problem installing Firefox using pkg_add -r

[Matthew Seaman]

On 30/01/2012 14:43, hvn wrote:
> On Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:25:42 +0000, Matthew Seaman wrote:
> 
>> On 30/01/2012 13:57, hvn wrote:
>>> Using v.FreeBSD 8.2, I'm trying to install Firefox 9 by pkg_add -r
>>> firefox. According to the docs, this should work. However, instead of
>>> v9 it tries to install v 3.6 which goes wrong because of dependency
>>> conflicts. Any idea on how to solve this or what goes wrong?
>>
>> What FTP URL are you connecting to in order to download the firefox
>> package?  Firefox 9.0 postdates FreeBSD 8.2 release, so it won't be in
>> the packages-8.2-release collection:
> 
> The FTP URL is ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-8.2-
> release/Latest/
> So this effectively means I should upgrade or do a clean install. I did 
> try to install PC-BSD 9 on an x64, but the BIOS somehow doesn't like the 
> partitioning. This 8.2 runs on an old PIII with 500 MB RAM (xfce), so not 
> really suitable for demanding stuff.

Well, if you want to go through all the palaver of upgrading the OS,
then it is up to you.  However, if prefer not to spend all that time,
and just update your installed pkgs, you could do this:

   setenv PACKAGESITE
ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-8-stable/All

(csh-like shells)

or

   export
PACKAGESITE=ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-8-stable/All

(sh-like shells)

Now, you will have to update the packages that firefox depends on.
That's a pretty tedious chore if done manually.  The sort of boring,
repetitive task that computers excel at, given appropriate programming.
Which in this case (IMHO) means portmaster(8).  Once you've set
PACKAGESITE as above, install portmaster:

   # pkg_add -r portmaster-3.11.tbz
   # rehash                    (if using csh style shell)

Then use portmaster to update dependencies as necessary and install the
firefox-9 port -- obviously, make sure you have good backups before
doing this, even though portmaster does create a backup package of
everything it updates.

   # portmaster -PP -w www/firefox

'-PP' says to only use pre-compiled packages.

'-w' says to keep a copy of any updated shared libraries on-line, a
helpful anti-foot-shooting move.  Actually, if the update starts
replacing low-level stuff which a great number of packages depend on,
you might find it more productive to just upgrade everything (portmaster
-PP -a).  You will be getting about 11 months worth of updates all in
one go in that case, which is going to affect lots of what you have
installed.  If in doubt, please feel free to ask again here.

	Cheers,

	Matthew

-- 
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.                   7 Priory Courtyard
                                                  Flat 3
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey     Ramsgate
JID: matthew at infracaninophile.co.uk               Kent, CT11 9PW

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