MSB Repository New Directory Layout

After discussing with Chess, observing some other repository, hacking the gen repo script, executing the changes, testing the new layout, and confirming that it works, we finally finished restructuring our MSB directory structure that conforms with slackpkg+. Here are our new directory structure:

msb/
--14.0/
----1.6/
------x86/
--------base/
--------extra/
------x86_64/
--------base/
--------extra/

It doesn't really changed much from our previous structure, but what's changed is our thought for future releases. Our policy is that we only maintain MSB for the latest -Stable release. With our previous directory layout, we will not be able to provide different MATE version within one -Stable release (e.g MATE 1.8 for Slackware 14.0), since it will overwrite all current packages with newer version of MATE.

With our new directory structure, it should be easy to do that as we will just build our MATE 1.8 packages and place it under any Slackware version supported (e.g 14.0 or 14.1). So, here's what our directory structure might probably look like in the future:
msb/
--14.0/
----1.6/
------x86/
--------base/
--------extra/
------x86_64/
--------base/
--------extra/
----1.8/
------x86/
--------base/
--------extra/
------x86_64/
--------base/
--------extra/
--14.1/
----1.8/
------x86/
--------base/
--------extra/
------x86_64/
--------base/
--------extra/

So, what's next? You can start using slackpkg+ to install/upgrade MSB packages through slackpkg by installing slackpkg and adding MSB repository into your /etc/slackpkg/slackpkgplus.conf. Here's how to do it:
  • Download and install slackpkg+ from the original website
  • Open /etc/slackpkg/slackpkgplus.conf
  • Add msb in the REPOPLUS line and remove others that you don't use. Mine is like this : REPOPLUS=( slackpkgplus msb )
  • Add the MSB repository information (pick according to your Slackware version, MSB version, and your machine architecture)
    • Slackware-14.0 (32 bit)
      MIRRORPLUS['msb']=http://slackware.org.uk/msb/14.0/1.6/x86/
    • Slackware-14.0 (64 bit)
      MIRRORPLUS['msb']=http://slackware.org.uk/msb/14.0/1.6/x86_64/
  • Run slackpkg update gpg && slackpkg update
  • MSB Repository should be manageable from slackpkg by now
The new repository is now live, up, and running :)