[SOLVED] Makepkg and symlinks

SlackCoder · 12-07-2023, 10:17 AM

When creating a slackware package, `makepkg` provides an option (the default) to delete symlinks and add them later via the 'install/doinst.sh' script included in the package.

```
makepkg --help

Usage: makepkg package_name.tgz
(or: package_name.tbz, package_name.tlz, package_name.txz)
[...]
options: -l, --linkadd y|n (moves symlinks into doinst.sh: recommended)
-p, --prepend (prepend rather than append symlinks to an existing

```

What would be the purpose for this?

GazL · 12-07-2023, 10:46 AM

If I remember rightly, it has something to do with tar not always doing the correct thing when restoring a symlink over a directory, or vice versa, or some such, so the work was shunted into the doinst.sh.

There's that much ugliness and technical-debt in the package system that I just cover my eyes and pretend I can't see it.

Just use -l y and try not to think about it too hard. It works for me.

e5150 · 12-07-2023, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GazL

something to do with tar

That's my recollection as well, had to dig through some changelogs
From slack 8.1:

Code:

Thu Feb 21 22:36:20 PST 2002
pkgtools-8.0.4-i386-1.tgz:  Fixed a bug where only the first slack-desc
  would be found when installing multiple packages without .txt files.
  Added --linkadd and --chown options to makepkg.
  Reported/suggested by David Nordenberg.
  Patches to use tar-1.13 if it's around, and to complain if it isn't.
a/tar-1.13.25-i386-1.tgz:  Upgraded to GNU tar-1.13.25.  We still keep a
  tar-1.13 binary around for the Slackware package utilities to use, because
  the new tar wipes out symbolic links to directories when untarring.  (Try
  making /opt a link to /usr/opt and untarring a KDE package and you'll see
  the effect).  Nevertheless, tar-1.13.25 appears better overall.

Note that tar-1.13 has been retired in -current

Code:

Tue Jul 26 19:27:53 UTC 2022
a/tar-1.34-x86_64-2.txz:  Rebuilt.
  Sergey Poznyakoff added options to GNU tar back in 2013 to make it possible
  to use it in the pkgtools, and with help from gnashley and ruario we
  switched to using the latest version of tar in makepkg over 4 years ago.
  Still, we kept the old tar-1.13 around. It's finally time to let go of this
  old artifact. Farewell tar-1.13, thanks for everything. :-)

drmozes · 12-07-2023, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlackCoder

`makepkg` provides an option (the default) to delete symlinks and add them later via the 'install/doinst.sh' script included in the package.

I asked Patrick about why upgradepkg calls installpkg twice, and I think part of this answer explains why the symlinks are handled by a script rather than contained within the tar archive:

Code:

[..]
imagine symlinks turning into directories and vice-versa
A good example is when the /usr/lib/zoneinfo dir moved to
/usr/share/zoneinfo.  There was a link from /usr/share/zoneinfo to
/usr/lib/zoneinfo, and in an upgrade the locations of the dir and
link swapped.  Pass one (ip), package is extracted through the old
link to the old dir.  Pass two (rp), rm -rf is applied to the old
link.  At this point there's no zoneinfo database.  Pass three (ip), fixes that problem.

SlackCoder · 12-08-2023, 01:49 PM

On Slackware 15.0, its working fine now with pkgtools using the latest tar version. For now it looks like it is around for backwards compatibility.

Code:

#!/bin/bash
set -e

mkdir -p /tmp/root

rm -fr /tmp/root/*
(cd /tmp/root
  mkdir -p usr/share
  mkdir -p usr/lib/zoneinfo
  ln -s ../lib/zoneinfo usr/share/zoneinfo

  /sbin/makepkg -l n -c n /tmp/package-1-NOARCH-1.txz
)

rm -fr /tmp/root/*
(cd /tmp/root
  mkdir -p usr/lib
  mkdir -p usr/share/zoneinfo
  ln -s ../share/zoneinfo usr/lib/zoneinfo

  mkdir -p usr/share/doc/app
  touch usr/share/doc/app/index.html

  /sbin/makepkg -l n -c n /tmp/package-2-NOARCH-2.txz
)

rm -fr /tmp/root/*
(cd /tmp/root
  mkdir -p usr/doc
  mkdir -p usr/share
  ln -s ../doc usr/share/doc
)

ROOT=/tmp/root installpkg /tmp/package-1-NOARCH-1.txz
ROOT=/tmp/root upgradepkg /tmp/package-2-NOARCH-2.txz

echo ""
echo "should have /tmp/root/usr/lib/zoneinfo"
echo ""
find /tmp/root/usr -type l

echo ""
echo "should have index.html"
echo ""
find /tmp/root/usr/doc/app/index.html

zeebra · 12-13-2023, 05:10 PM

I see this is resolved, but in case it is of any interest, here is a more detailed article about building a package the proper way:
https://docs.slackware.com/howtos:sl...ding_a_package

SlackCoder · 12-14-2023, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeebra

I see this is resolved, but in case it is of any interest, here is a more detailed article about building a package the proper way:
https://docs.slackware.com/howtos:sl...ding_a_package

Thanks @zeebra, but there is a correction. The article needs an update. '--libdir=/usr/lib64' should be added to the ./configure commands.

zeebra · 12-14-2023, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlackCoder

Thanks @zeebra, but there is a correction. The article needs an update. '--libdir=/usr/lib64' should be added to the ./configure commands.

I see, that's probably a good idea yes. It's quite an old article, but I believe it's a good one for Slackers to be familiar with. I can fix that actually, don't think anyone will mind. There, done..

drmozes · 12-14-2023, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeebra

I see, that's probably a good idea yes. It's quite an old article, but I believe it's a good one for Slackers to be familiar with. I can fix that actually, don't think anyone will mind. There, done..

I've added a note.

zeebra · 12-14-2023, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drmozes

I've added a note.

Yes, good idea too. I sometimes forget people still use 32 bit systems.

Not sure what the normal practice is, but I normally prefix with /usr/local personally.