Building world vs freebsd-update: merging files

[Chris Stankevitz]

On 11/15/16 2:15 PM, CyberLeo Kitsana wrote:
> On 11/15/2016 12:03 PM, Chris Stankevitz wrote:
>>
>> When using mergemaster during buildworld/installworld, I am asked to
>> merge many files.
>>
>> When using freebsd-update, I am never asked to merge any files.
>>
>> Why the discrepancy?
>
> What flags do you pass to mergemaster while installing world?
>
> I usually use mergemaster -iFU - the caveat being that this requires an
> mtree database to be maintained for it to detect changes to files, and
> this database is only built and maintained when you use the -U flag.
>
> Presumably, freebsd-update does similar automatically, and that's why it
> never asks. Or maybe it just overwrites your local changes? I've only
> ever used installworld, and freebsd-update(8) doesn't mention anything
> about locally modified files.

Hi Leo,

I follow the handbook [1] when building/installing world:

   after installkerernel/reboot: mergemaster -p

   after installworld: mergemaster -iF

This process asks about updating configuration files (including 
/etc/passwd which attempts to reset the root password).

As I mentioned in my original message (and as I'm sure you no doubt 
experience) freebsd-update does not pester about files.

I need to look into the "mtree" method -- which I've never heard of before.

Thank you,

Chris

[1] https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/makeworld.html