Title: New portage plug-in sync system
Author: Brian Dolbec <dolsen@gentoo.org>
Content-Type: text/plain
Posted: 2015-02-02
Revision: 1
News-Item-Format: 1.0
Display-If-Installed: <sys-apps/portage-2.3.62

There is a new plug-in sync system in >=sys-apps/portage-2.2.16.
This system will allow third party modules to be easily installed.  Look
for a new layman plug-in sync module in layman's next release.  Next is
a brief look at the changes.  See the url [1] listed below for detailed
descriptions and usage.

Changes:  /etc/portage/repos.conf/*
    New setting for all repository types (needed):
        auto-sync = yes/no, true/false  # default if absent: yes/true

    New for git sync-type: (applies to clone only)
        sync-depth = n  where n = {0,1,2,3,...} (optional, default = 1)
            0 -- full history
            1 -- shallow clone, only current state (default)
            2,3,... number of history changes to download

    New sync-type modules:
        sync-type = svn  # sync a subversion repository
        sync-type = websync # Perform an emerge-webrsync operation
        sync-type = laymanator  # (if installed) runs a layman -s action

    New native portage postsync hooks
        /etc/portage/postsync.d/*
            Runs hooks once, only after all repos have been synced.
        /etc/portage/repo.postsync.d/*
            Runs each script with three arguments:
                repo name, sync-uri, location
            Each script is run at the completion of every repo synced.

Migration:
    Edit /etc/portage/repos.conf/*.conf files, add the auto-sync option
    to each repository definition.  Edit sync-type option to one of the
    supported types {rsync, git, cvs, svn, websync, laymanator}.
        [some-repo]
        ...
        sync-type = rsync
        auto-sync = yes

    For an existing /etc/portage/repos.conf/layman.conf file:
        1) change/add the sync-type
            sync-type = laymanator
        2) Ensure you have the correct layman version installed with
           it's laymanator module also installed.
    Alternate method:
        Please see the wiki page url [1] for detailed instructions.

Primary control of all sync operations has been moved from emerge to
emaint.  "emerge --sync" now just calls the emaint sync module with the
--auto option.  The --auto option performs a sync on only those
repositories with the auto-sync setting not set to 'no' or 'false'. If
it is absent, then it will default to yes and "emerge --sync" will sync
the repository.

NOTE: As a result of the default auto-sync = True/Yes setting, commands
    like "eix-sync", "esync -l", "emerge --sync && layman -S" will cause
    many repositories to be synced multiple times in a row.  Please edit
    your configs or scripts to adjust for the new operation.

WARNING:
    Due to the above default. For any repos that you EXPLICITLY do not
    want to be synced. You MUST set "auto-sync = no"

The 'emaint sync' module operates similar to layman.  It can sync
single or multiple repos.  See "emaint --help" or for more details and
examples see the wiki page listed below [1].

Additional help and project API documentation can be found at:

[1] https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Project:Portage/Sync