Kitz Forum

Computer Software => Linux => Topic started by: tickmike on March 31, 2008, 09:30:40 PM

Title: Synaptic Update Folder.
Post by: tickmike on March 31, 2008, 09:30:40 PM
 I want to share updates to all my machines and only downloading once.

 On a test machine I have re-installed PCLinOs and MiniMe Dual boot.

This time I have only one "swap" and one "home" folder.
I've made an extra partition   "/usr/local" and hope to share that on this computer first ( with the other os) then Via my network to other pclinux computers.
In the new partition I have made a folder "synaptic_updates"  .
So I shall have       "/usr/local/synaptic_updates"  .
Synaptic has its own download folder   /var/cache/apt/archives (this has a folder called "partial" and a file called "lock")


I could do with some advice please on how to go about this, The links etc.
Ps I have 'synaptic' set to save it's files.
Title: Re: Synaptic Update Folder.
Post by: roseway on March 31, 2008, 10:43:16 PM
I've never tried to do that sort of thing, but maybe this (http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/apt-howto/ch-basico.en.html) helps. It refers to Debian packages of course, but I think the rpm port of Apt works in exactly the same way.
Title: Re: Synaptic Update Folder.
Post by: tickmike on March 31, 2008, 11:33:42 PM
I've never tried to do that sort of thing, but maybe this (http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/apt-howto/ch-basico.en.html) helps. It refers to Debian packages of course, but I think the rpm port of Apt works in exactly the same way.


Thanks for the link but it made me more confused  :'( (It does not take much to do that  ;) )

In simple terms I want to link my new folder (  synaptic_updates  ) to (  archives  )
/var/cache/apt/archives    to    /usr/local/synaptic_updates
I have not done links before.
So my first step, I want to join those two folder together, like they are one folder (if that's possible ! ) .

Edit. I can see if I right click in my new folder -->create new-->link to location (url)  or  application   or device  ???
Title: Re: Synaptic Update Folder.
Post by: roseway on April 01, 2008, 07:19:11 AM
Oh I see, I misunderstood the question. Delete the synaptic_updates folder, then as root type:

ln -s /var/cache/apt/archives /usr/local/synaptic_updates

It was a mistake to try to link a real directory to another one (it can be done but it's more complicated). The ln command simply creates a symbolic link in one directory pointing at another, and the end result is that the archive directory appears to be mirrored in /usr/local/

Title: Re: Synaptic Update Folder.
Post by: tickmike on April 01, 2008, 11:19:50 AM
Oh I see, I misunderstood the question. Delete the synaptic_updates folder, then as root type:

ln -s /var/cache/apt/archives /usr/local/synaptic_updates

It was a mistake to try to link a real directory to another one (it can be done but it's more complicated). The ln command simply creates a symbolic link in one directory pointing at another, and the end result is that the archive directory appears to be mirrored in /usr/local/



Hello Eric, Thanks, I will try that later tonight.
From my first post...."Synaptic has its own download folder   /var/cache/apt/archives (this has a folder called "partial" and a file called "lock")"
What do I do with the two  important items (in blue) which are need to make synaptic work.?
Title: Re: Synaptic Update Folder.
Post by: roseway on April 01, 2008, 11:40:26 AM
I don't think the lock file is a problem. It exists to ensure that only one package manager can have access to the directory at any one time.

I don't really know what the 'partial' directory is for, but I imagine that it's something to do with package installations which haven't completed for some reason. I guess you'll have to watch out for such occurrences and clear them on the PC concerned before using the package manager on any other PC.
Title: Re: Synaptic Update Folder.
Post by: tickmike on April 01, 2008, 12:12:00 PM
I don't think the lock file is a problem. It exists to ensure that only one package manager can have access to the directory at any one time.

I don't really know what the 'partial' directory is for, but I imagine that it's something to do with package installations which haven't completed for some reason. I guess you'll have to watch out for such occurrences and clear them on the PC concerned before using the package manager on any other PC.

I know the other week when I moved some old files out to trash, I moved the two items out by mistake and synaptic would not work.
Could I just try moving the two items into the new folder or would I have to set some other symlinks up ?.
Title: Re: Synaptic Update Folder.
Post by: roseway on April 01, 2008, 12:39:26 PM
If you're creating a symlink as I suggested then there isn't a new folder to move them into. The symlink will include everything in the original, including those items.
Title: Re: Synaptic Update Folder.
Post by: tickmike on April 16, 2008, 02:26:49 PM
I finally got back to this last night,  ;D
What I want is a way to keep my remote computers around my network, synaptic updates in sync. with the main computer where I have downloaded the updates.
eg.   /var/cache/apt/archives

I have tried
"Unison"  could not get it to work.
"Komparator"   sort of worked, but not what I wanted.
"grsync"  no good for a network.

Do you know of any file synchronisation tools that will work over a network.
Title: Re: Synaptic Update Folder.
Post by: roseway on April 16, 2008, 09:20:44 PM
grsync will do the job. It works fine over a local network, but not over the internet.
Title: Re: Synaptic Update Folder.
Post by: tickmike on April 17, 2008, 12:44:53 AM
grsync will do the job. It works fine over a local network, but not over the internet.


This is one I was trying last night, I get this error when I try to access over the network..

ssh: smb: Name or service not known

rsync: connection unexpectedly closed (0 bytes received so far) [sender]
rsync error: unexplained error (code 255) at io.c(600) [sender=3.0.0]

Does not understand the smb: (samba) connection to the remote computer.

Local = /var/cache/apt/archives/
Remote = smb://office/archives/

ssh:  (first line of error)  ?    do I need to install something ?.

Edit.....
It works well on two test folders on the local machine.
Title: Re: Synaptic Update Folder.
Post by: roseway on April 17, 2008, 07:23:51 AM
I've never used rsync myself, so I don't understand the syntax, but I get the impression that you need to share the directory on the Windows machine which is being synced with and then address it as hostname:sharename. But I'm very likely completely wrong.

ssh is Secure Shell, a secure data transport system. Maybe you need to install that on both machines.