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Date:      Thu, 2 Apr 2009 09:19:22 +0200 (CEST)
From:      Oliver Fromme <olli@lurza.secnetix.de>
To:        freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG, Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de>, Richard DeLaurell <richard.delaurell@gmail.com>
Subject:   Re: py24-gobject won't deinstall
Message-ID:  <200904020719.n327JMhf006319@lurza.secnetix.de>
In-Reply-To: <20090401224120.95200698.freebsd@edvax.de>

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Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de> wrote:
 > Richard DeLaurell wrote:
 > > I reveal my ignorance: why does this work to delete the package
 > > 
 > >        # pkg_delete -f /var/db/pkg/py24-gobject*
 > > 
 > > while 'pkg_delete  py24-gobject*' did not?
 > 
 > Use the -f, Luke. The force! Use the force! :-)
 > 
 > > Would the latter have done the trick if issued from the /var/db/pkg
 > > directory itself?
 > 
 > If you delete a package with -f that is required by another
 > package, you BREAK this package. That's okay only if you're
 > going to install the needed dependency right afterwards (by
 > pkg_add or make).

However, the problem is that you will lose dependency
information if you do it that way.  That's why it is
not recommended.

Better use one of the port management tools (portmaster,
portupgrade) which have options to replace one port
with another port while retaining its dependencies.

As a rule of thumb, never use a "force" option (-f)
with any tool (rm, umount, pkg_delete, ...) unless you
know exactly what the consequences are.  I've seen people
shooting their feet too often that way.

Best regards
   Oliver

PS:  To check the consistency of your package database,
you can use this small script (requires Python):

http://www.secnetix.de/olli/scripts/pkg_check_dependencies

If you get no output from "pkg_check_dependencies -q",
then your dependencies are good.

-- 
Oliver Fromme, secnetix GmbH & Co. KG, Marktplatz 29, 85567 Grafing b. M.
Handelsregister: Registergericht Muenchen, HRA 74606,  Geschäftsfuehrung:
secnetix Verwaltungsgesellsch. mbH, Handelsregister: Registergericht Mün-
chen, HRB 125758,  Geschäftsführer: Maik Bachmann, Olaf Erb, Ralf Gebhart

FreeBSD-Dienstleistungen, -Produkte und mehr:  http://www.secnetix.de/bsd

"What is this talk of 'release'?  We do not make software 'releases'.
Our software 'escapes', leaving a bloody trail of designers and quality
assurance people in its wake."



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