As of 2010/03, we always create new boot environments

when doing an update, and never do so for

install, instead failing the operation should an action

tagged w/ reboot-needed be affected. We also always

create new boot environments for change-variant and

change-facet operations, and never for fix.

This needs work.

Instead, I'd like to propose the following:

1) We support the creation of a new optional backup

boot environment before executing the operation

on the live image. Non-live images can easily

use snapshots for this; this option would have

no effect in the case that the operation creates

a new BE.

2) All image-modifying operations on a live image

would create a new boot environment only if needed.

This behavior could be altered via command line flags

to always create a new boot environment or to never

create one, failing instead if the operation needs

one.

pkg install

pkg fix

would both get the following new options:

[--backup-be]

[--backup-be-name name]

[--no-new-be | --always-new-be]

[--be-name name]

pkg update

pkg change-facet

pkg change-variant

would all get the following new options:

[--backup-be]

[--backup-be-name name]

[--no-new-be | --always-new-be]

So, to retain the current behavior,

invoke pkg install --no-new-be ....

invoke pkg update --always-new-be ...

pkg change-facet --always-nes-be ...

pkg change-variant --always-new-be ...

- Bart