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Where is the best location to 'compile'?

Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2024 2:13 pm
by Jasper

Hi all

Where is the correct location to compile applications?

Currently, I use /root to do this.

Could, I use the /tmp directory instead?

Is this directory stored in my RAM? Therefore, I thought it would faster to compile instead of using a physical drive.

If this is a bad idea, can you explain why?


Re: Where is the best location to 'compile'?

Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2024 2:42 pm
by bigpup

/root for sure is not a good location.

That would be doing everything in the save, because /root is in the save.

/tmp is more a location in memory, because anything in /tmp is deleted and not stored in the save.

I always run the compiling process from programs and files on the same drive and partition that the running Puppy version is on.

But I have it writing the compiled software to a different drive and partition.

My thinking, if everything Is on the same drive and partition.
It has to read, compile, write, to the same partition and drive about all at the same time.
I do not think the drive read write process can do both exactly at the same time on the same drive and partition. (read and write)

If it only reads from one drive. (accessing the compiling programs, accessing the software source, etc....)
But writes to a completely separate drive and partition.

It only needs to read on one drive and only write on the other drive.
That should be able to be done at the same time.

Plus having the compiling process write to a specific drive partition location.
It is written exactly at the same time. Nothing needs stored in RAM to later get written to a permanent storage location.


Re: Where is the best location to 'compile'?

Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2024 3:08 pm
by Jasper

@bigpup

I am using a USB flash drive to run the OS.

If I know the build is going to large then I do this on my NTFS drive.

Generally, once the compiling/testing is completed, then I will build the PET file in my /tmp directory so, that it does not install on the OS.

Then I can test it by installing it once I have rebooted.

Hope that makes sense?


Re: Where is the best location to 'compile'?

Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2024 10:02 pm
by mikewalsh

Me, I have half-a-dozen "work areas" set-up on the big secondary data drive.....and then I have these sym-linked into /root (just for ease of access). This way, I can have several 'projects' on the go simultaneously....

I don't think it makes a scrap of difference where you do the actual compiling, so long as it's not in the "save'. Any connected drive/partition will do, assuming it's got plenty of space, AND is formatted to a Linux file-system. Myself, I use ext3 throughout the kennels; the only 'exception' is FAT32 for the wee boot partition.

We ALL have our own different 'system' for approaching this stuff..! :D

Mike. :P


Re: Where is the best location to 'compile'?

Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2024 11:09 pm
by ozsouth

@Jasper - I compile kernels on a physical partition (usually ext3), otherwise I would run out of space. Years ago I thought I needed a full install for kernel compiling.