software-intro(1)        USER COMMANDS          software-intro(1)

NAME
     software-intro - introduction to .software tools

DESCRIPTION
     `.Software' is a set of tools which enable user's to custom-
     ize  their  paths  simply,  using application keys and macro
     groupings instead  of  obscure  environment  variables.  The
     applications available in the user's environment is indepen-
     dent of the  shell  used,  and  the  user's  environment  is
     automatically  updated when the system software installation
     is modified. Also,  the  environment  is  modified  to  work
     correctly over different architectures, even if the software
     is installed differently.

     Users' environments by default are able to  run  the  latest
     stable versions of all software packages which are installed
     on any supported platform. Users can  modify  the  order  of
     package  inclusion, to allow them to prefer certain software
     behaviors (BSD vs SYSV,  GNU  vs  system  compilers,  etc.).
     Additionally, users can run older packages by specifying the
     package version number explicitly before  the  default  (for
     example autoconf-1.7 instead of autoconf-2.12, or perl-4.036
     instead of perl-5.004_01). Also, users can use non-supported
     software  by  explicitly  adding  PATH,  MANPATH,  or  other
     environment  variables  explicitly,  again   in   a   shell-
     independent manner.

Customizing Your Environment with .Software
     The main environment customization has  been  moved  into  a
     shell-independent  file located in the home directory called
     .software.  The  .software  file  contains  software   keys,
     software  macros, PATH strings, MANPATH strings, environment
     strings, and ARCH and HOST conditionals.

     The most commonly used strings in  the  .software  file  are
     software  keys  and macros. Keys are symbolic names for some
     collection of PATH, MANPATH, and other environment  variable
     assignments.  These  names  refer to specific software pack-
     ages. Macros are symbolic  names  (beginning  with  the  '@'
     character)  for groups of keys. Macros and keys are expanded
     to the definitions in  the  global  software  database.  The
     default  .software  file contains a single macro, '@default'
     which expands to all  supported  packages,  along  with  the
     architecture-specific  system  paths, '$HOME/bin', and '.' A
     listing of software  keys  and  their  descriptions  can  be
     obtained by running the software(1) script.

     In addition to software keys and macros, the .software  file
     can  also  contain  explicit  PATH, MANPATH, and environment
     variable settings.  The syntax for this is:

     PATH=<pathname>
          Add the string <pathname> to the PATH environment vari-
          able.

     MANPATH=<pathname>
          Add the string <pathname> to  the  MANPATH  environment
          variable.

     <evar>=<value>
          Assigne the value <VALUE>  to  the  <EVAR>  environment
          variable.

     where words enclosed by '<>'s are replaced with actual vari-
     able names and values.

     Finally, the .software file can  contain  environment  vari-
     ables  which are set based on the architecture or machine on
     which the user's shell is running. The syntax for these con-
     ditional statements is:

     ARCH=<arch>:<path>:<manpath>
          Which adds the string <path> to  the  PATH  environment
          variable  and  the  string  <manpath>  to  the  MANPATH
          environment variable if the ARCH  environment  variable
          is set to <arch>.

     HOST=<host>:<path>:<manpath>
          Which adds the string <path> to  the  PATH  environment
          variable and <manpath> to the MANPATH environment vari-
          able if either the HOST or HOSTNAME  environment  vari-
          able is set to <arch>.

.Software Commands
     There are two user-level commands which are especially  use-
     ful   for   manipulating   the   software  environment  with
     .Software. The software(1) command will list  software  keys
     which  match  a user-specified pattern, or list all software
     keys and a quick  introduction  to  .software  syntax.   The
     resoft(1)  command can be used to force a rebuild and reload
     of the user's software environment.

FILES
     $HOME/.software
          The user's .software file.

     $HOME/.software-cache.sh, $HOME/.software-cache.csh
          The software caches created from the .software file and
          the system databse.

MCS                 Last change: 23 Sep 1997                    2

software-intro(1)        USER COMMANDS          software-intro(1)

     /software/common/adm/etc/sw.database
          The  global  software  database  used  to   build   the
          .software-cache files.

     /software/common/adm/etc/software-env.sh
          Bourne and Korn shell hooks to .software.

     /software/common/adm/etc/software-env.csh
          C-shell hooks to .software.

SEE ALSO
     software(1),  resoft(1),  make-sw-cache(8),   make-sw-db(8),
     make-auto-db(8)

AUTHOR
     Ivan Judson, Remy Evard, Joe Bester