How to install from ports when not local

I want to install PostgreSQL 7.4 and I see that it's available on the ports site as postgresql-7.4.1_1. However, even after cvsupping my ports I don't have it in /usr/ports/database.

How do I install the one that's listed on the ports site?

What do you mean by 'the ports site'? The latest version of postgresql server I can see on FreshPorts is actually 7.4.2:

http://www.freshports.org/databases/postgresql7/

Looking in /usr/ports/databases/postgresql7/Makefile:

PORTVERSION?= 7.4.2

which was cvsup'd sometime in the last few hours. Don't you see this?

Just wanted to post a reply to myself but you beat me to it .

I checked at http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/ports.cg...9-STABLE%2Fi386. Maybe 7.4.2 isn't for 4.9 stable?


I got 7.4.1_1 by just doing a sudo make in /usr/ports/databases/postgresql7. It automagically fetches the latest which I didn't know.

The ports system exists irrespective of the version of FreeBSD you run, so that's probably not an issue - at least I've never come across a port that refuses to install on a certain version of FreeBSD.

I would recommend using the freshports site for checking on anything to do with the ports, it really is very cool - to be honest I can't work out what that link you posted is all about...

http://freshports.org/ is the way to go! A similar search for postgresql there looks like this:

http://www.freshports.org/search.ph...caseinsensitive

Why do you recommend it over the link that's posted on http://www.freebsd.org/? Which makes me think: Is there anyone monitoring the quality of ports on either site?



I don't think I understand your question, but I'll try to answer anyway . It's the link that's posted in the left column of http://www.freebsd.org/. It says: Ported Applications right under Software.

OT: I'm the one that left a msg on your site regarding RSS Readers. You can get my e-mail address here if you need it.

Funny thing, we got OT...

Anyway, so, how do I install from ports when it's not local? Ie., how do I install when I download a file from the ports site? pkg_add gave me all sorts of errors like contents of tar not found, etc.

A FreeBSD 'port' never actually contains the application/port's files itself - I think you're confused a little bit about the 'port not being local'. Initially before you execute any commands to install a port, the port's source tarball isn't actually on your machine - it's only downloaded to your machine when you go to work on the port as detailed below...

The way you usually install a port is that you change to the directory of the port you want to install and then just issue the commands: make install

This single command does the following:

• fetches the application source tarball from one of the master sites listed in the port's Makefile - all source tarballs are saved into /usr/ports/distfiles ready for the next step
• extracts the application source tarball into the port's 'work' subdirectory - this is where all the 'work' will be done in building the application ready to be installed into the system
• configures the application ready for building/compiling - this is the equivalant of running './configure', but all the nitty gritty configure options are taken care of for you
• builds/compiles the application ready for installation, and finally:
• installs the application into the file system ready for you to actually use.

There are lots of other targets you can give to the make command when installing ports - the best thing to do is to read the man page for ports - run 'man ports' on the command line. For example you can actually break down the 'make install' process into smaller steps using the following commands:



These commands correspond exactly with the listed instructions above.

You can also pass certain options to the make command - for example if you wanted to build the exim port with support for saslauthd2 you might run the command with 'make -DWITH_SASLAUTHD2'. You find out what options you can pass on the make commandline by reading a port's Makefile.

Another important command is: make deinstall

If you run this command in a port's directory - say /usr/ports/www/apache13 - then the port will be uninstalled. All files related to the port are removed from the file system (provided they've not changed since they were installed) and the registration information for the port is removed as well (similar to MS Window's registry in a way). You can then also run 'make clean' to clean up the port's installation directory - this basically removes the 'work' directory ready for installation at another time.

Best thing is to read the ports manpage and see the handbook for more info, there's a lot to it.

No, I'm not :), and I'm pretty comfortable with make. Here's my question asked differently: On the ports site, packages can be downloaded. According to the handbook, this package can be installed with pkg_add. This didn't work for me. So, how do I get it to work for me?

Argh... ok I see what you mean now - sorry that probably sounded really patronizing then ;/.

I'm not sure in that case. I've never tried using packages before, although was reading about building them for distribution to local machines on the freebsd-questions list the other day. Perhaps you could ask there?

I just thought as well - I lost your comment on my blog as well after an upgrade mishap

I'd take patronizing over the silent treatment anyday . I'll check the mailing list archives. Thanks.



403...

Ah, forgot to remove the .htaccess file, good job you reminded me :P