depend(4)
depend --
software dependencies files
Description
depend
is an ASCII file used to specify information concerning software dependencies
for a particular package.
The file is created by a software developer.
Each entry in the
depend
file describes a single software package.
The instance of the package is
described after the entry line by giving the package architecture and/or version.
The format of each entry and subsequent instance definition is:
type pkg name
(arch)version
(arch)version
. . .
The fields are:
- type
-
Defines the dependency type.
Must be one of the following characters:
- P
-
Indicates a prerequisite for installation, for example, the referenced package
or versions must be installed.
- I
-
Implies that the existence of the indicated package or version is
incompatible.
- R
-
Indicates a reverse dependency.
Instead of defining the package's own
dependencies, this designates that another package depends on this one.
This
type should be used only when an old package does not have a
depend
file but it relies on the newer package nonetheless.
Therefore, the present
package should not be removed if the designated old package is still on the
system since, if it is removed, the old package will no longer work.
- pkg
-
Indicates the package abbreviation.
- name
-
Specifies the full package name.
- (arch)version
-
Specifies a particular instance of the software.
A version name cannot begin with a left parenthesis.
The instance specifications,
both arch and version,
are completely optional
but each must begin on a new line that
begins with white space.
If no version set is specified,
any version of the indicated package will match.
A version preceded by a tilde (``~'')
indicates that any compatible version
will be a match.
[See
compver(4).]
Examples
Here is a sample depend file (for the NFS package):
P base Base System
P nsu Networking Support Utilities
P inet Internet Utilities
P rpc Remote Procedure Call Utilities
P dfs Distributed File System Utilities
References
compver(4)
30 January 1998
© 1998 The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. All rights reserved.