From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Aug 24 19:55:29 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 04C0716A4CE for ; Tue, 24 Aug 2004 19:55:29 +0000 (GMT) Received: from smtp.infracaninophile.co.uk (ns0.infracaninophile.co.uk [81.2.69.218]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 72A8943D49 for ; Tue, 24 Aug 2004 19:55:27 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from m.seaman@infracaninophile.co.uk) Received: from happy-idiot-talk.infracaninophile.co.uk (localhost [IPv6:::1]) i7OJtLmv008309 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=NO); Tue, 24 Aug 2004 20:55:21 +0100 (BST) (envelope-from matthew@happy-idiot-talk.infracaninophile.co.uk) Received: (from matthew@localhost)id i7OJtLZT008308; Tue, 24 Aug 2004 20:55:21 +0100 (BST) (envelope-from matthew) Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 20:55:21 +0100 From: Matthew Seaman To: "Jay O'Brien" Message-ID: <20040824195521.GA7691@happy-idiot-talk.infracaninophile.co.uk> Mail-Followup-To: Matthew Seaman , Jay O'Brien , freebsd-questions@freebsd.org References: <37045.24.11.146.21.1093373223.squirrel@freedombi.com> <412B935B.2010706@att.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/signed; micalg=pgp-sha1; protocol="application/pgp-signature"; boundary="pf9I7BMVVzbSWLtt" Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <412B935B.2010706@att.net> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.6i X-Greylist: Sender IP whitelisted, not delayed by milter-greylist-1.5.6 (smtp.infracaninophile.co.uk [IPv6:::1]); Tue, 24 Aug 2004 20:55:21 +0100 (BST) X-Virus-Scanned: clamd / ClamAV version devel-20040705, clamav-milter version 0.74a on smtp.infracaninophile.co.uk X-Virus-Status: Clean X-Spam-Status: No, hits=-4.8 required=5.0 tests=AWL,BAYES_00 autolearn=ham version=2.64 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.64 (2004-01-11) on happy-idiot-talk.infracaninophile.co.uk cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Reinstalling, then upgrading (Was Re: Salvageable? (Was Re:make installworld error)) X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 19:55:29 -0000 --pf9I7BMVVzbSWLtt Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable On Tue, Aug 24, 2004 at 12:13:31PM -0700, Jay O'Brien wrote: > Charles Ulrich wrote: >=20 > > The phrase "ports > > build packages" is a neat and efficient way of rectifying the > > misunderstandings that can occur when trying to give a proper=20 > > explanation of FreeBSD package management. > Thank you for concisely answering a burning question I didn't=20 > know how to ask. I had gathered the concept that if I built a=20 > "port" I was stuck with it, because it couldn't be removed as=20 > easily as something installed as a package. That phrase -- "ports build packages" is just so right on so many levels. Except for the literal description of what actually happens. If I was feeling pedantic, I'd say "ports build and install software, and also create a packaging list. A package is simply a shortcut method of using that packaging list to gather together all of those files into an archive in order to copy them to a different machine." But it really doesn't have the same ring to it. Most people know that to build a package you simply change to the correct ports directory and type: # make package Which is fine and dandy most of the time. What deserves to be more widely known is that you can create a package fron any already installed port: # pkg_create -b pkg-name which saves a lot of effort trying to recompile things and is a really handy way to back stuff up. As it stands, you can't make a package without also installing the corresponding port. For many reasons it would be very handy to avoid that: ie. to be able to install the port into a chroot'ed area and assemble the package from there. Avoids conflicts with already installed ports or the need to de-install and re-install a port if you want a different set of options for the package. Also a lot of the time it would make it feasible to build packages as a mortal user, rather than requiring root access. This has been discussed on several occasions in the freebsd-ports@... list, and there are various patch sets floating around. As I understand it though, quite a lot of ports would need remedial work if that functionality was to be introduced, which is what has kept anything from being committed yet. Cheers, Matthew --=20 Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil. 26 The Paddocks Savill Way PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey Marlow Tel: +44 1628 476614 Bucks., SL7 1TH UK --pf9I7BMVVzbSWLtt Content-Type: application/pgp-signature Content-Disposition: inline -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.5 (FreeBSD) iD8DBQFBK50piD657aJF7eIRApr6AJ4kYNEAr0zXskSAFwmJfyT8uF819wCgrGvC bEmXtOE+b4060jNvnF43ccw= =c2U/ -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --pf9I7BMVVzbSWLtt--