[Dovecot] Can I install in the following fashion?

[Lior Okman]

On 3/7/06, Stewart Dean <sdean at bard.edu> wrote:
> if you run configure --help, you will see this (and more):
> > Installation directories:
> >   --prefix=PREFIX         install architecture-independent files in PREFIX
> >                         [/usr/local]
> >   --exec-prefix=EPREFIX   install architecture-dependent files in EPREFIX
> >                         [PREFIX]
> >
> > By default, `make install' will install all the files in
> > `/usr/local/bin', `/usr/local/lib' etc.  You can specify
> > an installation prefix other than `/usr/local' using `--prefix',
> > for instance `--prefix=$HOME'.
> >
> I see now I missed something so I will redefine my request. If I invoke
> configure with:
> --prefix=/usr/local/dovecot-bld/<timestamp>
> --eprefix=/usr/local/dovecot-bld/<timestamp>
> where /usr/local/dovecot-bld/<timestamp> is a directory
> Q1: Will I have everything in that one directory so that by tar'ing and
> untar'ing that one directory I can tar up everything necessary to run
> dovecot on another machine with the same OSlevel/patches/OpenSSL. Will
> dovecot be able to reference everything it needs?

Assuming all the external shared objects on both systems are in the
same place, I don't see why not.

>  I notice that
>
> --oldincludedir=DIR    C header files for non-gcc [/usr/include]
>
> will not be there. Will that be a problem?

I'm not sure, but I think this setting is used for compile time - it's
where dovecot expects to find include files, it doesn't mean that
anything will be installed there.

If you're really concerned, then use "make -n install", and go over
the commands that make would have run, you will be able to see exactly
where everything goes.

Or you could run "make install" inside a chroot jail.  I also seem to
recall that I saw a script somewhere that could trace the "make
install" procedure and print exactly where it puts everything. It was
being used for converting .tar.gz "make-based-installations" to rpms.

> Q2: Will dovecot not be able to find system resources it needs?

Dovecot should be able to find everything it needs, assuming the
configuration files are ok.

> Tar'ing up a directory is doable. RPM'ing hundreds of files scattered
> here and there, perhaps referenced by others, perhaps with new
> additions/deletions you don't know about sounds like an heroic task.

Tar`ing a directory is doable, but doesn't lend itself well to reusing
components and sane system management. When you use RPM/DPKG for
manging your configuration, each package you install is responsible
for its own files and nothing more. The packaging system makes sure
that nothing conflicts or overwrites existing files.

If you accidently untar a file with bad configuration files in it,
they will probably overwrite your existing configuration. RPM/DPKG
will save your old configuration files.

Tar can't help you verify that what you installed is what is actually
running. RPM -verify can make sure that no trojan has been installed
instead of a file provided in an RPM file.

And the list goes on and on.

> Does anybody see how simple it is to upgrade UWImap with its one binary?

Just as long as there is only one binary. AFAIK, UWImap doesn't
support configuration files, on the assumption that the sysadmin
probably doesn't know enough to create a valid configuration. The
downshot of that is that there is a limit to what you can do with
UWImap's one binary :-)


Lior

>
> Lior Okman wrote:
> > Looking at the debianized version, the bulk of the files are placed in
> > €
> > or under /usr/lib/dovecot, with all of the configuration files in
> > €
> > /etc/dovecot, and relevant binaries under /usr/bin and /usr/sbin.
> > €
> >
> > €
> > However, reading from the comment in the begining of the default
> > €
> > dovecot.conf file, you can probably compile your own version of
> > €
> > dovecot where you specify the following parameters to configure:
> > €
> > "--prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc --localstatedir=/var
> > €
> > --with-ssldir=/etc/ssl".
> > €
> > Just make sure to replace all the paths with where you want to install
> > €
> > this version of dovecot.
> > €
> >
> > €
> > Lior
> > €
> >
> > €
> > On 3/7/06, Stewart Dean <sdean at bard.edu> wrote:
> > €
> >
> >> Hmmm, hadn't thought of RPM.  But I would like a direct answer to my
> >>
> > €
> >
> >> question, which was:  Can I just tar up everything in a dovecot-only
> >>
> > €
> >
> >> prefix directory (defined in the invocation of configure) when the make
> >>
> > €
> >
> >> and make install is done, and then untar/extract it in a directory of
> >>
> > €
> >
> >> the same name over on another machine with the same OS, patches and
> >>
> > €
> >
> >> OpenSSL?  Are there Dovecot dependencies outside prefix directory.
> >>
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> >> My OS is AIXV5.3 maintenance/tech level 4.  There is no distro RPMs for
> >>
> > €
> >
> >> same, so I am building it myself.
> >>
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> >> Lior wrote:
> >>
> > €
> >
> >>> The problem you are describing is solved with tools like RPM and DEB.
> >>>
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> >>> You can install/remove an entire package with a single command, you
> >>>
> > €
> >
> >>> can verify the installation with a single command, you can safetly
> >>>
> > €
> >
> >>> upgrade with a single command, and safetly revert to an older version
> >>>
> > €
> >
> >>> with a single command.
> >>>
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> >>> These tools allow you to find out exactly which file belongs to what
> >>>
> > €
> >
> >>> package, and they prevent conflicting files from two different
> >>>
> > €
> >
> >>> packages from being installed. Not to mention (almost) automatic (at
> >>>
> > €
> >
> >>> least on debian) dependency resolving for packages.
> >>>
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> >>> If you're using Debian, you can just "apt-get install dovecot-imap
> >>>
> > €
> >
> >>> dovecot-pop", and have the dpkg handle all of the issues you
> >>>
> > €
> >
> >>> mentioned. If you're using an RPM based distro- try yum or apt-rpm.
> >>>
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> >>> Lior
> >>>
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> >> Timothy White wrote:
> >>
> > €
> >
> >>>> If you're using Debian, you can just "apt-get install dovecot-imap
> >>>>
> > €
> >
> >>>> dovecot-pop", and have the dpkg handle all of the issues you
> >>>>
> > €
> >
> >>>> mentioned. If you're using an RPM based distro- try yum or apt-rpm.
> >>>>
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> >>> And there is nothing stopping you making a deb package, from a newer
> >>>
> > €
> >
> >>> version of dovecot, that Debian has, AND, duplicating the server, so
> >>>
> > €
> >
> >>> you can do a test upgrade... Of course, with any upgrade, someone will
> >>>
> > €
> >
> >>> notice something ;-)
> >>>
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> >>> Tim
> >>>
> > €
> >
> >>> --
> >>>
> > €
> >
> >>> Linux Counter user #273956
> >>>
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> >> --
> >>
> > €
> >
> >> ====
> >>
> > €
> >
> >> Stewart Dean, Unix System Admin, Henderson Computer Resources
> >>
> > €
> >
> >> Center of Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York  12504
> >>
> > €
> >
> >> sdean at bard.edu  voice: 845-758-7475, fax: 845-758-7035
> >>
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
> > €
> >
>
> --
> ====
> Stewart Dean, Unix System Admin, Henderson Computer Resources
> Center of Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York  12504
> sdean at bard.edu  voice: 845-758-7475, fax: 845-758-7035
>
>