DEPEND(5) Standards, Environments, and Macros DEPEND(5)

NAME

depend - software dependencies file

DESCRIPTION

depend is an ASCII file used to specify information concerning software
dependencies for a particular package. The file is created by a software
developer.


Each entry in the depend file describes a single software package. The
instance of the package is described after the entry line by giving the
package architecture and/or version. The format of each entry and
subsequent instance definition is:

type pkg name
(arch)version
(arch)version
...


The fields are:

type
Defines the dependency type. Must be one of the
following characters:

P
Indicates a prerequisite for installation; for
example, the referenced package or versions must be
installed.


I
Implies that the existence of the indicated package
or version is incompatible.


R
Indicates a reverse dependency. Instead of defining
the package's own dependencies, this designates
that another package depends on this one. This type
should be used only when an old package does not
have a depend file, but relies on the newer package
nonetheless. Therefore, the present package should
not be removed if the designated old package is
still on the system since, if it is removed, the
old package will no longer work.


pkg
Indicates the package abbreviation.


name
Specifies the full package name.


(arch)version
Specifies a particular instance of the software. A
version name cannot begin with a left parenthesis. The
instance specifications, both (arch) and version, are
completely optional, but each (arch)version pair must
begin on a new line that begins with white space. A null
version set equates to any version of the indicated
package.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Sample of depend file

Here are the contents of a sample depend file, for the SUNWftpr (FTP
Server) package, stored in /var/sadm/pkg/SUNWftpr/install:


P SUNWcar Core Architecture, (Root)
P SUNWkvm Core Architecture, (Kvm)
P SUNWcsr Core Solaris, (Root)
P SUNWcsu Core Solaris, (Usr)
P SUNWcsd Core Solaris Devices
P SUNWcsl Core Solaris Libraries
R SUNWftpu FTP Server, (Usr)

SEE ALSO

pkginfo(5)


Application Packaging Developer's Guide


October 4, 1996 DEPEND(5)