[Rule-list] script to uninstall rpms and change config files

[Martin Stricker]

Eugene Wong wrote:
> 
> >From: Martin Stricker <shugal at gmx.de>

> >Of course there can be additional "bloat"
> >collections of RPMs to select during install, and for weeding out
> >unnecessary stuff there your script idea is of excellent use!
> 
> Agreed. I noticed that some of the packages listed in the base
> package list, are not at all relavent to my computer. All I have is
> an ethernet card, i/o card, mono chrome card hard drive & floppy. I
> don't need "eject-#.#.#-i386.rpm". After looking through the network
> package list, I also found stuff that I don't need.

Now that you clarified what you want, I'm absolutely in favor of it!

> >...Let the user decide. But this implies that your script needs
> >either to be "married" with the installer (to get all the actually
> >installed RPMs into the config file), or to make a search after
> >install like `rpm -qa` to populate the config file after install.
> 
> Hmm...those are good points. I forgot that the package lists change.
> That's too bad.

No, that's life. ;=D That's why there are utilities like `rpm -qa`. Just
make your tool smart enough to cope with the mishaps of
life... ;-)))

> Perhaps what I could do is create a bunch of scripts.

Or have a script for each installation option the installer offers, and
just let the installer write a small "log file script" that sources all
scripts which packages were selected. Syntax:
source script_file.sh
. script_file.sh

> In the script we could use a "for" loop, & through each iteration
> [correct terminology?]

Yes. Good idea as well, working with the different possibilities will
show which of them is easiest to use.

> "Would you like to uninstall foo_package-#.#.#, using rpm -e? [Y/n]".
> I feel that it is safe to use "Y" as the default, because by time
> they are smart enough to edit the file & scripts, they should know
> what they want & don't want.

I disagree. Not because I think the users might be stupid but because
it's opposite to the user's expectation: rm and other tools always have
"do nothing" as default, we should stick with that.

> We could also let them choose to do it all without prompting.

Absolutely. Give the script a -f (--force) or --noprompt option.

> Perhaps, I could type, "add2TheList foobar/". The script would then
> ">>" the directory name, every subdirectory name & file name to a
> list in your home directory, then "rm -rf foobar/". Later on, when
> you get a chance, you insert the floppy with the script, and run a
> tool. The tool will check ~/ for the list, run diff and compare,
> then add the new stuff to it's own copy.
> I recommend letting the list grow a little, so that you aren't
> constantly inserting & removing floppies.

Maybe it's just because I'm too tired (it's 3:30 AM here in Germany!),
but I have no clue about what you are trying to accomplish here. Please
enlighten me! ;=D

> Perhaps we should call it "vacuum", because it sucks up unwanted
> stuff. :^)

I like that name! Very good ideas, Eugene! Thanks a lot!

Best regards,
Martin Stricker
-- 
Homepage: http://www.martin-stricker.de/
Linux Migration Project: http://www.linux-migration.org/
Red Hat Linux 7.3 for low memory: http://www.rule-project.org/
Registered Linux user #210635: http://counter.li.org/


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