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Re: Suggestion: Have setup.exe warn before upgrading 'cgywin' package itself


Karl M wrote:
>> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:46:12 -0800

>> Currently when upgrading the base 'cygwin' package, the installer only warns
>> you midway through the installation after some files have been
>> removed/replaced.
>>
>> If you have other cygwin processes running, you may be left in an incomplete
>> state where you can't or don't want to kill the other cygwin processes
>> leaving you stuck in the middle of install while you wait to be able to
>> finish or kill the existing cygwin processes. Even worse, several core
>> cygwin utilities are now broken (such as 'ps') due to the partial install.
>>
>> I have done this inadvertently a couple of times when 'cygwin' gets thrown
>> in as a part of another intentioned download.

> If you buy the retail box version, it says right on the front cover don't do that.
>  
> :-)

  ROFL.

  This problem happened to me once.  I think it arises from setup.exe's dual
nature as an install/update-everything tool vs. its usage as a add/remove
programs/package manager.

  I'm planning on implementing an "add/remove programs" mode controlled by a
command-line switch, that basically skips over all the screens (as if in
unattended mode) except for the package chooser.  That way you can keep a
couple of shortcuts to it (maybe in the startmenu group?), one called "Cygwin
System Updater" that runs setup.exe as normal, and another called "Add/Remove
Cygwin Packages", that runs it with this new option.  I'm doing this for a
private project but I'll feed it back upstream when I get a spare moment(*).

    cheers,
      DaveK

-- 
(*) - Yep, haven't forgotten about the couple of other patches I'm half-way
through revising.

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