Gentoo Update Script

Repository: gentoo_update
Author: WBTek, a division of WhiteBear Family Inc.
Description: This script automates system updates and essential post-update actions for Gentoo Linux systems.

Overview

The bash script gentoo_update takes care of the follow-up actions needed while updating a Gentoo Linux system. Specify where to start and it does the rest. For instance, if you have already done a 'sync' (which should only be done once a day), you can start at 'emerge' and it will update everything, clean unused dependencies, check for preserved libraries then do reverse dependency checks. Or you can start at 'sync' and it will first try to update portage itself, then do emerge and all the steps following that. By default it does 'strict' dependency checking. You can also specify 'quick' or '(ex)haustive' to modify that. You can also do steps individually.

Usage

gentoo_update [modifiers] [first_action]

Performs sequences of actions required to maintain Gentoo, with a single command. For a detailed list of options, run:

gentoo_update help

Important Notes

• Root Permissions: gentoo_update requires root or sudo privileges to execute system updates. If run without sufficient privileges, it will automatically enter "pretend" mode, allowing users to see the intended actions without making actual changes to the system.

• revdep-rebuild: '--ask' is now passed to emerge so 'revdepdo' should no longer be needed. Look at the results carefully though. Sometimes just running revdep-rebuild twice gives a different answer. Sometimes it wants to rebuild packages which were just built.

Help Output

Below is the verbatim output from running gentoo_update help:

./gentoo_update: Update Gentoo. Do <first_action> and those to right below.

Usage: gentoo_update [help] [modifiers] [<first_action>]
  modifiers: only pretend quick strict exhaustive debug
  first_action: (sync|portage|emerge|depclean|preserved|revdep[do])

Actions: (do <first_action> and all following unless [only] specified)
  'sync' -- sync local portage database from web (1x/day max please!).
  'portage' -- fetch and update portage itself. (hopefully redundant)
  'system' -- fetch and update everything @system. (seldom needed)
  'emerge' -- fetch and update everything @world. (usually enough)
  'depclean' -- removes unused packages after user confirmation.
  'preserved' -- rebuild to allow removal of old library versions.
  'revdep' -- check whether libraries changed under packages.

Special actions:
  'system' -- 'emerge' with @system, not @world. Flows to 'depclean'.
  'revdepdo' -- same as 'revdep' but rebuilds compromised packages.

Modifiers (abreviated form in parenthesis):
  'only' stops after only one action (doesn't do rest of list).
  'pretend' shows commands without executing them.
  'quick' minimal dependency checking.
  'strict' (default) 'quick' + quite good dependency checking.
  '(ex)haustive' 'strict' + rebuilds if any dependencies rebuilt.
  'debug' shows diagnostics. Shows more as first option.

Examples:
  'gentoo_update sync' does ALL actions in list above.
  'gentoo_update emerge' sets 'strict' mode and starts from 'emerge'.
  'gentoo_update only quick system' stops after quick emerge of @system'.

Default is 'strict only emerge' when no <first_action> given, so:
  'gentoo_update' is shortcut for 'gentoo_update strict only emerge'
    (stops after strict emerge)
  'gentoo_update quick' is short for 'gentoo_update quick only emerge'.
    (stops after quick emerge)

Note

All actions below specified first_action in the Actions list above are run, so

gentoo_update depclean

will also attempt preserved and revdep. sync as first_action would do all actions, as it is first in the list.

Examples

• Sync, emerge and all follow-up actions (should only sync once a day):

  gentoo_update sync

• Emerge and all follow-up actions but no sync (should only sync once a day):

  gentoo_update emerge

• Emerge, then stop (no other actions):

  gentoo_update

• Emerge with exhaustive dependency checking, then stop (no other actions):

  gentoo_update ex (or exhaustive)

• Quick emerge with relaxed dependency checking, then stop (no other actions):

  gentoo_update quick

• Build packages found by reverse dependency checking (no other actions):

  gentoo_update revdepdo

• See what command would do without doing anything:

  gentoo_update pretend <other modifiers> <first action>

License

MIT License. See LICENSE file for more details.