Gentoo Emerge Slot Conflict

Gentoo Emerge Slot Conflict Theorists

TL;DR version

If the conflict solely involves built slot-operator (foo/bar:X/Y=) dependencies (the -verbose-conflicts option can help you determine this), then you should temporarily add the emerge -pretend and -ignore-built-slot-operator-deps=y options to your emerge command, as discussed in the answer to the previous question. Emerge - slot conflict - part 2. Not a member of Pastebin yet? Gentoo, ebuild scheduled for merge) ^ ^^^^^.

1. See a slot conflict error
2. Have a good cry over it
3. Find one 'Target' in the problem group:
4. Work out what 'final slot' you want to have insalled
5. Find all the packages installed that need to reinstalled to satisfy the above

   Note: The ^ is significant, as is using the package in CAT/PN:SLOT/SUBSLOT syntax. Retaining a package version will break things.

6. Plead with portage to consider just those packages for reinstallation
7. Observe that the thing that needed upgrading can now be upgraded, the things that need to be rebuilt are scheduled to be rebuilt, and portage now provides a merge plan.
8. Praise jebus?

Note: this strategy won't always work for all cases, but it gets portage past the stupid problems it should be quite capable of its own and thus reduces you to solving the RealProblems™

Caveats

1. You need >=app-portage/portage-utils-0.80_pre20190620
2. Some packages my fail to do any upgrades without additional hand-holding, despite producing a merge plan: Just yell at portage some more:

Gentoo Emerge Slot Conflict Guide