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Date:      Sun, 23 Jun 1996 14:58:40 +0000 ()
From:      James Raynard <fdocs@jraynard.demon.co.uk>
To:        Annelise Anderson <ANDRSN@HOOVER.STANFORD.EDU>
Cc:        freebsd-doc@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Revised ports entry for handbook
Message-ID:  <Pine.BSF.3.91.960623144527.1576B-100000@jraynard.demon.co.uk>
In-Reply-To: <01I67XXHPFB600AE9A@HOOVER.STANFORD.EDU>

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On Sat, 22 Jun 1996, Annelise Anderson wrote:

> ># make install
> 
> Before you get this far, you might want to explain that all ports
> involve two parts, the skeleton files and the source file (also known
> as the distfile), and possibly even that the skeleton files look
> (by default) for the distfile in /usr/ports/distfiles; and that the
> skeleton files include a Makefile; and finally that "make install" is
> the basic command for making a port, and that it's invoked in the
> directory of the skeleton files that includes the Makefile (and this
> directory must be writable).  

Yes, I did rather skip over the this. I also assumed the reader either 
knows what 'make' does, or is prepared to accept it as a magic 
incantation, which is probably a bit questionable.

> ># mkdir /usr/ports
> ># cd /usr/ports
> ># ln -s /cdrom/ports distfiles distfiles
> 
> Once this symbolic link is established (assuming a / between ports
> and distfiles instead of a space), attempts to ftp for the source
> tarball will fail, because the write will be to the cdrom.  Nor will
> it be possible (I think) to get the distfile and put it in
> /usr/ports/distfiles, as a user without (yet) access to the Internet
> from FreeBSD might try to do (or one who wants the "latest" port).
[...] 
> On the other hand if the symbolic link isn't there, the program won't
> find any tarball on the cdrom and it won't be able to get the other
> programs that might be needed--e.g., xv needs jpeg and tiff but won't
> get them.  

John Fieber made the same point. I don't know of a good answer to this. 

> In any event the new write-up is a great improvement over what was
> there before!  

Thank you! And thank you for taking the time to post your comments. I 
hope to have an improved version on freefall this evening (GMT).

James Raynard, Edinburgh, Scotland
james@jraynard.demon.co.uk






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