From owner-freebsd-ports@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Dec 4 00:49:36 2007 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id C8ECA16A468 for ; Tue, 4 Dec 2007 00:49:36 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from tmclaugh@sdf.lonestar.org) Received: from straycat.dhs.org (c-24-60-173-77.hsd1.ma.comcast.net [24.60.173.77]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4A37613C474 for ; Tue, 4 Dec 2007 00:49:36 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from tmclaugh@sdf.lonestar.org) Received: from [192.168.1.118] (tomcat.straycat.dhs.org [192.168.1.118]) by straycat.dhs.org (8.14.1/8.14.1) with ESMTP id lB40N1YO020955; Mon, 3 Dec 2007 19:23:03 -0500 (EST) From: Tom McLaughlin To: Brian In-Reply-To: <20071203103839.X6464@numail.brianwhalen.net> References: <200712030308.32301.david@vizion2000.net> <3BC04A18-86CD-4A93-831A-691EBD8D4A43@FreeBSD.org> <47543109.3050303@gmail.com> <7957A7E2-3ADA-4BD5-934C-F10A1F08F72F@FreeBSD.org> <47544020.5090605@gmail.com> <47544727.9030209@gmail.com> <34531C67-A2F9-48DB-8161-34593AC0C481@FreeBSD.org> <475449B9.1010002@gmail.com> <20071203103839.X6464@numail.brianwhalen.net> Content-Type: text/plain Date: Mon, 03 Dec 2007 19:23:01 -0500 Message-Id: <1196727781.3332.30.camel@tomcat.straycat.dhs.org> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Evolution 2.10.3 (2.10.3-4.fc7) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org Subject: Re: [RFC/P] Port System Re-Engineering X-BeenThere: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Porting software to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:49:36 -0000 On Mon, 2007-12-03 at 10:41 -0800, Brian wrote: > Here is a simple example of where improvement would be good. > > I add a package the easiest way I know on a slow system. > > mybox# pkg_add -r dnetc > Fetching > ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-6-stable/Latest/dnetc.tbz... > Done. > => Added group "dnetc". > => Added user "dnetc". > > *************************************************************************** > > Note: dnetc has been installed with a sample configuration. > > To change this run: > > /usr/local/distributed.net/dnetc -config > > *************************************************************************** > > So now, if I follow the instructions, I still dont have a running program. > I haven't been told I need dnetc_enable="YES" in /etc/rc.conf, and the one > I should run to start it is in /usr/local/etc/etc/rc.d, I would never > infer that from the above if I were a novice user. Additionally, pkg_add > -r will often also give an out of date package. > > Brian It's typically considered "bad form" for a port, especially one for a network service, to automatically enable itself. That is my job as the box admin. As for the rc.d issues that's explained in handbook. In the ports ports section under "Post-installation Activities" it reads: "Ports that should start at boot (such as Internet servers) will usually install a sample script in /usr/local/etc/rc.d. You should review this script for correctness and edit or rename it if needed. See Starting Services for more information." Under "Starting Services" there is a section which I think gives enough of an overview of rcNG to point a user to the fact that they need to check the rc.d script for the appropriate rc.conf variable to add. Many rcNG scripts also have a very handy comment such as the following: # Add the following line to /etc/rc.conf to enable `foo': # #foo_enable="YES" I don't think all this needs to be reiterated every time a port with an rcNG script is installed since it's been explained in our user documentation. As for the pkg-message problem that does suck. One thing OpenBSD's pkg_add (which doubles as their package upgrade utility) does is display all pkg-message info at the end of a run and I find is rather nice. I don't do C or ruby so anyone interested can feel free to implement that if they care. tom -- | tmclaugh at sdf.lonestar.org tmclaugh at FreeBSD.org | | FreeBSD http://www.FreeBSD.org |