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authorGerard Beekmans <gerard@linuxfromscratch.org>2001-03-23 02:38:02 +0000
committerGerard Beekmans <gerard@linuxfromscratch.org>2001-03-23 02:38:02 +0000
commit97f1db3961a7263636899a0eb58b9ac4d214438f (patch)
treee0576cea9338ab0ab0d80185e85e89ff532513e7 /chapter02/aboutlfs.xml
parent32489b55b03839fd0d4e24dc5cbcd7a298d25a74 (diff)
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git-svn-id: http://svn.linuxfromscratch.org/LFS/trunk/BOOK@354 4aa44e1e-78dd-0310-a6d2-fbcd4c07a689
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diff --git a/chapter02/aboutlfs.xml b/chapter02/aboutlfs.xml
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@@ -3,50 +3,53 @@
<para>
Please read the following carefully: throughout this book
-the variable name $LFS will frequently be used. $LFS must at all times be
+the variable $LFS will be used frequently. $LFS must at all times be
replaced by the directory where the partition that contains the LFS system
is mounted. How to create and where to mount the partition will be
-explaind in full detail later on in chapter 4. In my case, the LFS
-partition is mounted on /mnt/lfs. If I read this book myself and I see
-$LFS somewhere, I will pretend that I read /mnt/lfs. If I read that
-I have to run this command: cp inittab $LFS/etc, I actually will run this:
-cp inittab /mnt/lfs/etc.
+explaind in full detail in chapter 4. In my case, the LFS
+partition is mounted on /mnt/lfs.
+</para>
+
+<para>
+For example when you are told to run a command like
+<userinput>./configure --prefix=$LFS</userinput> you will actually run
+<userinput>./configure --prefix=/mnt/lfs</userinput>
</para>
<para>
It's important that this is done no matter where it is read; be it in
-commands entered on the prompt, or in a file edited or created.
+commands entered in a shell, or in a file edited or created.
</para>
<para>
Another possible solution is to set the environment variable LFS.
-This way the $LFS can be entered literally instead of replacing it by
-something like
-/mnt/lfs. This is accomplished by running: export LFS=/mnt/lfs.
+This way $LFS can be entered literally instead of replacing it by
+/mnt/lfs. This is accomplished by running <userinput>export
+LFS=/mnt/lfs</userinput>.
</para>
<para>
-If I read cp inittab $LFS/etc, I literally can type cp inittab $LFS/etc
-and the shell will replace this command by cp inittab /mnt/lfs/etc
-automatically.
+Now, if you read to run a command like <userinput>./configure
+--prefix=$LFS</userinput> you can type that literally. Your shell will
+replace $LFS with /mnt/lfs when it processes the command line (meaning
+when you hit enter).
</para>
<para>
-Do not forget to set the $LFS variable at all times. If
-the variable is not set and is used it in a command, $LFS will be ignored
-and whatever
-is left will be executed. The command cp inittab $LFS/etc without the $LFS
-variable set will result in copying the inittab file to the /etc
-directory, which will overwrite the host-system's inittab. A file like inittab
-isn't that big a problem as it can easily be restored, but if
-this mistake is made during the installation of the C Library, things might
-be damaged
+If you plan to use $LFS, do not forget to set the $LFS variable at all
+times. If the variable is not set and is used it in a command, $LFS will
+be ignored and whatever is left will be executed. A command like
+<userinput>echo "root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash" &gt;
+$LFS/etc/passwd</userinput> without the $LFS variable set will
+re-create your host system's /etc/passwd file. Simply put: it will
+destroy your current password database file.
</para>
<para>
One way to make sure that $LFS is set at all times is adding it to
-the /root/.bash_profile and/or /root/.bashrc file(s) so that every time a
-'su' to root is done to install LFS, the $LFS variable is set.
+the /root/.bash_profile and/or /root/.bashrc file(s) so that every time
+you login as user root, or you 'su' to user root, the $LFS variable is
+set.
</para>
</sect1>