./options-descr file suggestion for ports

[David Southwell]

On Saturday 09 June 2007 11:20:21 Benjamin Lutz wrote:
> On Saturday 09 June 2007 18:36, David Southwell wrote:
> > Hi
> >
> > Would it be possible , when a port has options,  to ask porters if
> > they would consider the merits/demerits of adding:
> >
> > 1. An ./options-descr file in the port directory that describes  the
> > options, their purpose and any notes about an option
> >
> > Reasons:
> > This would be extremely useful for anyone not familiar with the port
> > to help in the task of choosing which options to install.
> >
> > I realise that this would depend upon whether maintainers are willing
> > to add an additional task to the already heavy burden they undertake.
> > Maintainers who are willing to consider this idea but are reluctant
> > to prepare the notes themselves but do not have the time or are for
> > any reason reluctant to do so, could invite users to submit notes for
> > incorporating in ./options-descr.
> >
> > By way of example I am just installing www/ruby-gem-rails and had no
> > immediate idea whether or not to add fastcgi support without trying
> > to find out whether it is or is not needed when one has mod_ruby
> > installed and
> > LoadModule ruby_module libexec/apache/mod_ruby.so
> > in httpd.conf. A brief note in a ./options-descr could be very
> > helpful, especially for some ports where the options are sometimes
> > numerous and not always completely documented.
> >
> > A little bit of intial guidance about options would be most helpful
> > to a system administrator who is not necessarily familiar with the a
> > specific port.
> >
> > my two pennorth.
> >
> > david
>
> I think that's a great idea. I've been wondering about the meaning of
> OPTIONS several times, and some canonical way to add a description
> would be quite nice.
>
> But maybe instead of adding another file, this could be integrated into
> the pkg-descr file, and the recorded package description after a port
> is installed could contain only those options that were selected,
> filtering out the description for the other options.
>
> Cheers
> Benjamin

Thanks for coming back on that. I think you make a good point but am 
uincertain whether ithe idea of incorporating the infoprmation in the 
pkg_descr would be well received by maintainers.

My thought was a seperate dedicated options-descr would not need to follow 
follows a predetermined format such as that used by pkg-descr. I wondered if 
a seperate file with a flexible a variable format that could include 
contributions from people other than the maintainer (if the maintainer so 
wished) could relieve the maintainer from the duty of having to draft the 
file.

However I think the precise method of achieving the goal is less important and 
I would support either solution.

david