User manual to solve_patch
Leonid Petrov
Abstract:
This document describes using solve_patch -- program for applying patches
in Calc/Solve posted by software maintainer.
Table of contents:
- 1 Overview
- 2 Usage
- 3 Requirement
- 4 Restrictions
1 Overview
Utility solve_patch is for applying fixes of small bugs in to current
version of Mark-4 VLBI Analysis system Calc/Solve. Calc/Solve is a software
for scientific applications and it is constantly developing. Major revisions
called "Calc/Solve release" are posted 3-6 times per year. Fixes of critical
minor bugs and improvements are posted by Calc/Solve maintainers between
releases. solve_patch utility provides the opportunity to apply these fixes
without installation of the latest release.
Each patch consist of several files: command file which contains statements
in patch-language and one or more files with source code which is to be updated.
solve_patch retrieves the command file and then interprets it. Each statement
consists of a keyword and its operand.
solve_patch recognizes the following commands:
CD: change current directory. The new current directory is
specified by the operand.
COMMENT: no action.
DATE: compares the date presented in the operand with date
saved in file $MK4_ROOT/bin/REVISION_DATE . If the date
presented in operand is older or the same as saved in
the file then error condition is set up.
Dates are in solve format: yyyy.mm.dd
END: complete execution. It should be the last command.
GET: retrieve the file specified in the operand using ftp.
It is assumed that the file is in public area no
password is needed. Retrieved file is put in /tmp/
directory.
MAKE: execute command make without arguments.
RMO: remove all object files and object library in current
directory.
UNZIP: uncompress using zip file presented in the operand.
Command name is case insensitive, but operand is case sensitive.
In a result, source code is updated, either new files are added to the
directory(ies) or the new version of source files replaces the old one,
and some executables are re-compiled and re-linked.
2 Usage
${MK4_ROOT}/support/solve_patch.csh <URL_with_patchfile>
where <URL_with_patchfile> is the network address (URL) of the patch file
which contains patch commands.
3 Requirement
1) Solve with release date not early than 2000.11.01
2) Program wget should be installed. Refer to
http://www.gnu.org/software/wget/wget.html for source code and
installation instruction if you don't have this product installed.
3) Program unzip
4 Restrictions
Patches becomes obsolete with time. All patches with patch-date older then
release date are considered as obsolete and solve_patch will refuse to apply
them.
Patches are posted in strict order. They should be applied in this order:
first the oldest patch, then patches with younger dates. If the order of
applying patches is changed results will be unpredictable!
Questions and comments about this document should be sent to:
Leonid Petrov ( pet@leo.gsfc.nasa.gov )
Last update: 2000.10.11