compver(4)            UNIX System V(Essential Utilities)             compver(4)


NAME
      compver - compatible versions file

DESCRIPTION
      compver is an ASCII file used to specify previous versions of the
      associated package which are upward compatible.  It is created by a
      package developer.

      Each line of the file specifies a previous version of the associated
      package with which the current version is backward compatible.

      Because some packages may require installation of a specific version of
      another software package, compatibility information is extremely crucial.
      Consider, for example, a package called ``A'' which requires version
      ``1.0'' of application ``B'' as a prerequisite for installation.  If the
      customer installing ``A'' has a newer version of ``B'' (1.3), the compver
      file for ``B'' must indicate that ``1.3'' is compatible with version
      ``1.0'' in order for the customer to install package ``A.''

NOTES
      The comparison of the version string disregards white space and tabs.  It
      is performed on a word-by-word basis.  Thus 1.3    Enhanced and 1.3
      Enhanced would be considered the same.

EXAMPLE
      A sample compver file is shown below.

      1.3
      1.0

SEE ALSO
      depend(4)






















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