[packagekit] [RFE] Enable packagekit to download updates at leisure and install them during the next reboot

[Huzaifa Sidhpurwala]

On Wed, Jun 16, 2010 at 6:42 PM, Richard Hughes <hughsient at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 15 June 2010 12:15, Huzaifa Sidhpurwala
> <sidhpurwala.huzaifa at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I have been using packagekit for some time now and it an amazing piece of
> > software. Kudos to everyone working on this.
>
> Blush. :-)
>
> > There is one feature which i think would make updating desktops much more
> > easier and safer, that would be
> > ability to install software on reboot, so that existing applications are
> not
> > disturbed. So here is my suggestion:
>
> A few people have asked me for related functionality for other
> corporate desktop products, so it's probably a good idea we include
> something like this upstream rather than let people hack other stuff
> on top.
>
> > 1. PackageKit downloads the updates silently in a cache folder. This can
> be
> > toggled on or off by root or
> >     users (depending on policykit)
>
> Sure, we can do that now with a tiny bit of code. Adding a bit of code
> to PkPackageSack could turn it from a 10 line chunk of code to a 1
> line chuck of code, and possibly a good idea.
>
> > 2. On reboot, just before the gdm window, it opens a dialog , asking if
> the
> > user, if he wants to install those updates. If the user
> >     agrees the updates are installed , if not optionally it should be
> able
> > to mail the admin of or system that it failed etc.
>
> This would be done pre-gdm-login? Pre-X? Post-authenticate-in-session?
>
> I suggest pre-gdm login, pre-auth
Similar to what adding a line to rc.local would do

> > This basically has many advantages:
> > 1. Applications sp ones based on gecko get mangled, when they are updates
> > and behave strangely. The best way to update
> > then is to close them update and open them, which would mean loosing all
> > work.
>
> Right.
>
> > 2. The above enables corporate desktop updates in a more easier and
> > controlled way.
>
> Sure, which other people have requested. So, deliverable for this
> functionality:
>
> * Function added to PkPackageSack to download all packages to a directory
> * Path added to the config file for the boot-time-updates
> * Command added to pkcon, update-at-next-boot
> * Command added to pkcon, install-boot-updates
> * A directory path for the cache, /usr/cache/PackageKit/updates (?)
>
> Questions:
>
> 1. Do we delete the files in the boot-time cache after they are updated?
>
Yes, once updated, the rpms should have no more use and should be deleted to
free up space.

> 2. Do we use GNOME PackageKit to do the integration bits in gdm, or
> rely on a pre-X environment in the init?
>
Interesting question.
Doing it in pre-X would be pretty simple in my opinion, perhaps create an
init script which would toggle it off or on.
What are the advantages of doing it in gdm?


> 3. Do we want to install files at boot time also? If so we need some
> sort of manifest.
>
> boot time as in ?

> Richard.
> ___

Thanks a lot for looking into this and let me know if you need any help in
writing/patching the code too.


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