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20 Common Questions and Solutions

This currently an unsorted list of asked questions.

20.1 Working with Limited Bandwidth

Packages can contain large files, esp. some tar balls can become quite large, in some real life examples several hundred mega bytes. This can be a problem when you need to work on the package via a slow connection.

20.1.1 Using the Web Interface

The web interface is the easiest way to edit simple things without the need of the checkout.

Disadvantages are

  • Not the preferred solution for power packagers

  • No local build possible

  • Still a significant bandwidth is needed compared to the size of the edited file.

20.1.2 Using osc with Size Limit

osc offers to skip files with a certain size (specified with -l switch) on checkout. The limit is stored locally and you can also run an update later without downloading any large files. All other files can be edited, diffed and committed as usual.

Disadvantages are

  • The checkout is incomplete

  • No local build possible

20.1.3 Using download_url

Manage your large files via source services. The easiest way is to use osc add $URL which just stores a small _service file. The check will not contain the large files by default, but they get downloaded when needed via the service. However, they will never get committed, so this is the best approach when you have a fast downstream, but slow upstream like with standard DSL connections. Also other users can trust your tar ball, esp. important when you do version upgrades on foreign packages.

Disadvantages are

  • The generated files have the _service: prefix in check out (but not during build).

20.1.4 Using Source Services in trylocal Mode

Manage your large files via source services in try local mode for example with download_url or download_files service. This means you can be flexible depending on your current connection without changing the setup. The service is generating the file on the server side when you decide not to commit it, but you can also decide to commit it and avoid the _service: prefix on the files. Also other users can trust your tar ball, esp. important when you do version upgrades on foreign packages.

Disadvantages are

  • A checkout may still need the size limit switch when last commit contained the large files.

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