swim - chapter 12
RAMDISK

usage: swim --ramdiskon
       swim --ramdiskoff

options: [-n] [--searchfile] [--arch <architecture>] 
         [--dists <distribution>] [--dbpath] [--root]
 
         no options for --ramdiskoff


12.1 OVERVIEW

A ramdisk can be mounted below the default path or the specified path for the databases in the dramdisk directory. The ramdisk is used to speed up powersearchs and/or file/dir listings for packages from the not-installed system. Also, this is useful if a computer system is heavily loaded with other processes using the memory, and the ramdisk tends to persist even after being unmounted. Modern kernels usually are built with support for ramdisks. If these options do not work the kernel will need to be compiled to support ramdisks by answering yes to RAM disk support. Perhaps the best README showing how to configure and compile a kernel comes with the kernel sources in the main directory.

--ramdiskon allows a ramdisk to be created and mounted. If called with -n (not-installed databases) ncontents-arch-dists.deb.gz will automatically be written to the mounted ramdisk. This provides faster file/dir listing capabilities when using -l, --df, or -d when querying the not-installed system. Faster powersearch capabilities are available through the option --searchfile. If the search databases are not already compressed, they will now be compressed, this usually only needs to be done once or until the databases are updated or rebuilt again. The search databases will then be written to the mounted ramdisk. An installed system only writes the search databases to the mounted ramdisk, so always use --searchfile when specifying installed system databases.

--ramdiskoff is used to unmount the ramdisk. The not-installed databases and the installed databases can not be simultaneously provided by a mounted ramdisk, use --ramdiskoff first, then --ramdiskon to install the other databases of choice. This also pertains to different distributions and/or architectures.

See the section ``SPECIFYING THE DATABASES TO USE , section 9.2'' for options --arch, -dists.

See the section ``DATABASE LOCATIONS , section 9.11'' for options --dbpath and --root.


swim - Copyright © 1999 Jonathan D. Rosenbaum
Contents; next; back.
15 June 1999
Jonathan D. Rosenbaummttrader@access.mountain.net