Using Synth

[ASX]

if I run the commands:

synth prepare-system
pkg upgrade -r Synth

I get:

[...]

Do I have to update Synth's repositories?

synth prepare-system do all that is required, but in doubt you can safely run:

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synth rebuild-repository

I suspect your result may depend from the fact you were using the "quarterly" repository before switching to synth, and that is why you now have a relatively large number of packages to be upgraded.

you can verify the repositories in use, with:

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pkg -vv

[NevilleGoddard]

Yes, there are a lot of upgrades, but these will be removed, leaving me with no desktop:

Installed packages to be REMOVED:
cheese-3.18.1
evolution-data-server-3.18.5_6
xfce-4.12_1
midori-0.5.11
webkit-gtk2-2.4.11_9
webkit2-gtk3-2.8.5_8
catfish-1.4.1
gksu-2.0.2_6
nautilus-3.18.5
ImageMagick-6.9.6.4_1,1
gvfs-1.26.3_4
py27-qt5-gui-5.6
qt5-imageformats-5.7.1
py27-qt5-widgets-5.6
hplip-3.16.11_2
gnome-online-accounts-3.18.6_1
libgdata-0.17.4
shotwell-0.26.0_1
Thunar-1.6.11
xfce4-desktop-4.12.3_2
opencv2-core-2.4.13.1_1
py27-webkitgtk-1.1.8_6

Can I fix this?

[ASX]

Yes, there are a lot of upgrades, but these will be removed, leaving me with no desktop:

[...]

Can I fix this?

Oops, I missed that before. That of course doesn't look right. By the way, I'm also running xfce, but had no issues (last updated from synth 3 days ago or so).

If "pkg upgrade" want to remove those packages, most likely is because of a missing dependency, you can try something like this:

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pkg remove midori
pkg ins midori

pkg ins midori should fail, but should tell you what is missing. (or you can try with shotwell instead of midori).

Do not proceed with the update, until you have found the problem.

I'm going to run a synth session on my machine, will know better sometimes later.

[ASX]

Also, be sure to set this in your /usr/local/etc/pkg.conf

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CONSERVATIVE_UPGRADE = false;

[ASX]

I have performed a build and update, with no issues on my end:

Synth repository update completed. 832 packages processed.
All repositories are up to date.
Checking for upgrades (273 candidates): 100%
Processing candidates (273 candidates): 100%
Checking integrity... done (0 conflicting)
The following 27 package(s) will be affected (of 0 checked):

Installed packages to be UPGRADED:
virtualbox-ose-kmod: 5.1.20 -> 5.1.22
virtualbox-ose: 5.1.20 -> 5.1.22
thunderbird: 52.0.1_1 -> 52.1.0
pulseaudio: 10.0_2 -> 10.0_3
orage: 4.12.1_1 -> 4.12.1_2
libwps: 0.4.6 -> 0.4.6_1
libvisio01: 0.1.5_8 -> 0.1.5_9
librevenge: 0.0.4_3 -> 0.0.4_4
libreoffice: 5.2.6_3 -> 5.2.7
libpagemaker: 0.0.3_2 -> 0.0.3_3
liborcus: 0.12.1_1 -> 0.12.1_2
libodfgen01: 0.1.6_2 -> 0.1.6_3
libmwaw03: 0.3.10 -> 0.3.10_1
libmspub01: 0.1.2_9 -> 0.1.2_10
libical: 1.0.1 -> 2.0.0
libgltf: 0.0.2_4 -> 0.0.2_5
libetonyek01: 0.1.6_4,1 -> 0.1.6_5,1
libe-book: 0.1.2_11 -> 0.1.2_12
libcmis: 0.5.1_2 -> 0.5.1_3
libcdr01: 0.1.3_6 -> 0.1.3_7
libabw: 0.1.1_4 -> 0.1.1_5
icu: 58.2_1,1 -> 58.2_2,1
glib: 2.50.2_1,1 -> 2.50.2_2,1
firefox: 53.0_3,1 -> 53.0_4,1
clucene: 2.3.3.4_9 -> 2.3.3.4_10
boost-libs: 1.63.0_1 -> 1.64.0

Installed packages to be REINSTALLED:
popt-1.16_2

Number of packages to be upgraded: 26
Number of packages to be reinstalled: 1

The process will require 2 MiB more space.

Proceed with this action? [y/N]:



Note: FreeBSD repository is disabled on my machine.

Check your settings, if you have customize them, non default settings are likely to arise some issues, because they are not tested well.

[NevilleGoddard]

I have just completed the upgrade and everything went fine. The problem was that I didn't complete the command " synth upgrade-system". I stopped this halfway through due to the swap problem. So naturally it's not going to work properly.
I just ran "synth upgrade-system" and let it finish and as I said everything went fine.

I also made another mistake previously. I stopped synth with Ctrl + C. Now I know this is incorrect. It should be Ctrl + Q. I also read the Synth GitHub page and used ccache. This is great and speeds things up a lot.

I configured Synth the way you suggested and I have no more swap problems. This is my Synth configuration:

[A] Ports directory /usr/ports
Packages directory /var/synth/live_packages
[C] Distfiles directory /usr/ports/distfiles
[D] Port options directory /var/db/ports
[E] Build logs directory /var/log/synth
[F] Build base directory /usr/obj/synth-live
[G] System root directory /
[H] Compiler cache directory /root/.ccache
Num. concurrent builders 3
[J] Max. jobs per builder 4
[K] Use tmpfs for work area false
[L] Use tmpfs for localbase true
[M] Display using ncurses true
[N] Fetch prebuilt packages true

[>] Switch/create profiles
[RET] Exit

Firefox and Thunderbird and I think 2 others failed.
I have a FX8350 which has 8 cores so option could probably be 4.

root@keef:/usr/home/keef # pkg upgrade -r Synth
Updating Synth repository catalogue...
Synth repository is up to date.
All repositories are up to date.
Checking for upgrades (532 candidates): 100%
Processing candidates (532 candidates): 100%
Checking integrity... done (0 conflicting)
Your packages are up to date.


Do you use Firefox? I cant see the sliders on the side of the window when I scroll up or down. Also right-clicking box looks a little strange. Also the Network Monitor applet is just grey. I cant see the network levels. I am using a GTK 3.18 theme. With the Ghomix theme there are no sliders either.
If I use the xfce-dusk theme Firefox and the Network Monitor look ok but the network monitor doesn't take the dark theme colour.
Thanks for your help with Synth.
Everything else looks fine.

[ASX]

have a FX8350 which has 8 cores so option could probably be 4.

That is what synth author suggest, but he is assuming you have lot of swap, and you have not.
The number of builders should be configured depending on available RAM + swap (12 GB in your case), and probably 3 builder can be too much if 3 large packages build simultaneosly.

Each "job" account for 2 or 300 MB of RAM, on average, but at least one time I saw a single job using 2 GB (that's an exception, still it was).

EDIT:

[K] Use tmpfs for work area false

Yes, with "work" being on disk you could safely use 4 builders.