differences between zypper up | zypper patch

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

Good Morning,

I know that zypper patch is ment to be used for necessary patches/updates.

zypper patch seems to distinguish between ‘security’, ‘recommended’ and ‘optional’

By default zypper patch installs all of these types (at least optional should be optional :wink: , already opened a Bug report for this).

So I have installed all updates with zypper patch and noticed that zypper lu still lists some updates to come. These will be installed using zypper up.

This behavior occurs on an unmodified 11.1 installation, and I wonder why these packages are not updated through zypper patch.

Here is a list of packages:


S | Repository           | Name                         | Version        | Arch  
--+----------------------+------------------------------+----------------+-------
v | openSUSE-11.1-Update | dbus-1-glib                  | 0.76-32.33.1   | i586  
v | openSUSE-11.1-Update | dbus-1-python                | 0.83.0-22.22.1 | i586  
v | openSUSE-11.1-Update | dbus-1-x11                   | 1.2.10-5.3.1   | i586  
v | openSUSE-11.1-Update | yast2                        | 2.17.59-1.2.13 | i586  
v | openSUSE-11.1-Update | yast2-online-update          | 2.17.13-1.2.17 | noarch
v | openSUSE-11.1-Update | yast2-online-update-frontend | 2.17.13-1.2.17 | noarch
v | openSUSE-11.1-Update | yast2-trans-de               | 2.17.24-1.1.1  | noarch

In consequence, is it suggested to update using both ‘up’ and ‘patch’ (which may lead to broken systems if 3rd party repos are not configured correctly)?

Best Regards
Marcus

#2

MarcusMoeller wrote:

> I know that -zypper patch- is ment to be used for necessary
> patches/updates.

IIRC, in 11.1, just “patches” from update repo.

> zypper patch seems to distinguish between ‘security’, ‘recommended’ and
> ‘optional’
>
> By default -zypper patch- installs all of these types (at least
> optional should be optional :wink: , already opened a Bug report for this).
>
> So I have installed all updates with -zypper patch- and noticed that
> -zypper lu- still lists some updates to come. These will be installed
> using -zypper up-.

“lu” (list updates) shows all packages updates available from all configured
repos. Not just “patches”.

Mmm, this behavior seems well documented at this wiki page:

http://en.opensuse.org/Zypper/Usage#Update_Management

(…)

> In consequence, is it suggested to update using both ‘up’ and ‘patch’
> (which may lead to broken systems if 3rd party repos are not configured
> correctly)?

For what I understand:

  • zypper up will try to update all packages installed from all repos
    configured (if newer version available). IMO, this has to be handle with
    care.

  • zypper patch will try to update only available patches from update repo.

Greetings,

–
Camaleón