From owner-freebsd-ports@freebsd.org  Fri Oct 13 22:08:46 2017
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-ports@freebsd.org>
Delivered-To: freebsd-ports@mailman.ysv.freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org
 [IPv6:2001:1900:2254:206a::19:1])
 by mailman.ysv.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A5F67E2E5B9
 for <freebsd-ports@mailman.ysv.freebsd.org>;
 Fri, 13 Oct 2017 22:08:46 +0000 (UTC)
 (envelope-from sgk@troutmask.apl.washington.edu)
Received: from troutmask.apl.washington.edu (troutmask.apl.washington.edu
 [128.95.76.21])
 (using TLSv1.2 with cipher ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384 (256/256 bits))
 (Client CN "troutmask", Issuer "troutmask" (not verified))
 by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 8AE9976CD1
 for <freebsd-ports@freebsd.org>; Fri, 13 Oct 2017 22:08:46 +0000 (UTC)
 (envelope-from sgk@troutmask.apl.washington.edu)
Received: from troutmask.apl.washington.edu (localhost [127.0.0.1])
 by troutmask.apl.washington.edu (8.15.2/8.15.2) with ESMTPS id v9DM8jKY097348
 (version=TLSv1.2 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384 bits=256 verify=NO)
 for <freebsd-ports@freebsd.org>; Fri, 13 Oct 2017 15:08:45 -0700 (PDT)
 (envelope-from sgk@troutmask.apl.washington.edu)
Received: (from sgk@localhost)
 by troutmask.apl.washington.edu (8.15.2/8.15.2/Submit) id v9DM8jHj097347
 for freebsd-ports@freebsd.org; Fri, 13 Oct 2017 15:08:45 -0700 (PDT)
 (envelope-from sgk)
Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2017 15:08:45 -0700
From: Steve Kargl <sgk@troutmask.apl.washington.edu>
To: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org
Subject: installing into alternate directory?
Message-ID: <20171013220845.GA97308@troutmask.apl.washington.edu>
Reply-To: sgk@troutmask.apl.washington.edu
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline
User-Agent: Mutt/1.7.2 (2016-11-26)
X-BeenThere: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.23
Precedence: list
List-Id: Porting software to FreeBSD <freebsd-ports.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <https://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/options/freebsd-ports>,
 <mailto:freebsd-ports-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-ports/>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-ports@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-ports-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <https://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-ports>,
 <mailto:freebsd-ports-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2017 22:08:46 -0000

I suspect that this is documented someplace.
In the old days, one coudl install ports in
an directory hierarchy other than /usr/local
by setting DESTDIR.  This is/was handy in 
testing a new port, or in particular, an upgrade
of an abandoned port.

% cd /usr/ports/math/octave42
% make
% setenv DESTDIR /usr/local/octave42
% make install
===>  Creating some important subdirectories
===> /tmp subdirectory has been successfully created
===> /dev subdirectory has been successfully created
===>  Starting chrooted make in /usr/local/octave42...
chroot: /bin/sh: No such file or directory
===>  Chrooted make in /usr/local/octave42 failed
===>  Cleaning up...
*** Error code 1

What?

-- 
Steve