Historical bug tracker for the Pacman package manager.
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This tracker remains open for interaction with historical bugs during the transition period. Any new bugs reports will be closed without further action.
The pacman bug tracker has moved to gitlab:
https://gitlab.archlinux.org/pacman/pacman/-/issues
This tracker remains open for interaction with historical bugs during the transition period. Any new bugs reports will be closed without further action.
FS#9204 - Unclear option descriptions (man pages)
Attached to Project:
Pacman
Opened by Michael Towers (gradgrind) - Monday, 14 January 2008, 07:43 GMT
Last edited by Xavier (shining) - Wednesday, 16 January 2008, 13:36 GMT
Opened by Michael Towers (gradgrind) - Monday, 14 January 2008, 07:43 GMT
Last edited by Xavier (shining) - Wednesday, 16 January 2008, 13:36 GMT
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DetailsSummary and Info:
When using the '-r' option with '--dbpath' and '--cachedir': These have the same descriptive text (man pacman, also for the corresponding pacman.conf entries, man pacman.conf): "NOTE: if specified, this is an absolute path and the root path is not automatically prepended. This behavior changed in pacman 3.1.0." (and I assume it is so) BUT when using the '-r' option without '--dbpath', the root path IS appended to the default path for the database location, while without '--cachedir', the root path IS NOT appended to the default cache location. (I hope I got that right!) It would be helpful if the man pages could clarify this a bit (even though it states that you shouldn't be using '--dbpath' unless you know what you are doing!). As an aside - is there a reason for this change to '--dbpath'? I find that the new '--cachedir' makes good sense, but is there really a situation in which you would want the dbpath of an installation outside of its root? |
This task depends upon
Closed by Xavier (shining)
Wednesday, 16 January 2008, 13:36 GMT
Reason for closing: Fixed
Additional comments about closing: the two patches were applied in git.
Wednesday, 16 January 2008, 13:36 GMT
Reason for closing: Fixed
Additional comments about closing: the two patches were applied in git.
I am not sure if we should change its documentation or its behavior; maybe that behavior is fine, and just updating the doc would be alright.
but you think that --dbpath should always be a relative path (inside rootdir), right?
I am not sure I see a case where an absolute dbpath would be needed, but why not allowing this possibility? It doesn't cost anything.
So if we just clarify the documentation of --cachedir, that would be alright?
Would the attached patch close this bug?
1) man pacman.conf (CacheDir) needs the same patch
2) I think it would be helpful if the (man pacman) '-r' option could have its description extended to the effect that - when --dbpath (or DBPath in pacman.conf) is not specified - the default dbpath will be relative to the root path.
3) As 2) but for man pacman.conf (RootDir).
I find the logic for dbpath potentially a bit confusing (though I otherwise have no objection to it), which is why I suggest making the path always relative to the root. But who knows, maybe an absolute path might in some way be useful... Anyway, please don't change the default database path when --dbpath/DBPath is not specified - this should definitely be relative to the root.