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texlive: bump for latest ctan, texlive.info archive #75080
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For some context, this was previously and recently discussed: NixOS#61469 (comment) NixOS#71419 (comment) Fortunately it appears, due to developments since those discussion, that there is now a versioned mirror for ctan contents!! Naturally this commit is about moving to that mirror: updating the package lists and regenerating the hashes. This has two huge advantages: * Updating the pinned ctan packages can be done more frequently than the current "once a year". * We don't have to rely on community members to create a snapshot and mirror it indefinitely and at their own cost. Minor "advantage": * I should be writing but instead I was working on this :P It appears new, I stumbled upon a mention of it here[1]: > Native TL updates ultimately come from a directory named tlnet (on CTAN). > An archive for tlnet is available, with daily updates since > September 2019, and the final yearly release going back about ten years. [1] https://www.tug.org/texlive/pkginstall.html ---- Concerns and theirs status: * Package integrity: There may be concerns about ensuring the package hashes are obtained from a trusted source-- I haven't looked into this at all "yet". * Mirror reliability and not-abusing-nice-things-from-good-people If the mirror is a small operation it may be hostile to point the network request fury of the Nixpkgs texlive community ;). This doesn't appear to be the case and there's no mention of it, and presumably wouldn't be linked from tug.org if wasn't to be used? Would be good to chase down an announcement or otherwise ensure this is expected usage. Time will tell re:mirror reliability (or speed?), so far it seems like a solid service meant to be used and unlikely to be problematic. * Is the archive only updated once a day? The archive is organized by date, which is wonderful (!) but might mean the contents may see changes during the day. I suspect this is not the case but just a thought. Regardless, any problems seem easily avoided by simply not updating to the current day and use yesterday instead. ---- If this is the way we move forward, there are changes/fixes/improvements to be made in terms of documentation as well as (possibly) putting together some update automation tooling. --- I have only tested this with a single project so far, and it doesn't have any especially esoteric or demanding needs. Help testing by checking your projects to see that they build and produce expected results. Building against the before/after set and using `diffpdf` is how I usually vet these updates, if that's useful. The `diffpdf` especially helps identify the minor appearance changes I usually miss visually-- tweaks to microtype behavior or slightly different layout/placement of figures or handling of beamer slides, etc.
Did you see #74305? |
@dtzWill I merged my PR as it updates documentation comments. I propose we have some test period first to make sure users can use the new mirror. I'm a bit concerned with its speed also. From your motivation section, I assume that you don't have a specific problem that you are trying to address with the version bump. We can, of course, do the bump now if we really need to. |
Ha! No I didn't see that PR, that is great. Sorry for the dup, looking through that PR now. |
That's correct, and if we want to be careful about this I'm in favor of testing the mirror switch by itself (as we're now doing) and we can bump later as deemed useful or desirable. The update was for only minor ctan package updates, nothing critical or likely to be of importance beyond my own projects. |
Motivation for this change
For some context, this was previously and recently discussed:
#61469 (comment)
#71419 (comment)
Fortunately it appears, due to developments since those discussion,
that there is now a versioned mirror for ctan contents!!
Naturally this commit is about moving to that mirror:
updating the package lists and regenerating the hashes.
This has two huge advantages:
than the current "once a year".
and mirror it indefinitely and at their own cost.
Minor "advantage":
It appears new, I stumbled upon a mention of it here[1]:
[1] https://www.tug.org/texlive/pkginstall.html
Concerns and theirs status:
Package integrity:
There may be concerns about ensuring the package hashes are obtained
from a trusted source-- I haven't looked into this at all "yet".
Mirror reliability and not-abusing-nice-things-from-good-people
If the mirror is a small operation it may be hostile to point
the network request fury of the Nixpkgs texlive community ;).
This doesn't appear to be the case and there's no mention of it,
and presumably wouldn't be linked from tug.org if wasn't to be used?
Would be good to chase down an announcement or otherwise ensure
this is expected usage.
Time will tell re:mirror reliability (or speed?),
so far it seems like a solid service meant to be used
and unlikely to be problematic.
Is the archive only updated once a day?
The archive is organized by date, which is wonderful (!)
but might mean the contents may see changes during the day.
I suspect this is not the case but just a thought.
Regardless, any problems seem easily avoided by simply
not updating to the current day and use yesterday instead.
If this is the way we move forward,
there are changes/fixes/improvements to be made
in terms of documentation as well as (possibly)
putting together some update automation tooling.
I have only tested this with a single project so far,
and it doesn't have any especially esoteric or demanding
needs. Help testing by checking your projects to see
that they build and produce expected results.
Building against the before/after set and using
diffpdf
is how I usually vet these updates, if that's useful.
The
diffpdf
especially helps identify the minorappearance changes I usually miss visually-- tweaks
to microtype behavior or slightly different layout/placement
of figures or handling of beamer slides, etc.
Things done
sandbox
innix.conf
on non-NixOS linux)nix-shell -p nix-review --run "nix-review wip"
./result/bin/
)nix path-info -S
before and after)Notify maintainers
cc @veprbl @vcunat @veprbl @lovek323 @raskin @jwiegley
(texlive maintainers, thanks!)
Discussion, testing, and help wrapping this up requested and
appreciated.