defining dependencies for ports

[mike]

Alex Zbyslaw wrote:
> Owen G wrote:
>
>> You are aware that there exists
>> 1. ports = source = must be compiled = "make install" (as above)
>> 2. packages = executable packages = precompiled = "pkgadd -r . . ."
>>
>>  
>>
> Whilst your description of ports and packages is correct...
>
>> So unless you're running a custom kernel, there's no advantage of ports
>> over packages.
>>
> ...this is not.
>
> Ports are useful :
>
>   1) For any package with multiple compile-time options (e.g. apache) 
> where *you* want to choose those options rather than be stuck with the 
> ones the *package* was compiled with (c.f. Linux rpms)
>
>   2) If you want to be as up-to-date as possible - packages take time 
> to pre-compile and can lag the ports tree a little
>
>   3) If require the source code (for maintaining local patches; 
> because another port or some other local software needs it)
>
> I'm not aware that a custom kernel has any relevance whatsoever.  
> Perhaps you meant "unless you have used some cpu-specific compile flag 
> in make.conf" but I don't think even that would make a difference.
>
> Also, ports and packages are managed much more easily with a tool like 
> portupgrade or portmanager.  I prefer the former because it has never 
> core-dumped on me, and feels more robust and well maintained.
>
> If you have multiple machines you keep in sync, then portupgrade -p or 
> pkg_create -b can be used to create local packages with *your* 
> compile-time options that other local machines can use.
>
> --Alex
>
>
>
>
>
>

Thanks for the responses.  This is /exactly/ why I'm using ports instead 
of packages, because I want to have things compiled with my options.  
However, the reason for my original post was that I'm having a hard time 
customizing this, for java/Eclipse specifically.  I try "make config" 
but it doesn't show anything.  So how do I go about cutting out or 
changing some of the dependencies that I don't want if there are no 
OPTIONS defined? 

And I can't find where these dependencies are even defined in this 
case.  I grep everything in /usr/ports/java/eclipse and don't see 
references to most of the dependencies.  Where are they defined if not 
in the BUILD_DEPENDS, etc. variables of the Makefile?

thanks again.  I'm learning a lot in this process.

mike