Well, they're optional dependencies. Generally, I don't want them installed, if you mean that pacman should install them automatically. If you mean more that there should be a way to manually install optional dependencies sanely in some way, I agree. I think, though, the problem's not installing them but rather tracking them. Allan's opt dep tracking proposal at the given wiki link sounds like a really good plan though. I'm all for that, nothing further is needed. -AT On Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 6:38 PM, David C. Rankin <drankinatty@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Dieter Plaetinck wrote: >> On Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:34:15 -0400 >> David Rosenstrauch <darose@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: >> >>> David C. Rankin wrote: >>>> Listmates, >>>> >>>> Is there a better way to handle optional dependencies than >>>> just manually creating a list and checking it against the current >>>> installed packages to see if you need to install them before >>>> issuing the sync command and having some of the packages >>>> reinstalled? >>> I can think of one: just don't install those packages at all until >>> you need them! >>> >>> DR >> >> i use 2 custom bash functions. >> http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=59385 >> >> There are some rough plans to someday improve optdeps support in pacman >> itself though :) See >> http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/User:Allan/Pacman_OptDepends >> >> Dieter >> > > Great, > > Thanks, that gives me something to shoot for in my spare time ;-) From what I > can tell from watching the optional dependencies scroll by, it shouldn't be > that bad to capture then, do the necessary checks and then handle the install > of the dependencies in some sane manner. The real challenge will be getting > more than 3 people to agree on any one way to do it... > > -- > David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E. > Rankin Law Firm, PLLC > 510 Ochiltree Street > Nacogdoches, Texas 75961 > Telephone: (936) 715-9333 > Facsimile: (936) 715-9339 > www.rankinlawfirm.com >
