How to create a local overlay

Kasumi_Ninja · 2010-10-14 18:19:21

Here's an updated how-to on how manage ebuilds locally in your own overlay

Create the necessary directory structure
=======================================
# mkdir -p /usr/local/portage/profiles 
# echo "$HOSTNAME" >> /usr/local/portage/profiles/repo_name

This enables access to /usr/local/portage
for users in the portage group
========================================
# chown root:portage /usr/local/portage

Assign the portage group as default for newly created files in
/usr/local/portage
==============================================
# chmod g+s /usr/local/portage

Enable users in the portage group to write to
/usr/local/portage
=============================================
# chmod 775 /usr/local/portage

Edit make.conf
==============
# nano -w /etc/make.conf

-Add

PORTDIR_OVERLAY=/usr/local/portage

Logout as root
===============
# exit

Create the relevant directory structure 
(I use the game rain-slick as example)
======================================
$ mkdir -p /usr/local/portage/games-rpg/rain-slick

Copy the ebuild to your overlay
===============================
$ cp rain-slick-1.5.ebuild /usr/local/portage/games-rpg/rain-slick

Issue the following commands to install rain-slick from your overlay
====================================================================
$ cd /usr/local/portage/games-rpg/rain-slick
$ ebuild rain-slick-1.5.ebuild digest
$ su
# emerge -a rain-slick

Last edited by Kasumi_Ninja (2010-10-14 20:36:11)

jeanfrancis · 2010-10-14 18:57:40

I there! Only a little suggestion for readability : it would be nice to add something like "# " in front of commands, to help distinguish between comments and actual commands

Oh, and a typo : emerge-a -> emerge -a

Kasumi_Ninja · 2010-10-14 19:14:44

jeanfrancis wrote:

I there! Only a little suggestion for readability : it would be nice to add something like "# " in front of commands, to help distinguish between comments and actual commands
Oh, and a typo : emerge-a -> emerge -a

Thanks for the suggestion!

rh1 · 2010-10-15 02:51:01

Nice how-to

I do have a suggestion though.
Don't you think allowing anyone other than root to have write access to the manifests poses a significant security risk? Anything could be slipped into an ebuild file and since that same user can also create the manifests, you can't even rely on them to protect you from tampering. I would at least recommend creating the manifests as root or otherwise making them read only for everyone but root. That would give you some protection against tampering while still making it convenient to add and remove things from your overlay. Although personally, I only allow root write access to my entire overlay.

tracyde · 2010-11-06 10:20:13

Thank you, concise and to the point. I was able to setup a local overlay in < 5min.

drama · 2010-11-12 16:23:13

I never heard of using "ebuild NAME_Of_EBUILD digest" before. I was always taught to use "ebuild NAME_Of_EBUILD manifest". Any difference between the two or do they basically do the same thing?

strowi · 2010-11-12 20:57:41

according to "man ebuild" digest and manifest do both recreate the manifest/checksums.
Although only digest was available in earlier version, it became deprecated in favor of manifest.
I guess digest is being kept for compatibility reasons...

cchalpha · 2010-11-14 13:39:06

FYI. If you have your own local overlay and have several machines running funtoo(gentoo), you can register github and use git to manager your overlay. With this, you can easily share local overlay among your machines and share it with other funtoo/gentoo users.

Cndy · 2011-06-23 05:56:00

Added to wiki page ( http://www.funtoo.org/wiki/Git_local_overlay ), correct me if there is some mistakes.

#1 2010-10-14 18:19:21

How to create a local overlay

#2 2010-10-14 18:57:40

Re: How to create a local overlay

#3 2010-10-14 19:14:44

Re: How to create a local overlay

#4 2010-10-15 02:51:01

Re: How to create a local overlay

#5 2010-11-06 10:20:13

Re: How to create a local overlay

#6 2010-11-12 16:23:13

Re: How to create a local overlay

#7 2010-11-12 20:57:41

Re: How to create a local overlay

#8 2010-11-14 13:39:06

Re: How to create a local overlay

#9 2011-06-23 05:56:00

Re: How to create a local overlay

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