On 9/19/06, Richard Fish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On 9/19/06, Alon Keren <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> My aim is to have the ability to regularly build and maintain
> completely customized Linux systems.
This should be possible by using your own local portage tree (probably
based initially on Gentoo's tree) that you update somewhat manually
with ebuilds and eclasses as you want. Combined with pre-built binary
packages, and a 'golden' portage configuration and world file, it
should be relatively simple & quick to stage a new system.
....
This _is_ going to require a solid understanding of how Gentoo/Portage
works, but not necessarily how to write ebuilds/eclasses. You need to
understand what we mean by "portage tree", "world file", "use flags",
"profile", "binary packages", etc. The best way to acquire this
knowledge is to install and use Gentoo, daily, for something
significant (like your desktop!).
Yes, I realize that deep understanding of Portage would obviously be
required, as will writing ebuilds (and copying some of Gentoo's).
> The ROOT variable is probably a major part of the solution, but is it
> enough? I've also found '/usr/portage/scripts/bootstrap.sh', which
> seems suspiciously relevant, but comes with little external
> documentation.
bootstrap.sh _is_ for only rebuilding the toolchain. Probably not
what you want at all....
It's actually what I DO want. As I've previously explained, it would
give me the control I need over the system.
If Gentoo's minimal installation CD and a stage1 install doesn't work
for you, you can build your own release media with catalyst (no, it
isn't just for rebuilding the toolchain).
Release media would be good, but I'd like to know how more about how
Catalyst produces the toolchain.
The ROOT variable is used to install packages into a different (fex
chroot) directory. It is usually used for things like
cross-compilation environments where one wants to build binary
packages for another system, although not always.
Cross-compilation is something I would like to be able to do.
From what I've gathered so far, it looks llike it should be possible
to build a complete customized toolchain with Portage, even if it'd
require some tweaking; at the center of it being the ROOT env.
variable and 'bootloader.sh'. Still, I wish I could get input from
someone who's actually done such a thing.
Alon
PS.
Please CC me your replies as I'm not subscribed to messages from this list
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