Re: howdee + 3.7 pkg testing

["harold felton" <hfelton_lists_(_at_)_hotmail_(_dot_)_com>]

> From: Stuart Henderson <stu_(_at_)_spacehopper_(_dot_)_org>
> To: harold felton <hfelton_lists_(_at_)_hotmail_(_dot_)_com>, misc_(_at_)_openbsd_(_dot_)_org
> Subject: Re: howdee + 3.7 pkg testing
> Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 22:29:12 +0100
>
> --On 21 April 2005 11:40 -0700, harold felton wrote:
>
> > im sorry to bother-yall with this, but im still confused about the
> > pkg-vs-ports situation.
>
> 'make install' in a port directory does the following:
>
> downloads, unpacks and patches source files
> runs configure with options specified by the port Makefile
> builds the port in $port_dir/work/$foo
> installs the port to fake directory
> creates a package *.tgz from fake directory using packing list in 
> $port_dir/pkg/PLIST
> pkg_add's the package it just made
>
> >   a - if im reading things correctly, then an install will first
> > create-its-pkg and then basically do everything that the pkg_add
> would do?
>
> It actually calls the real pkg_add(1), no 'basically do everything' about 
> it. The only thing that might differ from you calling it manually is where 
> the .tgz file is obtained from.

"aye - THEREs the rub..."  ;)  some of the warnings id seen also
mentioned a -m switch, but it is all hazy now and ill just ignore it
as user-error until i setup my -current-ports correctly.

> Thus: if 'make install' for a port doesn't work, the created package won't 
> work. This is absolutely great if you're creating a new port, since you 
> will quickly know if you missed an important file from the packing list 
> (and so, creating a working port that makes a broken package). This is 
> different to some other OS with a ports tree where 'make install' from a 
> port goes direct to /, so a working port can still make a broken package. 
> It's really well thought-out. By using systrace during a port build, you 
> can stop a port's installation routines from writing outside it's specified 
> directory, helping avoid problems with malicious routines in port source 
> code, and bugs in port's installers. Of course, you don't need to worry 
> about this if you use packages.
>
> If you don't understand this stuff about fake directories, experiment - 
> build ports, install packages, watch what goes on at each stage ('make -n' 
> helps), examine contents of package .tgz files, ... It's by far the most 
> effective way to learn.

im going to have to reread this and attempt understanding a bit
more by practicing, i guess.  so, to stay with -current and then to
test the packages, i should be "running from source" in /usr/ports.
[since it WILL do a pkg_add at the end like the "easier" way].

otoh, the easiest/best way to stay with -current is to use snapshots.
[while watching the lists, since the month-of-madness will be soon
after the -release is tagged/done - whoohoo...]

i stumbled thru the man-pages and was overwhelmed with systrace
(and bsd.port.mk) since im still a noob, but ill keep at it.

i really appreciate the help/explanations.  i now see the twiki and 
zope-zwiki
ports, so maybe itll all "just work".  sorry to take up so much bandwidth,
but maybe someone reading the archives will find this thread useful.
[i know _I_ learned alot from skimming the archives earlier.]

thanx again and have fun, h.
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/