[EMAIL PROTECTED] <> wrote: > --- Jan Grant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> On Sat, 15 Oct 2005, Peter Matulis wrote: >> >>> What is the use of specifying the 'r' switch when using the 'a' >>> switch? >>> >>> # portupgrade -ar >>> >>> This says to upgrade all ports plus the ones that depend on all >>> those ports. Am I missing something? Wouldn't "the ones that >>> depend" be upgraded anyway? >> >> Not necessarily. For instance: package P might use library L. A >> change in L might alter the size and layout of structures exposed to >> P. The source-level API of L is unchanged; the binary-level ABI is >> altered. So whilst the source code of P might not have changed, it >> might (for instance) be using a macro defined by a header in L that >> will look at the wrong offset in the new structure. These kinds of >> ABI compatibility problems can be fixed by recompilihng P. > > But still, a port requires upgrading or it does not. Using 'r', > portupgrade ultimately checks whether some port should be upgraded. > Are you saying that the 'r' switch involves a different decision > making process than 'a'? > >
The -a switch will upgrade a port only if its version number has increased (as you know). The -r switch will upgrade a port if one of its dependancies has been upgraded, regardless of whether its version number has changed or not. e.g. Appbar-1.0 depends on libfoo-1.0. Libfoo gets a portbump to 1.1. portupgrade -r libfoo will install libfoo-1.1, plus also force a recompile and reinstallation of appbar-1.0, irrespective of the fact that appbar's version remains the same. Thus, any ABI changes that happened in libfoo that could potentially break appbar that was compiled/linked against the previous version are limited. In an ideal world, this wouldn't be a problem. ABIs and APIs should remain constant, until a library revision bump (i.e., if libfoo.1's ABI changed and broke apps, it shoulda been bumped to libfoo.2). Most times you can get away with not recompiling a port's dependants because developers, but if you don't then it can shoot you in the foot (read the recent list archives regarding openssl-0.9.8 to see an example of this). Petersen _______________________________________________ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to "[EMAIL PROTECTED]"
