I've been reading some threads on (and experiencing) yum's slowness. Not sure if its been suggested yet, but could yum be session based? If after all the time-consuming on-disk cache reading (MD Read #### ), yum gave a command prompt, I could yum list, yum info, and finally yum install, all with only one read of repository metadata from local files...
The newer versions of yum are generally much faster and use MUCH less RAM through the use of an sqlite cache.
A "yum shell" feature also exists that does exactly what you're asking for. Here's an example:
----< snip >------------------------------------------------------
# yum shell Setting up Yum Shell > list updates Setting up Repos core 100% |=========================| 1.1 kB 00:00 dag 100% |=========================| 1.1 kB 00:01 livna 100% |=========================| 951 B 00:00 updates 100% |=========================| 951 B 00:00 freshrpms 100% |=========================| 951 B 00:00 extras 100% |=========================| 951 B 00:00 Reading repository metadata in from local files primary.xml.gz 100% |=========================| 750 kB 00:33 dag : ################################################## 2023/2023 Added 15 new packages, deleted 12 old in 3.67 seconds primary.xml.gz 100% |=========================| 304 kB 00:04 updates : ################################################## 742/742 Added 3 new packages, deleted 1 old in 2.75 seconds extras : ################################################## 1002/1002 Added 3 new packages, deleted 0 old in 1.03 seconds Excluding Packages in global exclude list Finished Updated Packages system-config-services.noarch 0.8.21-0.fc3.1 updates thunderbird.i386 1.0.2-1.3.2 updates > list updates Updated Packages system-config-services.noarch 0.8.21-0.fc3.1 updates thunderbird.i386 1.0.2-1.3.2 updates > info thunderbird Installed Packages Name : thunderbird Arch : i386 Version: 1.0.2 Release: 1.3.1 Size : 28 M Repo : installed Summary: Mozilla Thunderbird mail/newsgroup client
Description: Mozilla Thunderbird is a standalone mail and newsgroup client.
Available Packages Name : thunderbird Arch : i386 Version: 1.0.2 Release: 1.3.2 Size : 10 M Repo : updates Summary: Mozilla Thunderbird mail/newsgroup client Description: Mozilla Thunderbird is a standalone mail and newsgroup client.
> update Setting up Update Process > run Transaction Listing: Update: system-config-services.noarch 0:0.8.21-0.fc3.1 - updates Update: thunderbird.i386 0:1.0.2-1.3.2 - updates Total download size: 10 M Is this ok [y/N]: y Downloading Packages: (1/2): thunderbird-1.0.2- 100% |=========================| 10 MB 03:34 (2/2): system-config-serv 100% |=========================| 133 kB 00:02 Running Transaction Test thunderbird-1.0.2-1.3.2.i 100% |=========================| 63 kB 00:00 system-config-services-0. 100% |=========================| 23 kB 00:00 Finished Transaction Test Transaction Test Succeeded Running Transaction Updating : system-config-services ######################### [1/4] Updating : thunderbird ######################### [2/4] Cleanup : thunderbird ######################### [3/4] Cleanup : system-config-services ######################### [4/4]
Updated: system-config-services.noarch 0:0.8.21-0.fc3.1 thunderbird.i386 0:1.0.2-1.3.2
Finished Transaction
> quit
Leaving Shell
----< snip >------------------------------------------------------
You should be able to find all this in the version of yum currently in rawhide.
Regards, Menno
