7. Upgrading and Updating Components

This chapter covers upgrading operating system packages, updating the ansible-dims-playbooks repo and related private customization repository, and generally keeping system components up to date.

7.1. Updating PyCharm Community Edition

Now that we have seen an example of setting variables at the host level that override group variables, and validating the values of those variables at run time, we will see how an example of upgrading the application.

PyCharm keeps all of its state, including settings, breakpoints, indexes, in internal data stores in a directory specific to the version of PyCharm being used. For example, PyCharm 2016.2.3 files are kept in $HOME/.PyCharm2016.2. When updating to the release 2016.3.1, the location changes to $HOME/.PyCharmCE2016.3. You need to run PyCharm 2016.2.3 to export your settings, then run the new PyCharm 2016.3.1 version to import them.

To export settings, run PyCharm 2016.2.3 and select File>Export Settings.... A dialog will pop up that allows you to select what to export and where to export it. You can use the defaults (pay attention to where the exported setting file is located, since you need to select it in the next step.) Select Ok to complete the export. See Figure Exporting Settings from PyCharm 2016.2.3.

Exporting Settings from PyCharm 2016.2.3

PyCharm is installed using Ansible. The normal workflow for updating a component like PyCharm is to test the new version to ensure it works properly, then update the variables for PyCharm in the Ansible inventory before exporting your old settings and then running the pycharm role for your development system.

After PyCharm has been updated, select File>Import Settings... and select the .jar file that was created in the previous step and then select Ok. Again, the defaults can be used for selecting the elements to import. See Figure Importing Settings to PyCharm 2016.3.1.

Importing Settings to PyCharm 2016.3.1

Once you have completed this process and are successfully using version 2016.3.1, you can delete the old directory.

$ rm -rf ~/.PyCharm2016.2

7.2. Identifying When Rebooting is Needed

A bats system test exists to check to see if any packages were installed that require a reboot. This test is templated to tailor it for supported operating systems. Use the test.runner script to execute just the reboot test:

$ test.runner --match reboot
[+] Running test system/reboot
 ✗ [S][EV] System does not require a reboot (Ubuntu)
   (in test file system/reboot.bats, line 8)
     `@test "[S][EV] System does not require a reboot (Ubuntu)" {' failed
   linux-image-4.4.0-87-generic
   linux-base
   linux-base

1 test, 1 failure