This is the mail archive of the systemtap@sourceware.org mailing list for the systemtap project.


Index Nav: [Date Index] [Subject Index] [Author Index] [Thread Index]
Message Nav: [Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next]
Other format: [Raw text]

Re: Anyone tried SystemTap with the latest RHEL5 Beta refresh


Vara Prasad wrote:
>> Unfortunately, other customers prefer that systemtap's loose
>> dependencies (particularly, the kernel-debuginfo) not be installed by
>> default, even if they choose an "install everything" option at the
>> anaconda screens.  Can you think of a way of satisfying both groups?
>>
>> - FChE
>>  
>>
> O.k, before i think of a way to satisfy both the needs i need to
> understand the objection of the other group.
> The objection of other customers to not to install debuginfo package is
> it because of wasted disk space due to large size of debuginfo package
> or time to install or something else.
> I am assuming kernel debuginfo is considered a dependency for SystemTap,
> am i right.
> What is the point of installing a package that doesn't work due to lack
> of dependencies? In other words are we not breaking the semantics or
> meaning of full package install if we don't install required
> dependencies when the customer chooses a package to install.

I won't answer the last question ("what's the point of installing
a non-functional package?").  But how about creating a stap wrapper
that checks for required dependencies.  If present, the wrapper removes itself
from the invocation chain (e.g. by renaming itself and real stap) and then
calls the real stap.  If the dependencies are not present, the wrapper could
tell the user to install the required packages (or do it itself).

=============================
Tim Bird
Architecture Group Chair, CE Linux Forum
Senior Staff Engineer, Sony Electronics
=============================


Index Nav: [Date Index] [Subject Index] [Author Index] [Thread Index]
Message Nav: [Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next]