1Installation methods for multiple binary CDs
2--------------------------------------------
3
4 This package provides three new methods to be used within dselect in
5 order to access Debian binary packages stored across multiple binary CD
6 ROMs.  It will install itself into the methods directory from dselect
7 so the user will be able to use them immediately.
8
9 These are the three new methods:
10
11  . Multiple binary CD-ROMs
12
13  . Multiple binary CD-ROMs, accessed through NFS
14
15  . Multiple binary CD-ROMs, pre-mounted
16
17Acquiring package data
18---------------------
19
20 Since this method is derived from the 'mounted' method the user is
21 able to access up to five binary directories within 'dists/stable':
22
23  . main
24  . contrib
25  . non-free
26  . local
27
28 The selected method will try to read the 'Packages.cd' file from each
29 of these directories if it is available.
30
31Identifying the CD-ROM
32----------------------
33
34 A unique name is associated to each CD.  This name should correspond
35 with the label on the front of the CD.  The name is also available on
36 the CD, so the system can find out which CD is in the drive at any
37 time.
38
39Installing the files
40--------------------
41
42 At the beginning of the installation the 'multicd' package will sort
43 the list of to-be-installed packages and install them CD by CD.  If a
44 different CD-ROM is required the user will be prompted to exchange
45 the CD-ROM.
46
47Preparing multiple binary CD-ROMs
48---------------------------------
49
50 Since the 'multicd' methods need to know which packages are on which
51 CD-ROMs one cannot use regular 'Packages' files.  An additional data
52 field "X-Medium:" is required.  The first CD-ROM from the set should
53 contain all 'Packages.cd' files.  To be more convenient you should
54 include the 'Packages.cd' files on all CD-ROMs.  This ensures that
55 you don't have to start with the first CD-ROM all the time.
56
57 Additionally the package needs to gain information which CD-ROM is
58 currently used.  Thus each CD-ROM contains the file '.disk/info'
59 which contains the symbolic name for the CD-ROM as specified by
60 "X-Medium:".
61
62 In order to be able to create the modified 'Packages.cd' files, you
63 have to use the '-M medium' option of dpkg-scanpackages (supported
64 in dpkg-dev >= 1.15.5).
65
66 To split the 'main' distribution into two CD-ROMs you'll need to
67 create a 'Packages.cd' file for each 'binary-$arch' directory.
68 Afterwards you simply append the second one to the first one and
69 put the resulting 'Packages.cd' file into both 'binary-$arch'
70 directories.
71
72Sample Layout
73-------------
74
75 CD1 .disk/info = "Debian GNU/Linux binary-i386"
76     dists/stable/main/binary-all/
77                       binary-i386/Packages.cd.gz
78                       binary-i386/net/foo.deb
79                  contrib/binary-i386/Packages.cd.gz
80                  non-free/binary-i386/Packages.cd.gz
81
82 CD2 .disk/info = "Debian GNU/Linux contrib-i386"
83     dists/stable/main/binary-i386/Packages.cd.gz
84                  contrib/binary-all/
85                          binary-i386/Packages.cd.gz
86                          binary-i386/net/foo.deb
87                  non-free/binary-i386/Packages.cd.gz
88
89 CD3 .disk/info = "Debian GNU/Linux non-free-i386"
90     dists/stable/main/binary-i386/Packages.cd.gz
91                  contrib/binary-i386/Packages.cd.gz
92                  non-free/binary-all/
93                           binary-i386/Packages.cd.gz
94                           binary-i386/net/foo.deb
95
96 To re-generate the Packages file you have to chdir into
97 'dists/stable/$part' and issue 'dpkg-scanpackages' as follows.  It's
98 assumed that you use regular compressed overrides files in
99 /pub/debian/indices.
100
101 CD1: dpkg-scanpackages -M "Debian GNU/Linux binary-i386" \
102        binary-i386 /pub/debian/indices/override.hamm.gz \
103        dists/stable/ > binary-i386/Packages
104
105 CD2: dpkg-scanpackages -M "Debian GNU/Linux contrib-i386" \
106        binary-i386 /pub/debian/indices/override.hamm.contrib.gz \
107        dists/stable/ > binary-i386/Packages
108
109 CD3: dpkg-scanpackages -M "Debian GNU/Linux non-free-i386" \
110        binary-i386 /pub/debian/indices/override.hamm.non-free.gz \
111        dists/stable/ > binary-i386/Packages
112
113Please direct comments to Martin Schulze <joey@infodrom.north.de>
114