it will be installed automatically in a safe state, with all the available updates, unless when explicitly excluded ( ie using --exclude list:patches/.* )

Cheers.

--
SeB