portmaster or ports (packaging) problem ?

[jb]

uki <ukaszg <at> gmail.com> writes:

> 
> But theese are different packages (different names). since ports dont have
> any equivalent of debian "provides" flag it is impossible to figure it out
> in a safe way.

I have never built a port/package, so I could be wrong here.

This paragraph seems to contain means to specify a dependency and built it if
needed:
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/porters-handbook/makefile-depend.html

for example
5.8.3 BUILD_DEPENDS
aside from its primary meaning as a requirement for building *this* port, it
could be used indirectly to build and install a dependent port :-)

and this offer means to specify a minimal version of a dependency:
5.8.8 Minimal Version of a Dependency

My point is, the logic/infrastrucutre already exists, just adopt it to
next level of port/package management.

jb