When synchronizing first will be tried to move previous versions of the packages in place so bandwide could be saved (requires gzip --rsyncable). Of course previous version could either be removed or kept. Synchronizing for building different local mirrors also symlinks/hardlinks could be used.
Informations about packages could be changed through an exchange file. This file has the same structure the corresponding control file striped down to the package name and the to change informations of the packages. I.e. to change the section of a package this file has to contain the following package paragraph:
Package: <packagename>
Section: <change>
The structure of the local mirror could be transformed from a Debian mirror into a deviate structure. While no transformation produces the same structure, transform=dist produces the old dist structure (subdirectories according their section names) and transform=pool produces a complete pool structure (all old fashioned packages were moved into pool). The transform=user allows for a user definable transformation through the packagepath/packagename parameters in the config file (see below).
Besides using the current names for the control files (Packages, Sources) the script also processes a kind of names to allow for having multiple files in the same directory. These names are currently only used for the transformed mirrors and need to have the following naming:
Packages_<dist>_<comp>_<arch> i.e. "Packages_woody_main_i386"
Sources_<dist>_<comp>_source i.e. "Sources_woody_main_source"
Packages_<dist>_all_<arch> i.e. "Packages_woody_all_i386"
Packages_all_all_<arch> i.e. "Packages_all_all_i386"
Sources_all_all_source i.e. "Sources_all_all_source"
Note: These naming schema is only necessary to link them to the corresponding names of an official Debian mirror.
If a distribution list file (i.e. "/etc/distributions.list") is defined, the control files where taken from this file. Besides using the legacy names or the above proposed names, any name could be choosen. For more informations see "distributions.list.txt".
The script does also have some special functions:
1. It can set the time (to 1. Jan. 1970) of any incorrect file.
2. It can set the user (i.e. "debadmin") of any correct file.
All the used values (like distnames, rsync options, etc.) are now configurable through a config file.
Usage:
distsync [-ACDfhkLlMPqStUVv] [-c=file] [-i=keywords] [-I=file]
[-m=url] [-o=file] [-T=keyword] [-u=user] [-x=file]
basedir
Checks/synchronizes a local distribution mirror with a remote distribution mirror.
The synchronization is driven by the distribution control files which where listed
in the distribution list file.
Options:
-A|--actual-pkgs Synchronize only actual installed packages
-c|--config-file=file Get the configuration from this file
-C|--cleanup Remove obsolete packages after synchronizing
-D|--debug level Debug functionality (level 1..9)
-f|--force Forces cleanup for the full local mirror
-h|--help Prints the usage
-i|--include=keyword Include any matching dist/comp/arch (',' separated)
-I|--include-from=file Include any packages (names, infos) listed in file
-k|--keep Keep old version of any package
-l|--symlink Make symlink instead of synchronizing
-L|--hardlink Make hardlink instead of synchronizing
-m|--mirror=url URL of a Debian mirror, pointing to base directory
-M|--md5sum Checks the MD5sum of each package
-o|--output-to=file Write wrong packages to file instead of synchronize
-P|--packages Process Debian packages (binaries)
-q|--quiet Don't show messages (decreases the verbose mode by one)
-S|--sources Process Debian sources
-t|--settime Set time to '1. Jan. 1970' if package not correct
-T|--transform=keyword Kind of tranformation (dist|pool|user)
-u|--user=uid Set user to new name (i.e. debadmin)
-U|--utilities Process Debian utilities (i.e. disk images)
-v[v] Verbose mode (-vv/-vvv more verbose)
-V|--version Version
-x|--exchange-from=file Exchange control informations contained in file
Notes:
The syntax for the URL is either a local directory or an rsync location (with '::').
Excluded packages cannot again be included (exclude has precedence).
Initial 2001-12-26 This is the first release of dpartialmirror
1.3.4 2002-01-03 Changed minor internals.
1.4.0 2002-01-08 All synchronizing scripts (debiansynch, debiandist and
debianpool) combined into one script since most of the
code was the same and all had now the same interface.
Debiancompact change so it's able to compact any of the
distribution structures and removed obsolete options.
1.4.1 2002-01-09 Some code fixes
1.4.2 2002-01-10 Fixed non-US, streamlined code
Added config file
1.5.0 2002-01-11 Merged cleanup function into debiansynch.
1.5.1 2002-01-12 Fixed duplicate old versions. Code cleanup
1.5.2 2002-01-13 Fixed cleanup when transform where used.
1.5.3 2002-01-15 Removed left over "exit" statement
Old control file not written over during synchronizing
Packed control files are now packed again
Code cleanup
1.5.4 2002-01-17 Fixed exclusion/inclusion
Introduced -q (quiet) option
Prepare for next major release
1.6.0 2002-01-18 Distributions list file integrated!
1.7.0 2002-01-20 Exchanged -e/-E and -i/-I options!
1.7.1 2002-01-21 Changed parameters dist... with deb_... in conf-file
1.7.2 2002-01-24 Sources were handled correct, but since there are only
Sources.gz the new notation has to be used in
"distributions.list".
1.7.3 2002-01-26 Fixed forced cleanup
Prevented a direct force cleanup
1.7.4 2002-01-27 Includes preliminary man pages and an install script
"sources.list" can be used instead of "distributions.list"
1.8.0 2002-01-31 Overhauled the conf-file, changed to Config::Inifile
New feature: Synchronizes all installed items
1.8.1 2002-02-05 Fixed transform=user
Declared release candidate
1.8.2 2002-02-09 Fixed bug in cleanup, no wrong removements anymore
1.8.3 2002-03-24 Lifted the restriction to use the -o option for a forced
cleanup. Corrected the examples to acknowledge the change
of the options -I and -E. Installs now into /usr/local/bin
instead of /usr/bin.
1.8.4 2002-04-01 Exchange did not work for text including whitespace.
All examples should now work.
Small typo fix in usage text.
1.8.5 2002-04-03 Option -A doesn't reduce Packages file anymore.
The package is renamed to "debiansynch" like the script.
The location of the config file has changed to
"/etc/debiansynch.conf"
1.8.6 2002-04-25 Unlinks old control files only if the exists
Option -U disabled until Debian provides utility control
files.
2.0.0 2002-05-15 Changed name to "distsync"
Changed several wordings (hopefully better english)
Removed scan for control files, they have to be declared
Option -f only forces cleanup of full mirror
Changed several config parameter names to better ones
Config parameter defaults to more common values