SORCERY(8) System Administration SORCERY(8)
NAME
sorcery, xsorcery - menu-driven software package management utility
SYNOPSIS
sorcery [action]
EXAMPLE
To get your system up to date, type sorcery system-update
DESCRIPTION
sorcery is an easy-to-use menu-driven (dialog-based) interface to the
sorcery source-based package management system.
OPTIONS
Note that all calls to sorcery with options are semi-interactive
(prompts time(1,2,n) out) or non-interactive, so they can be run from a cron
script or something similar.
Only sorcery without options will start the menu-driven package manage-
ment utility.
-u|update(7,n)
Updates the sorcery scripts only. This option is non-interactive and
does not start up the menu-driven interface. It is suitable for use in(1,8)
cron jobs.
-s|system-update
Perform a system update(7,n) (updates sorcery, grimoire, and spells). [
scribe update(7,n), sorcery queue(1,3), cast --queue ]
-g|upgrade
Update spells without first updating the grimoire. [ sorcery queue(1,3),
cast --queue ]
-q|queue(1,3)
Compare installed grimoire to installed spells, generate queue(1,3) of
spells needing to be updated.
-r|rebuild
Automatically rebuilds all installed software packages. This option is
non-interactive except for a bunch of config(1,5) and depends questions the
first time(1,2,n) you run it.
hold <spell|s>
sets <spell|s> to held. This means that they stay installed, but that
cast will refuse to cast them. This will prevent them from being
updated or changed at all. This might be helpful if(3,n) you change kernel
versions and the package won't build right on the new system, but still
install (wrong).
unhold <spell|s>
unholds <spell|s>, changes their status from held back to installed.
exile <spell|s>
sets <spell|s> to exiled. This means that they won't be installed in(1,8)
any way, sorcery just ignores them.
unexile <spell|s>
removes exiled status from <spell|s>. This means that they can be
installed again.
default <action> <on> <what> on|off
This is a sorcery feature to pre-answer some depends questions. They
will still be asked, but they will default to what you set(7,n,1 builtins) this to.
Generally, <on> is what spell will be used. <what> can be a spell, in(1,8)
that case on or off is the default answer to the "optionally depends
on" question.
<what> can also be a feature name. All spells will default to use <on>
as the provider for that then. If it is an optional depends, they will
use nothing if(3,n) set(7,n,1 builtins) to off, and the provider if(3,n) set(7,n,1 builtins) to on.
default add <on>|"" <what>|"" on|off
This adds a default statement to the list. Either <on> or <what> (not
both) can be "", in(1,8) which case they work as wildcards (anything <what>
depends on / anything that depends on <on>)
default remove|search [<on>|"" [<what>|"" [on|off]]]
These are used to search or modify the defaults list. Anything not
specified or blank will be a wildcard. Everything that matches will be
removed/shown.
-v|--version
Displays the version(1,3,5) number of your sorcery package. Always use this
information when filing bugs.
-h|--help
Displays a short help message.
REQUIREMENTS
While sorcery does not strictly require a connection to the Internet,
it is highly recommended (for updates and especially for sources).
While there are some 56k modem users(1,5), broadband is recommended too.
Bash
version(1,3,5) 2 or higher
Dialog
version(1,3,5) 0.9a or higher
Linux
kernel version(1,3,5) 2.4.x or 2.6.x
and a bunch of other software.
NOTES
Options on the Package Menu add or remove software packages to/from
installation and removal queues. The actual installation and/or
removal of the packages will not be performed until either Foreground
Execution or Background Execution are selected from the main menu.
OPERATION
Navigating the Menus
To return to a previous menu(3x,n,n tk_menuSetFocus) press <Esc> or use the Cancel button
To exit(3,n,1 builtins) the program from the main menu(3x,n,n tk_menuSetFocus) press <Esc> or use the Cancel
button
To toggle between buttons press <Tab>
To select(2,7,2 select_tut) whichever button is highlighted press <Enter>
To select(2,7,2 select_tut)/deselect items from a checklist press <Space>
AUTHOR
Original version(1,3,5) by Kyle Sallee, and updated Thomas Stewart and Karsten
Behrmann.
Maintained by the Source Mage GNU Linux Team
(http://www.sourcemage.org)
REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs to bugzilla <http://bugs.sourcemage.org>
SEE ALSO
alter(8), cast(8), cleanse(8), dispel(8), gaze(1), grimoire(5), scrib-
bler(8), scribe(8), sorcery_config(8), summon(8)
WARRANTY
This is free software with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
Source Mage GNU Linux November 2004 SORCERY(8)