Re: Re: --initdb

["Jeff Johnson" <n3npq jbj gmail com>]

On 12/1/06, Tony Nelson <tonynelson georgeanelson com> wrote:
> >Which is to say rpm uses a lazy algorithm to create the initial rpm
> >database, such that you never have to explicitly call --initdb which
> >historically was used to create the initial rpm database.   In other
> >words, rpm creates the initial rpm database automatically.
>
> Yes.  The confusion is that some people think, and can read the RPM man
> page to say, that --initdb will remove the current RPM database and replace
> it with a new empty database.  Possibly RPM used to do it that way?
> Anyway, RH BZ 218057.

No --initdb has been harmless when run against an existing rpmdb, been
that way (that I know of) since 1998.

Truly, how hard is the test:

   cd /var/lib
   tar cf rpmdb.tar.gz ./rpm
   rpm --initdb
   rpm -qa (or --verifydb or --rebuilddb or ... )

Way easier to test than it is to sort through whatever is claimed on
the internet. YMMV.

73 de Jeff