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From: Lowell Gilbert <freebsd-ports-local@be-well.ilk.org>
To: APseudoUtopia <apseudoutopia@gmail.com>
References: <CAKOHg=Pn3jfvdyjtVHV1PeTty1eXe0P9ASB1mDN88ieZiRiQ9w@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:21:29 -0500
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	(apseudoutopia@gmail.com's message of "Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:51:46
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Cc: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: Viewing port changelogs
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APseudoUtopia <apseudoutopia@gmail.com> writes:

> Before upgrading ports, I have made it a habit to check the changes in
> the ports Makefile from the previous version. I've been using the
> web-interface located at www.freebsd.org/ports/
> For example, this page shows the change commit message,
> http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/ports/mail/postfix/Makefile
> and then I view the "preferred diff" for the Makefile itself.
>
> I was wondering if there is any method to doing this from command
> line? I often don't have a web-browser available to me when working on
> the console. I'd be willing to write a script to display a changelog,
> but I'm not even sure where to get it from in the first place, other
> than that website.

You can query cvs yourself, which is all that webpage is doing. If
you're already downloading the whole CVS (ports) repository for some
other reason, that's quite simple. If not, "anonymous" cvs is explained
in the handbook. Or you could install a text-mode web browser.

In any case, I'd recommend scripting the process.