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