Updating ports was Flash viewer for FBSD

[Polytropon]

On Sun, 7 Mar 2010 14:29:57 +0700, Pongthep Kulkrisada <ptkrisada at gmail.com> wrote:
> I checked /var/db/pkg; I have 464 ports installed on my system (including X).
> I would probably not do so.

The pkg_add utility is especially useful when building a new
installation from scratch, because it additionally automatically
installs dependencies. For example, "pkg_add -r xmms" would
finally even install X from precompiled binaries, which is
much faster than compiling everything by hand (or even by
using portmaster). But for some things, there aren't
packages available, and if you need to compile something,
trouble may start.



> Once I used binary upgrade from 6.2 -> 6.3.
> The source tree was still 6.2 while the system was 6.3.
> I know there are no problems with the system.
> But it is *untidy*, I don't want to.

In such a case, you have to use freebsd-update for the system
AND c(v)sup for the sources, to keep them in sync. Some programs
that you can compile from ports do rely on system sources.



> Yes, it is what I am expecting. Thank you.
> I read the handbook. There are 2 choices i.e. portmanager and portmaster.

There are even more, but those two seem to be the most popular
ones.



> I am now thinking which one is better.

I have used portupgrade / portinstall in the past, but
I think portmaster really is the way to go, at least for me,
and for now. In /usr/ports/UPDATING, instructions on how to
solve certain problems are given for portupgrade, too. It can
furthermore handle creating bianry packages (-p), if you want
to transfer something you've built from one system to another,
as well as an option to NOT compile, but use binary packages
(as pkg_add -r) instead (-P and -PP). There are other options
that are powerful when processing "all installed ports" in
an automated manner.



> I must also check time and disk space required to build all these ports.

Those are valid considerations. Time is the less important,
let the update run while you sleep, the computer won't notice
that you're not infront of it. :-)



> I have never installed any softwares from CD/DVD.
> I install from CD only when I want to wipe out everything.
> And install a new fresh system.

Okay, I misunderstood. By the way, that's my common way of
doing a fresh install, too: Boot from CD, install base system,
configure basic things, update sources and ports, and regarding
on the usage, use freebsd-update + pkg_add or make for system
and ports.



> If I choose between packages and ports, I opt ports.

If your system is not older than a few years, I would say
the same. For older systems where you just can't afford
compiling everything (e. g. 24h for just kernel + world),
then using precompiled binaries is much more comfortable.



> As previously mentioned ``portmaster'' or ``portmanager'' should be helpful.
> Please give some comments, which one is better.

Well... portupgrade isn't bad, but I think portmaster is
better, especially because it doesn't involve a "huge"
scripting language as a dependency. And as far as I've
experienced, it can do everything needed.




-- 
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...