Multilib lunar

[Peter de Ridder]

Hi,

A while back I did some research in making lunar into a multilib system.
After a few attempts I was able to make a new lunar install by hand
into a multilib system.
Later I was able to convert a x86_64 system into a multilib system.
I wrote a howto for this at
http://member.lycos.nl/pcridder/extern/lunar unfortunately this isn't
accessible anymore.
If someone knows/has a place to host this let me know.

To really be able to benefit from a multilib system some things should
be added to the moonbase and lunar tools.
That gets me to the purpose of this mail.
I want to put some more effort into it to get the multilib usable.
But I got stuck on the moonbase for now, and I would like some help to
get to a solution.

The question:
How should the multilib modules be integrated into the moonbase?

Currently the moonbase uses configurations based on the processor
type, which is either a 32-bit or 64-bit processor.
For multilib both of these configurations should be combined.

Possible solutions:
 1) Separate moonbase repository/branch.
 2) Separate configuration type (like x86_64) for multilib.
 3) Packages with -32 postfix for 32-bit multilib version.
 4) Some intelligent lunar scripts to create multilib configuration
from 32-bit and 64-bit configurations.

Pros and cons:
 1) Separate moonbase must be kept up-to-date separately.
    But it is not limited in possibilities.
 2) Another configuration to maintain.
    If multilib is not required for a certain module it can use the
64-bit configuration.
 3) How to solve the installed files conflicts between the -32 and the
64-bit module.
    Multilib versions are only installed if the multilib version is required.
 4) Nearly impossible to create I guess.
    Least maintenance.

Follow-ups:
 1) For this solution the question remains fairly the same.
    - Which of the other solutions is used in this moonbase.
 2) How is the configuration maintained?
    - Is it stored in a .x86_64_multilib file postfix or
    - Does a .x86_64 config file check for some special multilib option.
 3) How to solve the installed files conflicts between the -32 and the
64-bit module?
 4) How would this be possible?

Regards,
Peter