From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sun Dec 12 17:56:32 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 2894916A4CE for ; Sun, 12 Dec 2004 17:56:32 +0000 (GMT) Received: from gromit.dlib.vt.edu (gromit.dlib.vt.edu [128.173.49.29]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id C494143D45 for ; Sun, 12 Dec 2004 17:56:31 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from paul@gromit.dlib.vt.edu) Received: from zappa.Chelsea-Ct.Org (pool-151-199-90-129.roa.east.verizon.net [151.199.90.129]) by gromit.dlib.vt.edu (8.13.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id iBCHuTm2024961 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=OK); Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:56:30 -0500 (EST) (envelope-from paul@gromit.dlib.vt.edu) Received: from zappa.Chelsea-Ct.Org (localhost.Chelsea-Ct.Org [127.0.0.1]) by zappa.Chelsea-Ct.Org (8.13.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id iBCHuNiC024962 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=OK); Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:56:24 -0500 (EST) (envelope-from paul@gromit.dlib.vt.edu) Received: (from paul@localhost) by zappa.Chelsea-Ct.Org (8.13.1/8.13.1/Submit) id iBCHuMvD024961; Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:56:22 -0500 (EST) (envelope-from paul@gromit.dlib.vt.edu) X-Authentication-Warning: zappa.Chelsea-Ct.Org: paul set sender to paul@gromit.dlib.vt.edu using -f From: Paul Mather To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org In-Reply-To: <20041212120049.9ABA516A583@hub.freebsd.org> References: <20041212120049.9ABA516A583@hub.freebsd.org> Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:56:20 -0500 Message-Id: <1102874180.8276.26.camel@zappa.Chelsea-Ct.Org> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Evolution 2.0.3 FreeBSD GNOME Team Port cc: Brett Glass Subject: Re: Un-GNOME-ing a FreeBSD box 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: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 17:56:32 -0000 On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 18:54:18 -0700, Brett Glass wrote: > Again, I really find it hard to believe that there would be no > provision > for deleting a port AND the ports on which it depends cleanly. I tend > to use a minimal number of ports and packages, and so didn't realize > that this was such a difficult thing until now. The problem with deleting a port and the ports on which it depends cleanly is that there may be other ports depending on a dependency. So, there needs to be some arbitration to decide what legitimately should go and which should stay. You can't delete a dependency until you also delete all the ports depending upon it. If some of them are ports you want to keep, then the dependency has to stay. I find the sysutils/pkg_cutleaves port very useful for trimming back on the ports you've installed but may no longer need. This is especially true for some ports that might install various ports needed to build a given port, but which are not needed for it to run. The pkg_cutleaves port can be used to deinstall safely these build dependencies. Pkg_cutleaves works from the leaves of your installed ports inwards to the root. It will invite you to delete ports that are "leaf" ports, i.e., ones that have no ports depending upon them. As you cut unnecessary leaves, more leaves become available for trimming. Eventually, you'll either cut back to something you're happy with, or you'll end up deleting everything. :-) You can create a /usr/local/etc/pkg_leaves.exclude file detailing ports you never want to cut. (I add to this file as I add ports to my system that I want to keep.) This is handy for reducing the amount of trimming questions you're offered and generally helps speed up the whole process. So, I suggest you use sysutils/pkg_cutleaves as a clean solution to the port de-installation problem. Cheers, Paul. -- e-mail: paul@gromit.dlib.vt.edu "Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid." --- Frank Vincent Zappa