Ports, and PBI updates - how to? - PC-BSD Forums

Stuart · #1 08-20-2006, 02:20 AM

Hi,

I've 3 main questions:

1. How to use ports.
2. How to guarantee the integrity of software installed via PBI (ie. install updates, security patches etc).
3. Is Kports similar to (Debian) Synaptic?- find software install it, ununistall it, update it very easily (I would say intuitively) without resorting to command line.

1>
In console, I logged in as SU and typed: cvsup /root/ports-supfile
Hoping to get access to more software (than is avaialble via PBI) and an experience akin to using Debian's "Synaptic" package manager I installed Kports (via PBI).

When I start KportsI get a message "The INDEX cannot be found in your ports directory"... check your path...

In Kports configuration, path defaults to usr/ports and to usr/ports/INDEX-6? What should it be?

2>
Using the PBI Update utility (found in Settings > System Administration) none of my installed (PBI) software is listed (ie. including Open Office, K3B,...)

This is unsatisfactory becuase these software will potentially have bugs/security issues that have been addressed since the PBI was created. Am I missing some trick? (Basically although FreeBSD may be more secure than Windows, I would have more confidence in a patched Windows system or am I being silly now?)

If i manage to get Kports working will this solve the issue (ie. I will not install any PBI softare and hope that ports takes care of the updates etc?)

Many thanks for any suggestions

Stuart

TerryP · #2 08-20-2006, 03:08 AM

1.) Ports is used (from the console) by changing directory to where the programs makefile is & making it. i.e.

%cd /usr/ports/www/firefox/
%make install clean

some thing like that as the super user.

KPorts / Synaptic I can't say as i've never had time to test it, nore use Synaptic. The ports tree is in /usr/ports and I'd think it'd want those paths hehehe.

You can also use Konqeruor and just make use of the CLI for compiling.

PBI made with any fairly recent version of PBI Creator will check themselfs for corruption before you install. I remember trying to test the current OO.o PBI but being unable do to PBI Protection agasn't bad files.

Unfourntinitly the PBI Update is not used by many PBI creators, I hope this will soon be changing in light of Mozilias rapid micro-patches of late. The work around is uninstall old / install new PBI. This wouldnt' be a problem if more people made use of this feature.

PC-BSD of course uses the same system to update itself but via a system update checking program.

PBI are binary packages like FreeBSD packages, Linux RPM's or Deb's in the regard that they are slightly behind ports (i.e. source build) as they are made from ports/packages. A updated PBI is usually released as soon as some one can do it, if it's mostly maintained (like firefox). While ports are much more up to date.

silvagroup · #3 08-20-2006, 03:27 AM

I am really pleased with kports :!: Command line is easy enough but kports is somewhat similar to synaptic in that it give you all the dependencies, files, version numbers, update info, uninstall reinstall.... Great port/package frontend just can't say enough about it.
Try it you'll like it :shock:

Stuart · #4 08-20-2006, 05:29 AM

I'm trying to use Kports, but I get that error message I mentioned.

dracheflieger · #5 08-20-2006, 01:53 PM

Look to see if an INDEX file exisits

Code:

ls -s /usr/ports/INDEX*

IF INDEX-6 is there then you can

Code:

cp /usr/ports/INDEX-6 /usr/ports/INDEX

and then you will have a /usr/ports/INDEX file and that error should go away.

If it were me, I would click on the KMenu|Settings|System Administration|PC-BSD System and once that window opened click on it's last tab, Tasks and then fetch the both the System Source and Fetch Ports (the Fetch Ports button opens a window behind the main window...a bug that should be fixed in 1.3). Both of these may take a while but the Fetch Ports will get al the latest and create a current /usr/ports/INDEX file. After that I would also

Code:

cd /usr/ports/sysutils/portupgrade && make install clean

as this is required by the kports PBI (seems as though someone else had a problem with this not being installed).

That should either fix it or get you to a new error.

Hope it helps.

EDIT oops...changed cd to cp above

antik · #6 08-20-2006, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by dracheflieger

Look to see if an INDEX file exisits

Code:

ls -s /usr/ports/INDEX*

Code:

# cd /usr/ports
# make fetchindex

silvagroup · #7 08-21-2006, 04:07 AM

What Drach and TerryP have given you is probably what kports does with configuration - setiings - paths - auto generate, which I had to do to get rid of the error message. It was what seems along time ago (for me that means weeks) since I installed kports but once I did that it all worked OK, Try Drach and TerryP suggestions first.

Stuart · #8 08-21-2006, 07:14 AM

INDEX-6 was not there so i used antik's suggestion
Code:
# cd /usr/ports
# make fetchindex

After following the other instructions (but not fetching sources yet) the Kport GUI opened without error, listing some 15000 packages. (I had previously used PCBSD utlilities in frustration hoping it would fix the original error).

What's the fetch System Source thing? Is that so that you can compile the kernel, or is it all the stuff that Kports will need when I install software. Would Kports otherwise be downloading this on demand or would it look for binaries (therfore delivering me an "easier" if less customised installation)?

Look to see if an INDEX file exisits
Code:
ls -s /usr/ports/INDEX*

IF INDEX-6 is there then you can
Code:
cp /usr/ports/INDEX-6 /usr/ports/INDEX
and then you will have a /usr/ports/INDEX file and that error should go away.

If it were me, I would click on the KMenu|Settings|System Administration|PC-BSD System and once that window opened click on it's last tab, Tasks and then fetch the both the System Source and Fetch Ports (the Fetch Ports button opens a window behind the main window...a bug that should be fixed in 1.3). Both of these may take a while but the Fetch Ports will get al the latest and create a current /usr/ports/INDEX file. After that I would also
Code:
cd /usr/ports/sysutils/portupgrade && make install clean
as this is required by the kports PBI (seems as though someone else had a problem with this not being installed).

That should either fix it or get you to a new error.

Hope it helps.

EDIT oops...changed cd to cp above
_________________
Drache - is still walking above ground and traveling between eternities -

Last edited by dracheflieger on Sun Aug 20, 2006 2:51 pm; edited 1 time in total
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antik
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Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Posts: 2097
Location: Estonia
Post Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 2:18 pm Post subject: Reply with quote
dracheflieger wrote:
Look to see if an INDEX file exisits
Code:
ls -s /usr/ports/INDEX*

Code:
# cd /usr/ports
# make fetchindex

_________________
"All parts should go together without forcing. Therefore, if you can't get them together again, there must be a reason. By all means, do not use a hammer." -- IBM maintenance manual, 1975

antik · #9 08-21-2006, 07:32 AM

Originally Posted by Stuart

INDEX-6 was not there so i used antik's suggestion

Code:

 # cd /usr/ports 
 # make fetchindex

You can create your own local index but I prefer fetch from server latest one.

Code:

# cd /usr/ports
# make index

Stuart · #10 08-21-2006, 08:27 AM

I tried to install Abiword (just to get a handle on how Kports works) and I elected to install from a package (assuming that the method for installing the source would be beyond me).

I check "Install 2.4.2 via package" but get an error at step 3 of install. The output from Konsole is:

env BATCH=1 DISABLE_VULNERABILITIES=1 PACKAGESITE=ftp://ftp.au.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-6.1-release/Latest/ portupgrade -v -y -N -PP editors/abiword

env: portupgrade: No such file or directory

This error occured after using make index

At this point my thoughts are:
1. I should abandon use of the PBIs (none I installed had facility to auto-update
2. Install Kports via ports (NOT PBI - see 1.)
3. Why did the PBI not work for me (even after following most of your suggestions- see above).

Thanks again for any help