Would this be useful for updating?

[KenJackson]

I don't like the concept of uploading my system information to mdkonline, so I've never done it. But I want to keep up-to-date on package bug fixes and security updates, so I have always just browsed to a mirror and visually checked for packages I recognize and downloaded and installed them.

But now I'm working on a shell script that queries both the package list from a mirror and my RPM database and then automatically downloads the RPMs that need to be updated. I still have to run URPMI manually to install them.

Please help me with two questions:

• Is there anything like this already?
• Would others find it helpful?

[fingal]

Hi Ken

I wouldn't do it because if you have a full set of Mandriva repositories set up you can do:

su
<your_password>
urpmi.update -a && urpmi --auto-select

Just like that. There should be a path to /updates on any decent Mandriva mirror site.

Much quicker this way.

[neverus]

Hi

Isn't this what urpmi --auto-update does ?

Terry

(EDIT: HA! just posted too late!)

[KenJackson]

<philosophy>
I don't like total automation because if there is a problem with it, I will be less likely to know what to do to fix it than if I maintain some control.

I know that most other people are more trusting than me. And most people seem to assume there will be no problems. I tend to assume there will be problems and I try to take some preemptive measures.
</philosophy>

Also, if I give urpmi a URL so it can go get whatever RPMs it thinks it needs, it can go downloading and installing stuff willy-nilly without adult supervision.

But I think surely there must be a few others that would like to separate their automation into two parts--downloading and installing. (Aren't there?) For one thing, I like to keep archival copies of the RPM upgrades I've installed, whereas urpmi installs and then deletes.

My script indeed uses the "path to /updates on any decent Mandriva mirror site" that fingal referenced.

[fingal]

Hi again

Yes, a good point. I'm happy to 'auto update' but sometimes this can cause problems. It's good for security fixes, but once it broke my ATI driver (X server updates) and I've had a dreadful frame rate since then.

If you can find another way to update, so that it would be possible to select packages more precisely, then I for one would love to try it out.