Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2000 23:10:49 GMT From: Salvo Bartolotta <bartequi@nojunk.com> To: Walter Brameld <brameld@twave.net>, jcm@dogma.freebsd-uk.eu.org Cc: questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: metaports ... Message-ID: <20000122.23104900@bartequi.ottodomain.org> References: <Pine.BSF.4.21.0001211457470.25613-100000@dogma.freebsd-uk.eu.org> <20000122.170600@bartequi.ottodomain.org> <3888FA8E.FD65AA02@twave.net> <20000122.8115700@bartequi.ottodomain.org> <3889C346.37971709@twave.net>
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> Dear Mr. Bartolotta,
> I commend you on giving a very comprehensive explanation of
> the word "meta". However, Jonathon's original question was
> "What is a meta-PORT?" and I also lacked this bit of
> knowledge, so I was interested in the reply. The other
> respondent provided the information that a meta-port is one
> that will install other ports that are required for it to
> function. Using rules of theory, or perhaps even Occam's
> razor I felt that was the more definitive explanation. If
> failing to glean this information from your response was due
> to a lack of intelligence on my part, please do not take
> umbrage. I do have many short-comings.
> Yours sincerely,
> Walter Brameld
Dear Mr Brameld,
thank you very much for clarifying.
Yesterday, Mr Darren Wiebe gave an almost complete answer to your
question in a letter of his ("Re: metaports"). He only left a
little particular understood: a metaport does not install anything
"per se"; it only manages sub-ports, or, if you prefer, dependencies.
It simply acts as a sort of supervisor with respect to the related
subports.
Let us listen to what e.g. Mr KDE-1.1.2 metaport has to tell us:
=3D=3D KDE provides an integrated X11 based environment, much like CDE.
=3D=3D This package does not contain anything by itself -- it is a
=3D=3D "meta-port" that depends on other KDE packages. Its sole purpose =
is
=3D=3D to require dependencies so users can install this package only an=
d
=3D=3D have all the KDE stuff pulled in by the port/package dependency
=3D=3D mechanism.
(Cf /usr/ports/x11/kde11/pkg/DESCR)
If you look at its PLIST, you will find that it is intentionally left
empty; moreover, it will remain such after you have "installed" the
metaport. By the way, I have KDE-1.1.2 up and running.
If you should "install" such a metaport, you would also notice
that the .PLIST.mktmp, which is found in the related .../work
directory, was left empty.
Further, and more significantly, my KDE-1.1.2 metaport .../work
directory contains no *.h or *.c files, no other source-related files
at large, and no subdirectories; only .PLIST.mktmp and the *.done
files are present.
The same applies to my Gnome metaport.
In the handbook, a few details on this subject are dealt with at some
lenght. However, the definitive "splitting hairs" exact response to
your question is provided by the metaport Makefiles and, especially,=20
by
bsd.port.mk. The latter, which is found in /usr/ports/Mk, expounds
the ports mechanisms exhaustively.
I hope that this information will be of help.
Please note: my_fake_antispam_domain =3D=3D=3D> neomedia.it to e-mail to=
me.
Yours sincerely
Salvo Bartolotta
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