exim PORT -- when to use? when to 'go manual'?

[snowcrash+freebsd]

hi,

> > now, I want to "upgrade" exim on that router to add 'just'
> > DNSBL-filtering on the router, and have it function as a transparent
> > gateway to another lan-based, exim router.
>
> Does that "upgrade" involve a different version of the exim tarball
> than the one used in ports,

bad choice of words on my part :-/

nope. i simply mean, here, same version as ports, just "turning on"
the capability(ies) as i normally do in from-src builds in
Local/Makefile.

thos config params are, in the port, in ITS 'Makefile' ... hence,
config changes would be changing the included port files.  iiuc.

> or is the change that you need somewhere else?

just in Makefile -- used for the COMPILE phase -- and local RUNTIME
config options like ip-per-domain specification, etc etc

> > do folks recommend still using the PORT install?
>
> It depends.

heh. yup.

> Make your own patch of the port and keep that some place that won't
> be over written by portsnap or whatever you use to keep your ports
> tree up to date.
>
> Then have a script that patches your port tree after you do such an
> update.

hm.  now that you mention it, i suppose that the PORT /may/ be setup
to look for upgrade-proof config files in (non?)standard locations.
i'll dig-about and look ...

i admit, as great (!) as PORTS are, i'm just not yet used to NOT
'doing it all' myself.

> Of course you should submit your patch to the port to the port
> maintainer.

good point. thanks!