depend(4)							   File Formats 							 depend(4)

NAME

       depend - software dependencies file

DESCRIPTION

       depend  is  an  ASCII  file used to specify information concerning software dependencies for a particular package. The file is created by a
       software developer.

       Each entry in the depend file describes a single software package. The instance of the package is described after the entry line by  giving
       the package architecture and/or version. The format of each entry and subsequent instance definition is:

       type pkg name
	    (arch)version
	    (arch)version
	       ...

       The fields are:

       type	       Defines the dependency type. Must be one of the following characters:

		       P	Indicates a prerequisite for installation; for example, the referenced package or versions must be installed.

		       I	Implies that the existence of the indicated package or version is incompatible.

		       R	Indicates  a  reverse dependency. Instead of defining the package's own dependencies, this designates that another
				package depends on this one. This type should be used only when an old package does not have a	depend	file,  but
				relies	on  the  newer package nonetheless. Therefore, the present package should not be removed if the designated
				old package is still on the system since, if it is removed, the old package will no longer work.

       pkg	       Indicates the package abbreviation.

       name	       Specifies the full package name.

       (arch)version   Specifies a particular instance of the software. A version name cannot begin with a left parenthesis. The instance specifi-
		       cations, both (arch) and version, are completely optional, but each (arch)version pair must begin on a new line that begins
		       with white space. A null version set equates to any version of the indicated package.

EXAMPLES

       Example 1: Sample of depend file

       Here are the contents of a sample depend file, for the SUNWftpr (FTP Server) package, stored in /var/sadm/pkg/SUNWftpr/install:

       P SUNWcar       Core Architecture, (Root)
       P SUNWkvm       Core Architecture, (Kvm)
       P SUNWcsr       Core Solaris, (Root)
       P SUNWcsu       Core Solaris, (Usr)
       P SUNWcsd       Core Solaris Devices
       P SUNWcsl       Core Solaris Libraries
       R SUNWftpu      FTP Server, (Usr)

SEE ALSO

       pkginfo(4)

       Application Packaging Developer's Guide

SunOS 5.10							    4 Oct 1996								 depend(4)