Quoth Matthew Seaman on Friday, 13 August 2010: > On 13/08/2010 07:44, Thomas Mueller wrote: > > What do I do if I want to build and run a package where version in > > ports collection is not up-to-date, and I want to build and run the > > current release version of that package, like Abiword 2.8.6 for > > instance, when version in ports is behind? Or maybe I want to try a new > > alpha or beta development release of a package like Firefox or > > Seamonkey, but don't want to burn my bridges on the already installed > > and running version. > > Contact the port maintainers in the first instance -- they may well have > beta test versions of the ports you can download. Failing that, it is > perfectly feasible for you to update a port yourself. > > Generally, you will want to work on a copy of the port directory > somewhere. You can check out what you need from anonymous CVS, which > gives you all the extra VCS goodness you could want for serious code > hacking. Your working directory doesn't have to be anywhere special in > relation to the ports tree. Anywhere you like will be fine. Well, > assuming the port you're working on is pretty much stand alone -- if you > need to look at a collection of highly interconnected ports then it gets > harder, but that's not something particularly common. > > Refer to the Porter's Handbook for a guide on how it all should work, > and read the comments and code in /usr/ports/Mk/*.mk for the > nitty-gritty details. Ion-Mihail's guide at > http://ionut.tetcu.info/FreeBSD/How-to-submit-a-diff.txt has plenty of > good tips too. > > If you do generate a usable upgrade for a port, please submit it as a PR > so the rest of the world can benefit. Beware though: thus begins the > slippery path to port maintainership and possibly even a coveted > @freebsd.org e-mail address. > > > Can I create a testing install base such as /extra or /usr/extra, > > and set something like > > PATH=/usr/extra/bin:$PATH and perhaps modify some other environment > > variables, and then be able to return to the regular environment? I > > would only want to change a few things temporarily and would not want > > to create an entire chroot system. > > Sure. When testing ports, I regularly have the following set in the > environment: > > setenv WRKDIRPREFIX ${HOME}/tmp/ports > setenv PKG_DBDIR ${HOME}/tmp/db/pkgs > setenv PORT_DBDIR ${HOME}/tmp/db/ports > setenv PREFIX ${HOME}/tmp/local > setenv INSTALL_AS_USER yes > setenv NOCLEANDEPENDS yes > setenv PACKAGES ${HOME}/tmp/packages > > > Is this the proper list for this question, or should I have posted > > to [email protected] ? > > You're more likely to find interested and knowledgeable people on > freebsd-ports@ -- certainly post there if you run into difficulties > trying to work with ports. > > Cheers, > > Matthew > > -- > Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil. 7 Priory Courtyard > Flat 3 > PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey Ramsgate > JID: [email protected] Kent, CT11 9PW >
That's some great information. Thanks, Matthew. -- Sterling (Chip) Camden | [email protected] | 2048D/3A978E4F http://camdensoftware.com | http://chipstips.com | http://chipsquips.com
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