portia

Can anyone explain to me how the changelogs work?
I went to Slackware's website and checked changelogs for current64. For example, that's the entry
for 25 of May:
So I can see that binutils and gcc have been recompiled to enable multilib support. I understand that this (or even further modified versions of both packages) will be included in Slackware64 13. What if I want those 2 slackware packages with multilib support today? I'd have to browse the slackware tree directories and download/install those 2 packages - and that's it, isn't it?
Sorry, if the question is stupid but it puzzles me slightly. As there don't seem to be any updates for 'current' versions, the only way of keeping the system up to date with the slackware developers would be to monitor change logs daily and replace the packages mentioned in changelogs. I know it's the development version and hence the reason there are no official updates (emailed vie mailing list as it is with slackware 12.2). Just would like to know how it works. I hope what I'm saying makes sense to you.
TIA

KingX

No you don't have to check the changelogs daily for updated packages. Simply use slackpkg and point it at a slackware mirror. Also check the slackpkg config file to allow it to check in the -current directory. After that simply do slackpkg update (which will grab a list of all the packages) and run slackpkg upgrade-all (it will display a list of packages that have newer versions available). Then you can check (or uncheck) packages you wish to update.

If their is a completely new package added to -current I think their is an option to include that also. But bottom line slackpkg is your friend and let it do the searching and installing for you

Edit: Forgot to mention you can find slackpkg in the /ap directory in -current . It's the official slackware package manager.

portia

thanks KingX.

mingdao

There is also Eric Hameleer's mirror-slackware-current.sh script which you can find
on the Slackware website. From slackware dot com add ~alien/tools/ and you will
get the directory with this and other tools.

Sorry for not posting the links, but I lack the minimum 15 posts. And forgive me, if the
way I've offered the link breaks the rules, or the spirit thereof. It's not my intention,
and it is my understanding that this rule is to prevent spambots.

Also, check Eric's blog for upcoming Slackware64 multilib information. You will
find a link to it on his wiki.

I use his script(s) to mirror Slackware-10.1 patches for my server, Slackware 12.2
patches for the 32-bit boxen, Slackware -current for testing, and Slackware64 -current,
which I'm running on my workstation and one laptop.

KingX is spot on with slackpkg, and do use the latest version in -current. I use it
to point to my mirror of Slackware on my server as NFS shares.