setup.exe enhancement request, proceed on error after logging error to setup.log

setup.exe enhancement request, proceed on error after logging error to setup.log

[Keith Christian]

Today I am reinstalling Cygwin to fix a DLL package, taking awhile but
worth the wait  (-:  (-:

Setup paused with a dialog to report a missing .xz file.  I saw the
error a half hour later.

Would the maintainers (Achim?  Jon?) be willing to consider an option
box log errors to the setup.log file and "Skip non-fatal errors and
continue?"


Thanks.

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Re: setup.exe enhancement request, proceed on error after logging error to setup.log

[Henning]

On 10/06/2019 23:41, Keith Christian wrote:
> 
> Would the maintainers (Achim?  Jon?) be willing to consider an option
> box log errors to the setup.log file and "Skip non-fatal errors and
> continue?"

either this, or a prompt asking if the user wants to continue or abort.

Henning

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Re: setup.exe enhancement request, proceed on error after logging error to setup.log

[Keith Christian]

And if this option is deemed worthy of implementation, add a command
line option for those who skip the GUI.

Thanks again.

On Tue, Jun 11, 2019 at 2:03 AM Henning <xaoxx@t-online.de> wrote:
>
> On 10/06/2019 23:41, Keith Christian wrote:
> >
> > Would the maintainers (Achim?  Jon?) be willing to consider an option
> > box log errors to the setup.log file and "Skip non-fatal errors and
> > continue?"
>
> either this, or a prompt asking if the user wants to continue or abort.
>
> Henning
>
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Re: setup.exe enhancement request, proceed on error after logging error to setup.log

[Brian Inglis]

On 2019-06-11 05:27, Keith Christian wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 11, 2019 at 2:03 AM Henning wrote:
>> On 10/06/2019 23:41, Keith Christian wrote:
>>> Would the maintainers (Achim?  Jon?) be willing to consider an option box
>>> log errors to the setup.log file and "Skip non-fatal errors and 
>>> continue?"
>> either this, or a prompt asking if the user wants to continue or abort.
> And if this option is deemed worthy of implementation, add a command line
> option for those who skip the GUI.
I would think a xz file listed in setup.ini missing from a mirror would be
considered a fatal error. It could affect a dependency chain, and may not be the
only missing file. I would expect setup to quit, without installing anything, as
the only safe option, until the mirror is repaired, or another is selected.
How would we even know such an error had occurred without a dialogue box report?
I think in this case, the maintainers are striking the right balance.

In many years of using various Cygwin mirrors, I have never come across this
situation: this mirror process does not maintain a safe image for the downstream
users. Mirrors I have used over the years had issues with the setup arch
directories during updates, ensuring setup fails immediately, signalling to try
again later, after the mirror update is complete.

-- 
Take care. Thanks, Brian Inglis, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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Re: setup.exe enhancement request, proceed on error after logging error to setup.log

[Andrey Repin]

Greetings, Keith Christian!

> Today I am reinstalling Cygwin to fix a DLL package, taking awhile but
> worth the wait  (-:  (-:

> Setup paused with a dialog to report a missing .xz file.  I saw the
> error a half hour later.

> Would the maintainers (Achim?  Jon?) be willing to consider an option
> box log errors to the setup.log file and "Skip non-fatal errors and
> continue?"

The problem is that Setup can't know if the problem is fatal or not.
And in case of a missing archive, the problem is likely the former.

However, if you can code it in a fool-proof way, https://cygwin.com/acronyms/#PTC .


-- 
With best regards,
Andrey Repin
Tuesday, June 11, 2019 19:16:51

Sorry for my terrible english...


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Re: setup.exe enhancement request, proceed on error after logging error to setup.log

[Achim Gratz]

Keith Christian writes:
> Would the maintainers (Achim?  Jon?) be willing to consider an option
> box log errors to the setup.log file and "Skip non-fatal errors and
> continue?"

You'd first have to teach setup to distinguish between fatal and
non-fatal errors.  A missing package archive is always fatal as far as
setup is concerned (how did that happen anyway?).


Regards,
Achim.
-- 
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Re: setup.exe enhancement request, proceed on error after logging error to setup.log

[Brian Inglis]

On 2019-06-11 11:19, Achim Gratz wrote:
> Keith Christian writes:
>> Would the maintainers (Achim?  Jon?) be willing to consider an option
>> box log errors to the setup.log file and "Skip non-fatal errors and
>> continue?"
> 
> You'd first have to teach setup to distinguish between fatal and
> non-fatal errors.  A missing package archive is always fatal as far as
> setup is concerned (how did that happen anyway?).

A mirror update failure, an unsafe mirror update process, or the latter leading
to the former.

-- 
Take care. Thanks, Brian Inglis, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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too much technical detail. Reader discretion is advised.

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Re: setup.exe enhancement request, proceed on error after logging error to setup.log

[Keith Christian]

Thanks for the feedback.

Even if a file were missing that might cause issues in a few
dependency chains, why not allow the install to continue?

Suppose a file was missing halfway through?  Why stop the whole
install for the sake of a few missing files?  Let the install continue
for those packages that aren't missing files, write a message to the
log, and put up a dialog after both the successful installs and the
rebasing are done.  User clicks OK and uses Cygwin in its current
state, or she/he restarts the install from a different mirror.  Pick
up the missing files for the few packages and all done.

This would ultimately save time and effort.

Whatever the case, if a file is missing, setup will have to be run
again to fix the problems, by pointing to another mirror, etc.

Thanks for listening.


On Tue, Jun 11, 2019 at 12:39 PM Brian Inglis
<Brian.Inglis@systematicsw.ab.ca> wrote:
>
> On 2019-06-11 11:19, Achim Gratz wrote:
> > Keith Christian writes:
> >> Would the maintainers (Achim?  Jon?) be willing to consider an option
> >> box log errors to the setup.log file and "Skip non-fatal errors and
> >> continue?"
> >
> > You'd first have to teach setup to distinguish between fatal and
> > non-fatal errors.  A missing package archive is always fatal as far as
> > setup is concerned (how did that happen anyway?).
>
> A mirror update failure, an unsafe mirror update process, or the latter leading
> to the former.
>
> --
> Take care. Thanks, Brian Inglis, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
>
> This email may be disturbing to some readers as it contains
> too much technical detail. Reader discretion is advised.
>
> --
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Re: setup.exe enhancement request, proceed on error after logging error to setup.log

[Brian Inglis]

On 2019-06-11 14:52, Keith Christian wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 11, 2019 at 12:39 PM Brian Inglis wrote:
>> On 2019-06-11 11:19, Achim Gratz wrote:
>>> Keith Christian writes:
>>>> Would the maintainers (Achim?  Jon?) be willing to consider an option
>>>> box log errors to the setup.log file and "Skip non-fatal errors and
>>>> continue?"
>>>
>>> You'd first have to teach setup to distinguish between fatal and
>>> non-fatal errors.  A missing package archive is always fatal as far as
>>> setup is concerned (how did that happen anyway?).
>>
>> A mirror update failure, an unsafe mirror update process, or the latter leading
>> to the former.

> Thanks for the feedback.
>
> Even if a file were missing that might cause issues in a few
> dependency chains, why not allow the install to continue?
>
> Suppose a file was missing halfway through?  Why stop the whole
> install for the sake of a few missing files?  Let the install continue
> for those packages that aren't missing files, write a message to the
> log, and put up a dialog after both the successful installs and the
> rebasing are done.  User clicks OK and uses Cygwin in its current
> state, or she/he restarts the install from a different mirror.  Pick
> up the missing files for the few packages and all done.
>
> This would ultimately save time and effort.
>
> Whatever the case, if a file is missing, setup will have to be run
> again to fix the problems, by pointing to another mirror, etc.
>
> Thanks for listening.

What it ultimately comes down to is this is a group of volunteers.
None of them want to have to try to explain or fix a broken setup on a user's
system caused by a broken mirror: they don't have the time.
So if there is any chance of setup breaking an install, setup will quit before
it does any damage.

Whether setup lets you know in a dialogue box or in a log file, that it upgraded
or failed to upgrade your installation, may depend on your install options.

Personally, I would be very happy if setup popped up the setup log at the end of
the run, if there were any issues. I have done this kind of results display in
Windows and Unix command line and GUI environments for user and developer tools:
launch a log viewer if there was a problem, launch an app if results are good.

-- 
Take care. Thanks, Brian Inglis, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

This email may be disturbing to some readers as it contains
too much technical detail. Reader discretion is advised.

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Re: setup.exe enhancement request, proceed on error after logging error to setup.log

[Keith Christian]

Brian,

All-volunteer.  I understand that well, and have been using Cygwin for
a long long time.

The volunteers love what they do, and I try to be as respectful as
possible when suggesting changes, changes mean more work for them.

I'm satisfied with this thread.

Thanks Achim, Jon, and to any other setup maintainers, and to all
Cygwin maintainers for the selfless work you do.

Keith



On Wed, Jun 12, 2019 at 7:01 AM Brian Inglis
<Brian.Inglis@systematicsw.ab.ca> wrote:
>
> On 2019-06-11 14:52, Keith Christian wrote:
> > On Tue, Jun 11, 2019 at 12:39 PM Brian Inglis wrote:
> >> On 2019-06-11 11:19, Achim Gratz wrote:
> >>> Keith Christian writes:
> >>>> Would the maintainers (Achim?  Jon?) be willing to consider an option
> >>>> box log errors to the setup.log file and "Skip non-fatal errors and
> >>>> continue?"
> >>>
> >>> You'd first have to teach setup to distinguish between fatal and
> >>> non-fatal errors.  A missing package archive is always fatal as far as
> >>> setup is concerned (how did that happen anyway?).
> >>
> >> A mirror update failure, an unsafe mirror update process, or the latter leading
> >> to the former.
>
> > Thanks for the feedback.
> >
> > Even if a file were missing that might cause issues in a few
> > dependency chains, why not allow the install to continue?
> >
> > Suppose a file was missing halfway through?  Why stop the whole
> > install for the sake of a few missing files?  Let the install continue
> > for those packages that aren't missing files, write a message to the
> > log, and put up a dialog after both the successful installs and the
> > rebasing are done.  User clicks OK and uses Cygwin in its current
> > state, or she/he restarts the install from a different mirror.  Pick
> > up the missing files for the few packages and all done.
> >
> > This would ultimately save time and effort.
> >
> > Whatever the case, if a file is missing, setup will have to be run
> > again to fix the problems, by pointing to another mirror, etc.
> >
> > Thanks for listening.
>
> What it ultimately comes down to is this is a group of volunteers.
> None of them want to have to try to explain or fix a broken setup on a user's
> system caused by a broken mirror: they don't have the time.
> So if there is any chance of setup breaking an install, setup will quit before
> it does any damage.
>
> Whether setup lets you know in a dialogue box or in a log file, that it upgraded
> or failed to upgrade your installation, may depend on your install options.
>
> Personally, I would be very happy if setup popped up the setup log at the end of
> the run, if there were any issues. I have done this kind of results display in
> Windows and Unix command line and GUI environments for user and developer tools:
> launch a log viewer if there was a problem, launch an app if results are good.
>
> --
> Take care. Thanks, Brian Inglis, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
>
> This email may be disturbing to some readers as it contains
> too much technical detail. Reader discretion is advised.
>
> --
> Problem reports:       http://cygwin.com/problems.html
> FAQ:                   http://cygwin.com/faq/
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