From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Feb 29 02:22:47 2012 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id F23951065679 for ; Wed, 29 Feb 2012 02:22:47 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Received: from mx01.qsc.de (mx01.qsc.de [213.148.129.14]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id AB84E8FC17 for ; Wed, 29 Feb 2012 02:22:47 +0000 (UTC) Received: from r56.edvax.de (port-92-195-185-71.dynamic.qsc.de [92.195.185.71]) by mx01.qsc.de (Postfix) with ESMTP id F267F3CAED; Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:22:44 +0100 (CET) Received: from r56.edvax.de (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by r56.edvax.de (8.14.5/8.14.5) with SMTP id q1T2MieK004366; Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:22:44 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Date: Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:22:44 +0100 From: Polytropon To: David Walker Message-Id: <20120229032244.d667bcda.freebsd@edvax.de> In-Reply-To: References: <20120228172808.c0754b14.freebsd@edvax.de> Organization: EDVAX X-Mailer: Sylpheed 3.1.1 (GTK+ 2.24.5; i386-portbld-freebsd8.2) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd@edvax.de, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Simple question about pkg_add ... X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: Polytropon List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 29 Feb 2012 02:22:48 -0000 On Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:41:46 +1030, David Walker wrote: > Hi Polytropon. > > I did have a look inside and I did pkg_add -v which gives enough > information combined with my meagre knowledge to guess that it had > something to do with source. A port (as you can find it inside the archive) is a "recipe" for dealing with sources, e. g. where to obtain then, how to compile, where to install to and so on. The ports collection of the FreeBSD OS is used to deal with handling software based on sources: configure, patch, build, install, deinstall, upgrade and similar tasks. See "man ports" for a better explaination. > I'm so unfamiliar with pkg_add I'm not sure if that is normal. The pkg_add utility installs programs from binary packages. Those packages are created by compiling a port - typically with its default options. Those packages are built for the FreeBSD ports collection and made available by the FreeBSD team. "External packages", created outside the world of FreeBSD ports, are possible. See "man pkg_add" for details. > I'm very new here. > Certainly it's not in a suitable format for pkg_add to deal with. Correct. A pkg_add package typically contains compiled stuff, i. e. binaries, and a "packaging list" for installation and later removal. Additional tasks can also be scripted. > I guess pkg_add is the preferred option for firmware installation. It's used to install programs (or libraries) to the FreeBSD system. The use with firmware is also possible. Basically, ports (from source) and packages (precompiled binaries) have the same purpose: Get things installed. If the maintainer would compile the port (that he provided for download) and give the proper URL of the result in the manpage, pkg_add would work as intended. > I'll contact the maintainer. That would be a good idea as the description you quoted from the manpage is technically not correct. Option 1: Provide a pkg_add-able package. Option 2: Provide instructions on how to deal with the port. -- Polytropon Magdeburg, Germany Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0 Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...