Package updates, which are automatically scheduled? [Solved]

[kwacorn]

Occasionally I come across packages for which there is a newer version available and for some I may Make a Package Request for the Newer Version Available. However it appears that some packages get updated automatically, eg, Firefox, Thunderbird, whereas other updates need to be requested. How can one identify which are automatically scheduled from those which are not?

As an example I would like Octave, http://www.gnu.org/software/octave/, to be updated but if the update is scheduled anyway then my request will be unnecessary and only serve to clutter the bug report lists.

[totedati]

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equo search sci-mathematics/octave
>>      @@ Package: sci-mathematics/octave-3.6.0 branch: 5, [sabayonlinux.org]
>>         Available:     version: 3.6.0 ~ tag: NoTag ~ revision: 0
>>         Installed:     version: Not installed ~ tag: N/A ~ revision: N/A
>>         Slot:          0
>>         Homepage:      http://www.octave.org/
>>         Description:   High-level interactive language
>>                        for numerical computations
>>         License:       GPL-3

eix sci-mathematics/octave
* sci-mathematics/octave
     Available versions:  3.2.4-r1 3.4.3-r1 (~)3.6.0 (~)3.6.1 {X curl doc emacs fftw fltk +glpk gnuplot +imagemagick opengl openmp +qhull +qrupdate readlitest xemacs zlib}                                                                                                                                         
     Homepage:            http://www.octave.org/
     Description:         High-level interactive language for numerical computations

* sci-mathematics/octave-epstk
     Available versions:  (~)2.3 {doc}
     Homepage:            http://www.epstk.de/
     Description:         Graphical output functions for Matlab and Octave

Found 2 matches.

so in entropy we have octave v3.6.0 and in portage octave v3.6.1. because octave ebuild is in the main gentoo portage tree this means that very soon will be in entropy database ...

but still here is different time ecarts ... if you really want to have last version packages you should use sabayon-limbo repository ... this is for development and test of latest gentoo packages scheduled for inclusion in sabayon entropy database

if a new package is still with with no bug reports and no crash at sabayon build farm and test machines will end in main sabayon repository in no more that one week ...

for ebuilds which is not in main gentoo portage tree but in some overlays i am not sure but i think that is not updated so often like is from gentoo portage

if you cant wait a week for octave 3.6.1 always is a last solution, install directly from portage
it is an safe operation if you do not alter too many useflags and if emerge do not want to rebuild too many libs

for example, in my case, because octave 3.6.0 is not instaled:

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emerge --pretend sci-mathematics/octave

These are the packages that would be merged, in order:

Calculating dependencies... done!
[ebuild  N     ] sci-libs/camd-2.2.3  USE="-doc -static-libs"
[ebuild  N     ] sci-mathematics/glpk-4.47  USE="gmp -doc -examples -mysql -odbc -static-libs"
[ebuild  N     ] media-libs/qhull-2010.1-r2  USE="-doc -static-libs"
[ebuild  N     ] sci-libs/cxsparse-2.2.6  USE="-static-libs"
[ebuild  N     ] sci-libs/ccolamd-2.7.4  USE="-static-libs"
[ebuild  N     ] app-admin/eselect-lapack-0.1
[ebuild  N     ] sci-libs/lapack-reference-3.2.1-r1  USE="-doc"
[ebuild  N     ] virtual/lapack-3.1
[ebuild  N     ] sci-libs/arpack-96-r3  USE="-doc -examples -mpi -static-libs"
[ebuild  N     ] sci-libs/qrupdate-1.1.1  USE="-static-libs"
[ebuild  N     ] sci-libs/cholmod-1.7.4  USE="supernodal -debug -doc -metis -minimal -static-libs"
[ebuild  N     ] sci-mathematics/octave-3.6.1  USE="X fftw glpk imagemagick opengl qhull qrupdate readline sparse zlib -curl -doc -gnuplot -static-libs"

THIS IS NOT safe! too many unnecessary libs rebuilds using portage

but i can solve this with:

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equo install sci-mathematics/octave
>> Running with --pretend ...
>>  @@ These are the chosen packages:
>>    # (1/1) [sabayonlinux.org] sci-mathematics/octave-3.6.0
>>     Versions: Not installed / NoTag / NoRev ===> 3.6.0 / NoTag / 0
>>      Action:          Install
>>  @@ Packages involved: 1
>>  @@ Calculating dependencies ...
>>  @@ These are the packages that would be installed:
>>  ## [N] [sabayonlinux.org] sci-libs/camd-2.2.0|1
>>  ## [N] [sabayonlinux.org] sci-libs/cxsparse-2.2.3|0
>>  ## [N] [sabayonlinux.org] app-admin/eselect-lapack-0.1|1
>>  ## [N] [sabayonlinux.org] sci-libs/lapack-reference-3.2.1|0
>>  ## [N] [sabayonlinux.org] virtual/lapack-3.1|1
>>  ## [N] [sabayonlinux.org] sci-libs/arpack-96-r3|0
>>  ## [N] [sabayonlinux.org] sci-libs/qrupdate-1.1.1|0
>>  ## [N] [sabayonlinux.org] sci-libs/ccolamd-2.7.4|0
>>  ## [N] [sabayonlinux.org] sci-mathematics/glpk-4.45|0
>>  ## [N] [sabayonlinux.org] sci-libs/cholmod-1.7.4|0
>>  ## [N] [sabayonlinux.org] media-libs/qhull-2010.1-r2|0
>>  ## [N] [sabayonlinux.org] sci-mathematics/octave-3.6.0|0
>>  @@ Packages needing to be installed/updated/downgraded: 12
>>  @@ Packages needing to be removed: 0
>>  @@ Packages needing to be installed: 12
>>  @@ Packages needing to be reinstalled: 0
>>  @@ Packages needing to be updated: 0
>>  @@ Packages needing to be downgraded: 0
>>  @@ Download size: 16.2MB
>>  @@ Used disk space: 74.2MB
>>  @@ You need at least: 106.7MB of free space

one more try:

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emerge --pretend sci-mathematics/octave

These are the packages that would be merged, in order:

Calculating dependencies... done!
[ebuild     U  ] sci-mathematics/octave-3.6.1 [3.6.0] USE="-curl* -gnuplot%"

!!! The following installed packages are masked:
- sys-devel/gcc-4.6.2::sabayon-distro (masked by: package.mask)
/usr/portage/profiles/package.mask:
# Ryan Hill <[email protected]> (02 Apr 2011)
# Masked for testing

For more information, see the MASKED PACKAGES section in the emerge
man page or refer to the Gentoo Handbook.

so, NOW IS SAFE to install latest portage octave in sabayon linux using portage & gentoo way because as you can see is only main octave software upgraded all other needed libs is installed from entropy database

if octave ebuild fail to compile is only his guilt and until in sabayon-limbo repository and gentoo portage tree this problem is not solved entropy octave v3.6.1 binary package will not slip to stable sabayon repository because, as you quess, will fail to build in sabayon-limbo first ...

time to dance:

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time emerge -av sci-mathematics/octave

These are the packages that would be merged, in order:

Calculating dependencies... done!
[ebuild     U  ] sci-mathematics/octave-3.6.1 [3.6.0] USE="X fftw glpk imagemagick opengl qhull qrupdate readline sparse zlib -curl* -doc -gnuplot% -stati7 kB

Total: 1 package (1 upgrade), Size of downloads: 15,027 kB

!!! The following installed packages are masked:
- x11-libs/wxGTK-2.9.1.1::gentoo (masked by: package.mask)
/usr/portage/profiles/package.mask:
# Ryan Hill <[email protected]> (22 Jan 2011)
# Mask development versions due to unstable API
# as requested by leio

- sys-devel/gcc-4.6.2::sabayon-distro (masked by: package.mask)
/usr/portage/profiles/package.mask:
# Ryan Hill <[email protected]> (02 Apr 2011)
# Masked for testing

For more information, see the MASKED PACKAGES section in the emerge
man page or refer to the Gentoo Handbook.


Would you like to merge these packages? [Yes/No] Yes

>>> Verifying ebuild manifests
.
blablabla
.


after some time of number crunking:

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 * Regenerating GNU info directory index...
 * Processed 215 info files.

real    31m13.506s
user    40m25.195s
sys     3m50.401s


this means aprox. 70 min of compiling and octave 3.6.1 is installed ... now we need only to sync entropy database with portage database:

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equo rescue spmsync
>>  Scanning Source Package Manager and Entropy databases for differences...
>>  @@ Someone added these packages. They would be added to the system database:
>>    # sci-mathematics/octave-3.6.1
>>  ++ (1/1) >>> Adding sci-mathematics/octave-3.6.1
>>  @@ Database update completed.

and voila:

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equo search sci-mathematics/octave
>>  @@ Searching...
>>      @@ Package: sci-mathematics/octave-3.6.0 branch: 5, [sabayonlinux.org]
>>         Available:     version: 3.6.0 ~ tag: NoTag ~ revision: 0
>>         Installed:     version: 3.6.1 ~ tag: NoTag ~ revision: 9999
>>         Slot:          0
>>         Homepage:      http://www.octave.org/
>>         Description:   High-level interactive language
>>                        for numerical computations
>>         License:       GPL-3
>>  Keywords:  sci-mathematics/octave
>>  Found:     1 entry


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eix sci-mathematics/octave
[I] sci-mathematics/octave
     Available versions:  3.2.4-r1 3.4.3-r1 (~)3.6.0 (~)3.6.1 {X curl doc emacs fftw fltk +glpk gnuplot +imagemagick opengl openmp +qhull +qrupdate readline (+)sparse static-libs test xemacs zlib}
     Installed versions:  3.6.1(03:08:41 AM 03/12/2012)(X fftw glpk imagemagick opengl qhull qrupdate readline sparse zlib -curl -doc -gnuplot -static-libs)
     Homepage:            http://www.octave.org/
     Description:         High-level interactive language for numerical computations

* sci-mathematics/octave-epstk
     Available versions:  (~)2.3 {doc}
     Homepage:            http://www.epstk.de/
     Description:         Graphical output functions for Matlab and Octave

Found 2 matches.

this is why sabayon linux is not just another binary linux distro ... is gentoo but gentoo on steroids

[dudumomo]

Thank you so much totedati ! It's not my topic but you have explained very well on how to install a Gentoo package without messing too much with Equo.

Great !

[kwacorn]

@totedati: You put a lot of effort into your answer to my question and I thank you for that, however I am not convinced the following quote below is the answer to my question "How can one identify which [packages] are automatically scheduled [for update] from those which are not?":

so in entropy we have octave v3.6.0 and in portage octave v3.6.1. because octave ebuild is in the main gentoo portage tree this means that very soon will be in entropy database ...

In January, 2012, when I requested an update to the then Octave 3.4.0 it was more than ten months and several versions out of date with no sign of an update in Sabayon-limbo. However after my request it was efficiently actioned and a reasonable time later appeared in Sabayon-weekly updated to Octave 3.6.0. Hence an ebuild being in the main gentoo portage tree is not convincing me of this being the way to identify a package as being automatically scheduled for an update soon. Is there another way or am I misunderstanding?

[totedati]

this delays can happen for some packages if any sabayon developers suspect problems with it ...

for example an xorg or glibc upgrade is always delayed a little more even if in sabayon-limbo is compiling and working well ... this is because sabayon distro has a small development team and sabayon-limbo instalation base is also small ...

but if a main gentoo portage ebuild is already in entropy and in sabayon-limbo branch and a version bump do not trigger any problem, compiling problems for main package or too high version bumps for library dependencies, is no reason to not be in sabayon-stable repository at next entropy binary roll because is all about an automatic process of building and compiling entropy binaries ...

you are sure about january 2012? because, if true, you are an alien talking from future, seven months from now!


if is about january 2011 maybe octave is only a newcomer in the main gentoo portage tree? you are sure in the past octave ebuild was error free? maybe that version, 3.4.0, has some problems and this is why sabayon developers delayed its rolling in entropy database

for rolling frequency i am very sure is a very often policy, if is in portage and trouble free and already its request for inclusion in entropy resolved with an ok in the past, new binaries will be in sabayon in a blink of a eye ...

LE:
and after one month look like is here, in entropy:

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equo search sci-mathematics/octave
>>  @@ Searching...
>>      @@ Package: sci-mathematics/octave-3.6.1 branch: 5, [sabayonlinux.org]
>>         Available:     version: 3.6.1 ~ tag: NoTag ~ revision: 0
>>         Installed:     version: 3.6.1 ~ tag: NoTag ~ revision: 0
>>         Slot:          0
>>         Homepage:      http://www.octave.org/
>>         Description:   High-level interactive language
>>                        for numerical computations
>>         License:       GPL-3
>>  Keywords:  sci-mathematics/octave
>>  Found:     1 entry