pkgdb -F or -L, gimp-2.2,2 /bin/sh:Argument list too long

[Keith Beattie]

Hello all,

After csup'ing prep for the big xorg upgrade, an old problem is plaguing me
again:

---------------
# portversion -v | grep -v up-to-date
Stale dependency: gimp-2.2,2 --> *** -- manually run 'pkgdb -F' to fix, or
specify -O to force.
# pkgdb -F
--->  Checking the package registry database
Stale origin: 'x11/xorg-manpages': perhaps moved or obsoleted.
-> The port 'x11/xorg-manpages' was removed on  because:
        "X.org manual pages are now installed with every single port"
-> Hint:  xorg-manpages-6.9.0 is required by the following package(s):
        xorg-6.9.0
-> Hint: checking for overwritten files...
 -> No files installed by xorg-manpages-6.9.0 have been overwritten by other
packages.
Deinstall xorg-manpages-6.9.0 ? [no]
Stale dependency: gimp-2.2,2 -> *** (code):
/bin/sh:Argument list too long
***: Not in due form: <name>-<version>
Install stale dependency? ([y]es/[n]o/[a]ll) [yes] n
New dependency? (? to help):
Skip this? ([y]es/[n]o/[a]ll) [yes]
Skipped.
Stale dependency: gimp-2.2,2 -> Stop (/usr/ports/graphics/gimp.):
Stop: Not in due form: <name>-<version>
Install stale dependency? ([y]es/[n]o/[a]ll) [yes] n
New dependency? (? to help):
Skip this? ([y]es/[n]o/[a]ll) [yes]
Skipped.
---------------

My goal is to see what projects are ready for upgrading.  As such, I went
with 'no' to skip the xorg-manpage change for now but then I get the
concerning error from /bin/sh about the Argument list being too long.  After
that I don't trust that it will install the proper dependency so I opt out.
pkgdb -L suffers a nearly identical fate:

# pkgdb -L
[...lots of 'ok's ....]
/bin/sh:Argument list too long
can't convert nil into String
gimp-2.2,2:
#

I've already upgraded to portupgrade-devel (2.3.0_5) following the
instructions on upgrading for xorg 7.2, to no avail.

I've heard that bash handles long arg lists better than sh or csh, is there
a way to force the use of bash for this?

In case this helps:
# uname -a
FreeBSD laptop 6.2-RELEASE-p3 FreeBSD 6.2-RELEASE-p3 #1: Wed Mar 28 06:19:06
PDT 2007     root@:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/LAPTOP  i386
# pkg_info | wc -l
pkg_info: show_file: can't open '+COMMENT' for reading
     592

Other work-arounds?

TIA,
ksb