Effect of BATCH=yes in /etc/make.conf file

[Michael C. Shultz]

On Friday 11 November 2005 07:10, Gerard Seibert wrote:
> This is probably a stupid question, but I have never let a silly thing
> like that stop me before.
>
> I have FreeBSD 5.4 installed. In my /etc/make.conf file I have this
> line:
>
> BATCH=yes
>
> I have it there so I am not bothered with requests for OPTIONS when
> building ports. I have known that it suppresses the requests, but not
> exactly how it handles those requests.
>
> Does it just use the defaults settings, or does it choose all of the
> options available, or perhaps disable all of the available options?
>
> Thanks!


I have removed BATCH=yes from my /etc/make.conf because
I decided the ability to see default settings for each port in
/var/db/ports/{port dir name}/options is nice.  With BATCH=yes
you are assuming a port's configuration file is setting proper
defaults for you, if you let a port "blue screen" when it is first installed 
then at least once you get to see what is available and change them
if you wish.

My position has changed on the usefullness of "make config" after
thinking it over, it is good to stick a port's options in one place and know
that no matter how you upgrade, manually or with an upgrade tool
the port will get built with consistent options set. 

-Mike