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diff --git a/Master/tlpkg/dev/dev.usermode-tlmgr.README b/Master/tlpkg/dev/dev.usermode-tlmgr.README new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..e79fce55af1 --- /dev/null +++ b/Master/tlpkg/dev/dev.usermode-tlmgr.README @@ -0,0 +1,207 @@ +Using the TeX Live Manager in Usermode +====================================== +(to be discussed and implemented) +(partial implementation working for install and remove is in + tlpkg/dev/dev.usermode-tlmgr.patch) + + +0. Contents +----------- + +0. Contents +1. Rational and definition +2. General layout +3. Description of actions +4. Open questions +5. Changes to the infrastructure + +--------------------------------------------------------------- + +0.1 Implementation notes +------------------------ + +- User has to first call + tlmgr init-usertree [ --usertree .... ] +- available_architectures is set to the empty list, this allows + updating packages depending on .ARCH packages, but I am not sure + if that is a good idea + fixed now, only relocated packages can be installed in usermode +- update, install, remove, paper done +- postinstall action call -sys variant if !$opts{"usermode"} +- most other actions exit 1 with warning if in usermode +- backup and restore should be checked + +--------------------------------------------------------------- + +1. Rationale and definition +--------------------------- + +The idea behind developing a user mode for the TeX Live Manager is +providing a tool to manage different texmf trees for users without +write permissions to the system TeX Live installation on a multi user +system. + +If a user without write permissions to the main installation +tree is calling tlmgr, or it is called with --user (name to be decided) +command line argument, then tlmgr will work in "usermode" and will behave +as specified here. + +Already supported actions (where no write permissions are needed): + help, version, search, show, list, check, print-arch + +Actions that behave differently in usermode: + install, update, remove, option, paper, generate, backup, restore + uninstall, symlinks + +Actions that are not supported in usermode: + arch + +Actions I am not sure by now + gui + +------------------------------------------------------------ + +2. General layout +----------------- + +In usermode tlmgr manages a different texmf tree. By default it is TEXMFHOME +but can be changed with --user-tree ... (name to be decided) (which implies +automatically --user). The so managed texmf tree TREE contains a new toplevel +directory + TREE/tlpkg +which in turns contains the tlpdb, and the sub directory tlpkg/tlpobj. + +The file + TREE/tlpkg/texlive.tlpdb +contains only the packages that have been installed into the user tree TREE +plus additional options in the virtual package 00texlive.installation +(like with the main installation's texlive.tlpdb). + +Management in user mode is only possible for "relocatable" packages, that are +packages that share the common prefix + $TeXLive::TLConfig::RelocPrefix +which is set to + texmf-dist +That means that only a package where all files are from the texmf-dist tree +can be managed in usermode. + +These packages' containers are created relocatable, that is, the files in +the tar file do not have the "texmf-dist" part included, thus can be +unpacked directly into TEXMFHOME. In the tlpdb this fact is advertised +in a TLPOBJ with the new field + relocated 1 +As an example: + name 12many + category Package + revision ... + relocated 1 + shortdesc ... + ... + docfiles size=98 + RELOC/doc/latex/12many/12many.pdf + RELOC/doc/latex/12many/README + ... + srcfiles size=6 + RELOC/source/latex/12many/12many.dtx + RELOC/source/latex/12many/12many.ins + runfiles size=1 + RELOC/tex/latex/12many/12many.sty + ... + +The normal installation procedure of TeX Live (i.e., currently +TLUtils::install_package) will take care that when unpacking these +relocated containers the missing "texmf-dist" is added. + +----------------------------------------------- + +3. Description of actions +------------------------- + +install: + in usermode the tlmgr action install will check that the package + and all depending packages are either all relocated, or those that + are not relocated are already installed in the system installation. + If this is true it will unpack all containers to be installed into + the user tree (TEXMFHOME or the value of --user-tree) and add the + respective packages to the user texlive.tlpdb (creating it if there + has non be created till now). + + Open question: Should we support installation of dependencies at all + or should install only work on single package in user mode. If only + on single package, what to do with collections and other dependencies? + Maybe the user has to install all packages by hand? + +backup, restore, remove, update: + in usermode the tlmgr action update will check that all packages + to be updated are installed in the user tree, otherwise it behaves + exactely like the system tlmgr. + +option: + only acts upon the user's texlive.tlpdb + +paper: + changes configuration files in user tree + +generate: + creates configuration files in user tree + +uninstall: + will remove all packages from the user's texlive.tlpdb, and then + remove the tlpkg directory in the user tree + +symlinks: + takes the settings from the user's texlive.tlpdb, other then that + it behaves the same way + +gui: + the GUI should be adapted to do (at least): + - if in usermode show all packages with specification whether it is + from user tree or system tree + - show packags that have versions in the user tree and the system tree + - other actions work as described above + +arch: + is simply not supported because it needs access to the binary directories + which are not in the texmf-dist prefix, so no operation is allowed + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +4. Open questions +----------------- + +a. Post install actions: + what should be done with post install actions: + - fileassoc -> ignore + - shortcuts -> make them only for the user? + - TLPackageConfigurations (should it go anyway) ? + - post install code scripts: we could pass the "user" argument + so scripts can react on that + +b. Behaviour if system tree has been updated and provides newer packages: + - warn the user + - automatically remove packages in the user tree that are older NO!!! + +c. Currently user mode is only when installing from CD/NET, but not + from svn/DVD. Should this be fixed? + +-------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +5. Changes to the infrastructure (those already known) +-------------------------------- + +- texlive.tlpdb: + entries can now files without any leading texmf tree, but then the + package has to contain the "relocated 1" key/value pair +- TLPOBJ.pm: accept new key "relocated" +- tl-update-container: + . add cmd line option for $opt_relative + . adjust the tlpobj if the container was build relocatable so that + texmf-dist prefix is removed from the files +- TLUtils.pm + install_package(s): check for relocatable and adjust $target by + adding $RelocPrefix +- tlmgr.pl + too many to actually list them + +--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +np, last changed 2009-05-02 |