Pacnew warning request

[Nexan]

Continuing the discussion from User seems to be deleted:

Just want to note that I got the same problem. The pacnew checker overwrites the passwd file as I click accidentally to get the whole new file. (Thanks to a backup, it was not a massive problem.)

So, maybe the pacnew checker could get a special warning for some files that could prevent the user from login? A warning with something red blinking or a guy that jumps out of the screen and slaps the user before he can click something. Should be a small feature…

[D.Dave]

@Nexan

maybe the pacnew checker could get a special warning for some files that could prevent the user from login? A warning

Merge pull request 'Add warning for critical system files and Revert commit...

[nikgnomic]

@Nexan

The pacnew checker overwrites the passwd file as I click accidentally to get the whole new file. (Thanks to a backup, it was not a massive problem.)

Wheel user password “reset itself”, now twice

To fix it there is usually a backup /etc/passwd~. Verify your username is at the end of the file and - if it is - use cp to replace the existing file.

sudo cp /etc/passwd~ /etc/passwd

for the second time my primary wheel user’s password has been “mysteriously reset”

No - passwords are never reset by an update.

So what gives?

Confused by the presence of a file named passwd.pacnew?

why would this happen?

It would happen if you - without giving thought to the process - replace a configuration with a .pacnew file

Never automate .pacnew files - it may wreck your system completely.

[soundofthunder]

Your post has been moved to a dedicated topic.

The question, or rather the responses it may invite, may prove interesting for many newer Members.

@Nexan

A warning with something red blinking or a guy that jumps out of the screen and slaps the user before he can click something.

I envisage something more like a little green guy who jumps out and slaps a User upside the head for running commands they have little understanding of.

[straycat]

I was thinking more of if using a laptop having the lid auto slam shut and break all fingers.The time it takes for the fingers to heal should remind the person to never make that mistake again.

[soundofthunder]

@straycat

having the lid auto slam shut and break all fingers

Rather brutal, but no doubt effective.

[Teo]

Jeez, the user complains he has to edit config files, then somebody makes automation and ther complain about that too.

For the lazy and brainless, at the end of the road there is windows, where the user have to make no decisions at all. It auto updates, it auto spys, it auto crashes. No thinking involved.

[nikgnomic]

@Nexan

The pacnew checker overwrites the passwd file as I click accidentally to get the whole new file

maybe the pacnew checker could get a special warning for some files that could prevent the user from login?

Stable Updates already have a warning that includes a link to manjaro-pacnew-checker:

@philm

Known issues and solutions

Please RTFT (Read This Fine Thread) first before reporting the same issues over and over again!

Note: Do not forget to review your .pacnew files:

• System Maintenance - Manjaro
• Check and manage pacnew files

As far as I know, manjaro-pacnew-checker offers four choices for a .pacnew file:

1. Open configuration file and .pacnew file to merge contents
2. Delete .pacnew file
3. Replace configuration file with .pacnew file
4. Do nothing

I use a modified version of a script that only has option 1

@Yochanan

Arch has released mkinitcpio 33 with some structural changes

Here’s a helpful pacnew script by @omano using Meld. Change it to your favorite diff program if you prefer:

pacnew.sh

#!/bin/bash
pacnews=($(/usr/bin/pacdiff --output|grep -v pacsave))
nb="${#pacnews[@]}"
if [[ $nb -gt 0 ]]; then
    echo; echo; echo -e "$nb .pacnew found in system"
    printf "%s\n" "${pacnews[@]}"
    echo; read -p "See the PacDiff? " -n 1 -r
    if [[ $REPLY =~ ^[YyOo]$ ]]; then
        echo; set -euo pipefail
        export PATH=/usr/bin:/usr/sbin
        for i in $(/usr/bin/pacdiff --output|grep -v pacsave); do
            echo; echo "Processing $i ..."
            /usr/bin/meld "admin://$i" "admin://${i/.pacnew/}"
            echo; read -p "Delete the file $i? " -n 1 -r
            if [[ $REPLY =~ ^[YyOo]$ ]]; then
                echo; sudo rm -v "$i"
            fi
        done
    fi
fi

Modified version includes request to delete .pacnew file after it has been merged in meld
BASH script to merge .pacnew files in meld · GitHub Gist - nik-gnomic