Yum sessions?

[Menno Smits]

Greg Bell wrote:
> I've been reading some threads on (and experiencing) yum's slowness.  Not
> sure if its been suggested yet, but could yum be session based?  If after
> all the time-consuming on-disk cache reading (MD Read #### ), yum gave a
> command prompt, I could yum list, yum info, and finally yum install, all
> with only one read of repository metadata from local files...

The newer versions of yum are generally much faster and use MUCH less 
RAM through the use of an sqlite cache.

A "yum shell" feature also exists that does exactly what you're asking 
for. Here's an example:

----< snip >------------------------------------------------------

# yum shell
Setting up Yum Shell
 > list updates
Setting up Repos
core                      100% |=========================| 1.1 kB    00:00
dag                       100% |=========================| 1.1 kB    00:01
livna                     100% |=========================|  951 B    00:00
updates                   100% |=========================|  951 B    00:00
freshrpms                 100% |=========================|  951 B    00:00
extras                    100% |=========================|  951 B    00:00
Reading repository metadata in from local files
primary.xml.gz            100% |=========================| 750 kB    00:33
dag       : ################################################## 2023/2023
Added 15 new packages, deleted 12 old in 3.67 seconds
primary.xml.gz            100% |=========================| 304 kB    00:04
updates   : ################################################## 742/742
Added 3 new packages, deleted 1 old in 2.75 seconds
extras    : ################################################## 1002/1002
Added 3 new packages, deleted 0 old in 1.03 seconds
Excluding Packages in global exclude list
Finished
Updated Packages
system-config-services.noarch            0.8.21-0.fc3.1         updates
thunderbird.i386                         1.0.2-1.3.2            updates
 > list updates
Updated Packages
system-config-services.noarch            0.8.21-0.fc3.1         updates
thunderbird.i386                         1.0.2-1.3.2            updates
 > info thunderbird
Installed Packages
Name   : thunderbird
Arch   : i386
Version: 1.0.2
Release: 1.3.1
Size   : 28 M
Repo   : installed
Summary: Mozilla Thunderbird mail/newsgroup client

Description:
  Mozilla Thunderbird is a standalone mail and newsgroup client.


Available Packages
Name   : thunderbird
Arch   : i386
Version: 1.0.2
Release: 1.3.2
Size   : 10 M
Repo   : updates
Summary: Mozilla Thunderbird mail/newsgroup client
Description:
  Mozilla Thunderbird is a standalone mail and newsgroup client.

 > update
Setting up Update Process
 > run
Transaction Listing:
   Update: system-config-services.noarch 0:0.8.21-0.fc3.1 - updates
   Update: thunderbird.i386 0:1.0.2-1.3.2 - updates
Total download size: 10 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
(1/2): thunderbird-1.0.2- 100% |=========================|  10 MB    03:34
(2/2): system-config-serv 100% |=========================| 133 kB    00:02
Running Transaction Test
thunderbird-1.0.2-1.3.2.i 100% |=========================|  63 kB    00:00
system-config-services-0. 100% |=========================|  23 kB    00:00
Finished Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
   Updating  : system-config-services       ######################### [1/4]
   Updating  : thunderbird                  ######################### [2/4]
   Cleanup   : thunderbird                  ######################### [3/4]
   Cleanup   : system-config-services       ######################### [4/4]

Updated: system-config-services.noarch 0:0.8.21-0.fc3.1 thunderbird.i386 
0:1.0.2-1.3.2
Finished Transaction
 > quit
Leaving Shell

----< snip >------------------------------------------------------

You should be able to find all this in the version of yum currently in 
rawhide.


Regards,
Menno