Feature request: dry-run variables output

[devopsbob]

As an infrastructure hardware engineer
I want an option to the rpi-image-gen/build.sh for a '--dryrun' output of the final resolved variable values
so that fully resolved values in a summary format may be viewed and verified prior to actual build.

Notes:

• reduce bandwidth usages by ability to understand resolved values prior to build
• identify packages included or duplicated by various options/layers configurations
• support for -r rootsys creations or -i image creations variables values output independantly

Original discussion:
Request an option to the rpi-image-gen/build.sh for a '--dryrun' option to output the final resolved variable values input to the processing so I can see the fully resolved values in a summary format without doing the actual processing. This will save excess bandwidth downloading from the repos and give insight to where that single profile has resolved across multiple layers what values will be effectively used. Even a '--dryrun-detect-dups' would be 'cool' or 'neat' so that I can tell where the input resolver is overriding defaults or where I may have overspecified the same setting above the driving uber-script. This option would complement the '-r' option of only creating the rootsys. (thinking out loud) Maybe even '-rd' for rootsys dry run output and '-id' for image dry run.

[learmj]

Hi. Thanks for the feature request. Acknowledged. I think it would be a helpful and useful addition.

[devopsbob]

@learmj thanks for the 1.0 base release and updates/breakages mention. I appreciate what you wrote there and look forward to the improved 2.0.

I want to ask whether v1/v2 will first be testing with Debian Trixie(13) or Debian Bookworm(12)? I've only recently revisited my setup and did rip-updates and apt updates on bookworm for my rpi5-2712 box. I'd like to be on the easier path -- ie. should I get going on rpi-image-gen for trixie with the 1.0 build?

[learmj]

@learmj thanks for the 1.0 base release and updates/breakages mention. I appreciate what you wrote there and look forward to the improved 2.0.

I want to ask whether v1/v2 will first be testing with Debian Trixie(13) or Debian Bookworm(12)? I've only recently revisited my setup and did rip-updates and apt updates on bookworm for my rpi5-2712 box. I'd like to be on the easier path -- ie. should I get going on rpi-image-gen for trixie with the 1.0 build?

I'd stick with bookworm, certainly for the short term. There is a problem running rpi-image-gen on Trixie because bdebstrap is not available for installation (see bdrung/bdebstrap#16). I do have a plan to decouple rpi-image-gen from relying on apt install bdebstrap on the host by installing bdebstrap as part of the build. The version in bookworm is quite old and newer versions have added support for newer features and other mmdebstrap options which would be beneficial (eg extract hook).

[learmj]

@devopsbob Please try the interactive feature introduced in v2.0.0-rc.1. Hopefully it will help your workflow.