From a065d815b1153ea38c58d5f64a2bfdfe31d330a4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Laurent Bercot <ska-skaware@skarnet.org>
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2025 12:53:35 +0000
Subject:  Consistency of --force-essential option

---
 doc/s6-rc-set-change.html   | 16 ++++++++++++----
 doc/s6-rc-set-fix.html      |  4 ++--
 src/repo/s6-rc-set-change.c |  7 ++++---
 src/repo/s6-rc-set-fix.c    |  6 +++---
 src/repo/s6rc_repo_fixset.c |  6 +++---
 5 files changed, 24 insertions(+), 15 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/s6-rc-set-change.html b/doc/s6-rc-set-change.html
index 0253af4..6e45c2e 100644
--- a/doc/s6-rc-set-change.html
+++ b/doc/s6-rc-set-change.html
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ the <a href="repodefs.html#sub">sub</a> of some services.
 <h2> Interface </h2>
 
 <pre>
-     s6-rc-set-change [ -v <em>verbosity</em> ] [ -r <em>repo</em> ] [ -E ] [ -f | -I fail|pull|warn ] [ -n ] <em>set</em> <em>newsub</em> <em>services...</em>
+     s6-rc-set-change [ -v <em>verbosity</em> ] [ -r <em>repo</em> ] [ -E | -e ] [ -f | -I fail|pull|warn ] [ -n ] <em>set</em> <em>newsub</em> <em>services...</em>
 </pre>
 
 <ul>
@@ -48,9 +48,17 @@ error messages will be written, and 2 or more adds informational messages. </dd>
 <strong>/var/lib/s6-rc/repository</strong>.
  </dd>
 
- <dt> -E, --force-essential </dt>
- <dd> This option is necessary in order if <em>newsub</em> is <tt>always</tt>.
-Without that option, s6-rc-set-change refuses to set services to <tt>always</tt>. </dd>
+ <dt> -E, --no-force-essential </dt>
+ <dd> If a service needs to be moved to/from the <tt>always</tt> sub, fail and report
+an error. This is the default. Services marked as <em>always</em> are normally defined
+in the stores with <tt>flag-essential</tt>, and inconsistencies between essential
+services should be resolved in the stores. </dd>
+
+ <dt> -e, --force-essential </dt>
+ <dd> Move services to/from the <tt>always</tt> sub if they need to be. This option
+should only be used temporarily until the store inconsistency is fixed. Be aware that
+moving a service from <em>always</em> to <em>usable</em> or <em>masked</em> may
+result in an unbootable set. </dd>
 
  <dt> -f, --ignore-dependencies </dt>
  <dd> Change <em>services...</em> to <em>newsub</em>, but do not change any other
diff --git a/doc/s6-rc-set-fix.html b/doc/s6-rc-set-fix.html
index e8c0fb3..eae3d69 100644
--- a/doc/s6-rc-set-fix.html
+++ b/doc/s6-rc-set-fix.html
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ the situation by making <tt>B</tt> <em>usable</em> (if <tt>A</tt> is <em>usable<
 or <em>masked</em> (if <tt>A</tt> is <em>masked</em>). This means that fewer services
 will be started at boot time than the set initially declared. This is the default. </dd>
 
- <dt> -E, --no-force-essentials </dt>
+ <dt> -E, --no-force-essential </dt>
  <dd> If fixing a dependency inconsistency would imply moving a service down from the
 <em>always</em> sub, or up to the <em>always</em> sub, when its service definition
 directory does not declare it as essential, do not attempt fixing it and fail the operation.
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ This is the default. If such a situation occurs, it means that the set of servic
 provided in the <a href="repodefs.html#sub">stores</a> is not consistent, and that
 is what should be fixed. </dd>
 
- <dt> -e, --force-essentials </dt>
+ <dt> -e, --force-essential </dt>
  <dd> If fixing a dependency inconsistency would imply moving a service down from the
 <em>always</em> sub, or up to the <em>always</em> sub, when its service definition
 directory does not declare it as essential, do it, even though it goes against a
diff --git a/src/repo/s6-rc-set-change.c b/src/repo/s6-rc-set-change.c
index 32a738f..439a865 100644
--- a/src/repo/s6-rc-set-change.c
+++ b/src/repo/s6-rc-set-change.c
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #include <s6-rc/config.h>
 #include <s6-rc/s6rc.h>
 
-#define USAGE "s6-rc-set-change [ -v verbosity ] [ -r repo ] [ -E ] [ -f | -I fail|pull|warn ] [ -n ] set newsub services..."
+#define USAGE "s6-rc-set-change [ -v verbosity ] [ -r repo ] [ -E | -e ] [ -f | -I fail|pull|warn ] [ -n ] set newsub services..."
 #define dieusage() strerr_dieusage(100, USAGE)
 
 enum golb_e
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ struct subname_s
 
 static gol_bool const rgolb[] =
 {
-  { .so = 'E', .lo = "force-essential", .clear = 0, .set = GOLB_FORCE_ESSENTIAL },
+  { .so = 'E', .lo = "no-force-essential", .clear = GOLB_FORCE_ESSENTIAL, .set = 0 },
+  { .so = 'e', .lo = "force-essential", .clear = 0, .set = GOLB_FORCE_ESSENTIAL },
   { .so = 'f', .lo = "ignore-dependencies", .clear = 0, .set = GOLB_IGNORE_DEPENDENCIES },
   { .so = 'n', .lo = "dry-run", .clear = 0, .set = GOLB_DRYRUN }
 } ;
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ int main (int argc, char const *const *argv)
   newsub = bsearch(argv[1], accepted_subs, sizeof(accepted_subs)/sizeof(struct subname_s), sizeof(struct subname_s), &subname_cmp) ;
   if (!newsub) strerr_dief2x(100, "unrecognized state change directive:", argv[1]) ;
   if (newsub->sub == 3 && !(wgolb & GOLB_FORCE_ESSENTIAL))
-    strerr_diefu1x(100, " artificially mark a service as essential without --force-essential") ;
+    strerr_diefu1x(100, "artificially mark a service as essential without --force-essential") ;
   for (unsigned int i = 2 ; i < argc ; i++) s6rc_repo_sanitize_svname(argv[i]) ;
 
   tain_now_g() ;
diff --git a/src/repo/s6-rc-set-fix.c b/src/repo/s6-rc-set-fix.c
index cb9c1e8..6205024 100644
--- a/src/repo/s6-rc-set-fix.c
+++ b/src/repo/s6-rc-set-fix.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 enum golb_e
 {
   GOLB_FIXUP = 0x01,
-  GOLB_FORCE_ESSENTIALS = 0x02,
+  GOLB_FORCE_ESSENTIAL = 0x02,
   GOLB_DRYRUN = 0x04, 
 } ;
 
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ int main (int argc, char const **argv)
   {
     { .so = 'u', .lo = "fix-up", .clear = 0, .set = GOLB_FIXUP },
     { .so = 'd', .lo = "fix-down", .clear = GOLB_FIXUP, .set = 0 },
-    { .so = 'E', .lo = "no-force-essentials", .clear = GOLB_FORCE_ESSENTIALS, .set = 0 },
-    { .so = 'e', .lo = "force-essentials", .clear = 0, .set = GOLB_FORCE_ESSENTIALS },
+    { .so = 'E', .lo = "no-force-essential", .clear = GOLB_FORCE_ESSENTIAL, .set = 0 },
+    { .so = 'e', .lo = "force-essential", .clear = 0, .set = GOLB_FORCE_ESSENTIAL },
     { .so = 'n', .lo = "dry-run", .clear = 0, .set = GOLB_DRYRUN },
   } ;
   static gol_arg const rgola[] =
diff --git a/src/repo/s6rc_repo_fixset.c b/src/repo/s6rc_repo_fixset.c
index 4a42992..45cc36e 100644
--- a/src/repo/s6rc_repo_fixset.c
+++ b/src/repo/s6rc_repo_fixset.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ static inline int s6rc_repo_fixsub (char const *repo, char const *set, uint8_t s
   {
     tomove[j] = byname[bads[j]] ;
     if (verbosity >= 2)
-      strerr_warni(options & 4 ? "(dry run) " : "", "in set ", set, " of repository ", repo, ": need to ", options & 1 ? "up" : "down", "fix service ", sa->s + tomove[j].pos, " from ", s6rc_repo_subnames[tomove[j].sub], " to ", s6rc_repo_subnames[sub]) ;
+      strerr_warni(options & 4 ? "(dry run) " : "", "in set ", set, " of repository ", repo, ": ", options & 1 ? "up" : "down", "fix service ", sa->s + tomove[j].pos, " from ", s6rc_repo_subnames[tomove[j].sub], " to ", s6rc_repo_subnames[sub]) ;
     if (tomove[j].sub == 0 && verbosity)
       strerr_warnw(options & 4 ? "(dry run) " : "", "service ", sa->s + tomove[j].pos, " will automatically be unmasked by an upfix to ", s6rc_repo_subnames[sub]) ;
     if (tomove[j].sub == 3)
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@ static inline int s6rc_repo_fixsub (char const *repo, char const *set, uint8_t s
       if (!(options & 2))
       {
         if (options & 4)
-          strerr_warnw(options & 4 ? "(dry run) " : "", "in set ", set, " of repository ", repo, ": service ", sa->s + tomove[j].pos, " is marked as essential and cannot be downfixed. You will need --force-essential") ;
+          strerr_warnw(options & 4 ? "(dry run) " : "", "in set ", set, " of repository ", repo, ": service ", sa->s + tomove[j].pos, " is marked as essential and cannot be downfixed (--no-force-essential") ;
         else
         {
-          strerr_warnf(options & 4 ? "(dry run) " : "", "in set ", set, " of repository ", repo, ": service ", sa->s + tomove[j].pos, " is marked as essential and cannot be downfixed. If you are sure of yourself, try --force-essential") ;
+          strerr_warnf(options & 4 ? "(dry run) " : "", "in set ", set, " of repository ", repo, ": service ", sa->s + tomove[j].pos, " is marked as essential and cannot be downfixed (--no-force-essential") ;
           e = 1 ;
           goto err ;
         }
-- 
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