(stow.info)Mixing Operations

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8 Mixing Operations
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Since version 2.0, multiple distinct actions can be specified in a
single invocation of GNU Stow.  For example, to update an installation
of Emacs from version 21.3 to 21.4a you can now do the following:

     stow -D emacs-21.3 -S emacs-21.4a

which will replace emacs-21.3 with emacs-21.4a using a single
invocation.

   This is much faster and cleaner than performing two separate
invocations of stow, because redundant folding/unfolding operations can
be factored out.  In addition, all the operations are calculated and
merged before being executed (Note: Deferred Operation), so the
amount of of time in which GNU Emacs is unavailable is minimised.

   You can mix and match any number of actions, for example,

     stow -S pkg1 pkg2 -D pkg3 pkg4 -S pkg5 -R pkg6

will unstow pkg3, pkg4 and pkg6, then stow pkg1, pkg2, pkg5 and pkg6.