MyDSL extension download path

Forum: HD Install
Topic: MyDSL extension download path
started by: teitoku

Posted by teitoku on Aug. 08 2006,18:28

I noticed that by default, it wants to put them in /tmp. Seems a bit risky. Is that only used for temporarily holding them, or does it try to keep them there and should I directy MyDSL to store them elsewhere?

Posted by roberts on Aug. 08 2006,19:05

The extensions are made for the liveCD or emulated liveCD (frugal) environments. So by very nature not too many places are writeable. Also, dpends if you want to keep them. That is why one is prompted so at shutdown. Since extensions are large and static it makes no sense to store them in your backup. Since, by default, everything in home/dsl is in the backup, /tmp seems much more logical. Also, depending on how, you installed or what writeable devices you have available, YOU, have control not only to keep'em but where as well.

Posted by teitoku on Aug. 09 2006,00:48

Alright, I figured there would be some scheduled script already set to clear out /tmp at boot or something. It still seems like a silly place to store anything, so they're going in /home/dsl.
But as far as being prompted for ANYTHING at shutdown...........nope. Nothing.

Posted by mikshaw on Aug. 09 2006,01:34

If you've already moved the files out of /tmp you won't be prompted.
If you're using a version of DSL older than 2.2 you won't be prompted.

From my point of view, /tmp is the only reasonable place to use as a default location (i have no idea why it seems "risky"). /home/dsl might work fine for you, but using it as the default in the distribution would be bad. For many people backup/restore would be too slow and much too big.

In any case, as robert said we all have that choice so we can do what works best for each of us.

Posted by teitoku on Aug. 09 2006,03:28

I've moved some, not others. Still haven't seen any prompt at shutdown, just errors.
Since you both seem to agree, maybe one of you could explain why a temporary directory is a good place for storing permanent files. I also don't know if it was obvious from my post, but I've got DSL installed to the hard drive of this crusty old machine.

Posted by mikshaw on Aug. 09 2006,05:20

With a typical DSL system, nothing is permanent until you make it so. With live cd or one of the other compressed-filesystem types the only writeable places are in ramdisk, initially.

If you have a traditional type of harddrive installation, then that is the one exception. You may want to be aware that everything done in DSL development is done specifically for the compressed-type systems...the traditional harddrive installation is not very actively supported or encouraged except as a last resort for very old hardware. In your case /home/dsl is probably a good place to download your extensions, but for a typical DSL system that uses backup/restore it would not be a good place.

As an added note, if you have a traditional harddrive install, many of the packages you download do not need to be kept anyway. The only ones which will not remain installed are uci and unc packages.

Posted by teitoku on Aug. 20 2006,10:05

That's strange; hard drive installs are always quicker...