How to patch?

[James Cameron]

>>>>> On 7 Mar 91 10:38:51 GMT, kleinj at jacobs.CS.ORST.EDU (Justin the Blue) said:
JB> Nntp-Posting-Host: jacobs.cs.orst.edu


JB>   A somewhat unique problem has cropped up here at the public access machines
JB>   at Oregon State University. 

JB>   We are a group of people who are learning how to compile utilities for
JB>   general system use.  One of the things we are unfamiliar with is how to
JB>   implement patches.  There are many things that we want to do, however,
JB>   that involve patches.

JB>   Here's an example...a personal use I'd like to do.  I know of places where
JB>   the source for the game Ularn is availible.  In perusing the shell archives,
JB>   at one time I noted three patches: two to correct defciencies in the code,
JB>   and a third (the one I want most for) that converts it to an MSDOS execut-
JB>   able program.  How would I implement the patches?  I'm fairly clear on
JB>   running the compiler and getting through the bugs in the Makefile.

JB>   Since this may be a bit too "beginner" for this group, I think email
JB>   to kleinj at jacobs.cs.orst.edu would be most appropriate.  I didn't think
JB>   it was basic enuff for news.newusers.questions, tho'...


*I* think this was a good question.  I too am fairly new to building
programs and from what I understand, most patches are simply diff's
of the first file or files compared to the new one.  (A diff is a line
by line comparison between two or more files which shows the difference
in files and where the line numbers are.  Take a look at the man page
for it..  diff(1) )

Now, this method seems to be to save Bandwith but makes life for the
rest of us...(if I am correct about most patches).  

Anyone care to futher explain it or perhaps correct anything I might
have said incorrectly??

JC






--
James Cameron  -  jc at raven.bu.edu

Signal Processing and Interpretation Lab, ECS Engineering Dept.
	Boston University, Boston MA
	Work: 617 353-2879
Information Technology
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	work: 617 353-2780 ext. 338

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