depend(4) File Formats depend(4)NAMEdepend - software dependencies file
DESCRIPTIONdepend is an ASCII file used to specify information concerning software
dependencies for a particular package. The file is created by a soft‐
ware 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 sub‐
sequent instance definition is:
type pkg name
(arch)version
(arch)version
...
The fields are:
type Defines the dependency type. Must be one of the fol‐
lowing 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 pack‐
age or version is incompatible.
R Indicates a reverse dependency. Instead of defin‐
ing the package's own dependencies, this desig‐
nates 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 indi‐
cated package.
EXAMPLES
Example 1 Using a 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 ALSOpkginfo(4)SunOS 5.10 4 Oct 1996 depend(4)
