Com.X software packages explained

In order to more easily manage and maintain your Far South Networks PBX/Gateway, it is important to update the software on the unit regularly.

Understanding the structure of the packages allows a user to make certain their device is always up to date.

Dependencies

Software packages are seldom designed to work in isolation. Typically, any piece of software will make use of existing software, code and libraries, so as to avoid having to recreate everything from scratch.

When a program makes use of the code or functionality defined in another package, we say that the program is dependant on the package, and that the package is one of the dependencies of that program.

In order for the software to run on a device, all of its dependencies must also be installed...and all of their dependencies, and so on.

Top Level Packages

The unit is typically updated by installing the latest versions of two top level packages, namely comx-base and comx-gui.

These two packages contain the entirety of the software needed for the system to function. Third party applications are typically not included in the top level packages.

Each top level packages contains a list of packages to be installed, as well as a reference to the least recent version of the package that would be acceptable in order to work in conjunction with all of the other installed packages (that is, the least recent version of the dependencies).

If the package is already installed, and more recent than the least recent version necessary, then no updates will be performed on that package. If the installed version is less recent than the least recent compatible version, then the latest available version of the package will be installed.

In this manner, comx-base and comx-gui are able to manage all of the packages on the device, and dynamically check on the dependencies of each package installed in order to make sure all dependencies are installed.