Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 10:00:21 -0400 (EDT) From: Kenneth W Cochran <kwc@world.std.com> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: 3.3-RELEASE ports vs packages, cvsup, some specifics Message-ID: <199910111400.KAA11066@world.std.com>
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(Asking in -questions, maybe candidate for -ports or -cvs or something?)
Hi,
I'm running 3.3-RELEASE, freshly installed from the WC CDs & plan
to go to -stable soon. I say "freshly" because I was running
3.2-RELEASE, "cvsupped" to -stable (RELENG_3, the "stable-supfile"),
which was 3.3-stable before "replacment" from CD.
I have some questions on ports & packages that so far I can't yet
find adequately explained in the Lehey book, 3rd Ed. or whatever
online docs I've been able to find...
Naturally, pointers to documentation/FAQs are appreciated... :)
1. What is/are the difference(s) between "ports" & "packages?"
Sample answer: Ports are made from source, packages are precompiled
binaries.
1a. What are the "sources" for the packages?
Sample answer: Packages are precompiled (ie. time saving) versions
of the respective ports, with a few exceptions such as Netscape.
2. Where do the ports/packages "live" on the CDs?
Sample answer: The ports "index" is on CD 1 in the /ports directory;
the ports themselves (aka "tarballs") are on CD 4, in the
/ports/distfiles directory (anywhere else?). Packages are on CDs
1, 2 & 3, in the /packages directories. Some ports (ie. Kermit,
ssh?) are not on the CDs (possibly because of licensing and/or
export restrictions), but the makefile still points to the appropriate
distribution ftp site. Some packages are not available as source
code on the CDs (ie. Netscape), for the same reasons. (It would
be nice if this info were somehow noted, perhaps in the README
and/or pkg/DESCR?)
3. Since the packages (ports, too?) are spread out over 3 CDs,
how do I know which CD to use for installation of a particular
package (for example, with /stand/sysinstall)?
Suggestion: Somehow(?) enable some kind of prompt for the proper CD?
4. How do dependencies get handled for packages?
One thing I have had happen is when I tried to install the "metamail"
package (/stand/sysinstall --> Index --> Packages --> All -->
metamail), I received "error 1" (I think...). I tried it from the
port & it complained about a dependency (xloadimage, IIRC...) I
found xloadmimage as a package & installed that & metamail installed
fine. Was this a glitch or a feature? :)
Another example is Netscape, which needs compat22...
Hmmm... It appears that in some cases, a port makefile cannot find
all its dependencies...
5. What gets maintained/updated when cvsupping the ports tree?
Sample answer?: Everything in /usr/ports except the distfiles. ??
Which means, the indexes & makefiles are updated, which may or may
not result in distfiles being or not being on the CD (meaning an
ftp, etc...)
5a. If the CD becomes "no longer valid" for a particular port, is
that what is indicated by the "cannot find..." message in the make?
(Hmmm... How do I know which CD to have mounted? ...)
Comment: Looks like there should be some easier way to tell,
although I look around on the CDs before I try the make...
6. Compat* libraries (apparently a special case?)
CD 1 contains compat 1x, 20, 21 & 22. I installed compat22,
in support of Netscape (btw, can or should this be listed/handled
somehow as a dependency?)
6a. I notice that the compat* libraries (which are in /usr/src/*)
exist only as binaries (gzipped & UUencoded) and are maintained by
cvsup (stable-supfile) as such. What happened to source?
Sample answer?: Make [build]world can't build anything pre-3.x?
(Even though they conceivably come from the source tree(s) as 3.x?)
So, the pre-3.x libraries are compiled on older systems as a
convenience?
7. Another specific case: GIMP
There are 2 versions of GIMP, one "standard" & one with the
"I18N" patch/add-on. What is the purpose of that patch?
There's nothing in the README or pkg/DESCR...
Many thanks,
-kc
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