2012-06-18



For the first time, I used tsort(1).  It does topological sorting
of a dependency-based graph.

I used it to write `depinst', a small shell script to  install  a
Crux  port  and all its dependencies in the right order.  The in-
tend is to replace `prt-get depinst'.  IMO, prt-get is  far  less
elegant  than  the  basic  packaging tools in Crux.  Therefore, I
like to rebuild the functions I use by shell scripts.  I  already
have  a  21-line  shell script replacement for `prt-get deptree'.
Today, I've added the 21-line shell script deplist,  which  is  a
replacement (with incompatible output format) for `prt-get quick-
dep'.  If I would use `prt-get depends' I would  have  written  a
replacement  for  it  too.   I've  also written the 15-line shell
script depinst, which replaces the equally named prt-get command.
Sure,  my  replacements  are  slower but still provide acceptable
speed.  My replacements provide only the main functions, but  are
much  smaller  and  simpler.   The reason I've never liked to use
prt-get is that I came from Debian to Crux because I was sick  of
their complex packaging system.  But prt-get resembles apt-get.


Back to tsort.  To learn how to use a program, one takes  a  look
at  its manual page, of course.  Sadly, the man page of GNU tsort
is a shame.  The functional description is not more than:

     NAME
          tsort - perform topological sort

     SYNOPSIS
          tsort [OPTION] [FILE]

     DESCRIPTION
          Write totally  ordered  list  consistent  with  the  partial
          ordering  in  FILE.   With  no FILE, or when FILE is -, read
          standard input.

          --help
               display this help and exit

          --version
               output version information and exit

It does tell nothing more but the full name of what `tsort' is an
abbreviation  for.  All  the  rest  of the information is general
knowledge and expected for tools like these.

And here we are again in the same mess:  [0]

     SEE ALSO
          The full documentation for tsort is maintained as a  Texinfo
          manual.   If  the  info  and  tsort  programs  are  properly
          installed at your site, the command

               info coreutils tsort invocation

          should give you access to the complete manual.

I really hate it! I hate it so much.

:-(

[0]  http://xkcd.com/912/


http://marmaro.de/lue/        markus schnalke <meillo@marmaro.de>