Very Computer

hello everybody, I'm new at FreeBSD, some days ago I installed v. 4.5 from
a cdrom found in a computing magazine and I'm playing with it. I have a
question about ports. Looking (for example) for tools to work with cd
writer I found that I need the mkisofs tool to create iso images. Just
after installation I also extracted all ports (from /ports directory of
cdrom to /usr). So I entered /usr/ports/sysutils/mkisofs to build it using
make. I got the message:

Quote:>> cdrtools-1.10.tar.gz doesn't seem to exist in /usr/ports/distfiles/.
>> Attempting to fetch from ftp://ftp.fokus.gmd.de/pub/unix/cdrecord/.

I had no time, so I interrupted the transfer, anyway I suppose that the
system was downloading libraries and other pieces of software needed to
build mkisofs. My question is: extracting ports is not enough to get
everything ? why (for example) is not cdrtools included in ports, being it
needed to build mkisof ? Do I miss some cdrom where I would find anything
related to ports ? The /usr/ports/distfiles directory is empty. Should I
put something in it to successfully build any port I'd like to install ?
Is there anything wrong in my approach ?

Thanks in advance
Fabiolo

Quote:> hello everybody, I'm new at FreeBSD, some days ago I installed v. 4.5 from
> a cdrom found in a computing magazine and I'm playing with it. I have a
> question about ports. Looking (for example) for tools to work with cd
> writer I found that I need the mkisofs tool to create iso images. Just
> after installation I also extracted all ports (from /ports directory of
> cdrom to /usr). So I entered /usr/ports/sysutils/mkisofs to build it using
> make. I got the message:

> >> cdrtools-1.10.tar.gz doesn't seem to exist in /usr/ports/distfiles/.
> >> Attempting to fetch from ftp://ftp.fokus.gmd.de/pub/unix/cdrecord/.

> I had no time, so I interrupted the transfer, anyway I suppose that the
> system was downloading libraries and other pieces of software needed to
> build mkisofs. My question is: extracting ports is not enough to get
> everything ? why (for example) is not cdrtools included in ports, being it
> needed to build mkisof ? Do I miss some cdrom where I would find anything
> related to ports ? The /usr/ports/distfiles directory is empty. Should I
> put something in it to successfully build any port I'd like to install ?
> Is there anything wrong in my approach ?

> Thanks in advance
> Fabiolo

The ports collection only contains information for make such as where to get
the source and how to build it.  To load the source files for the hundreds
if not thousands of ports would take a lot of space.

Ports are an incredible piece of work.  One simple command and your system
is checked to see if all the dependencies are installed. if not, they are
downloaded, built and installed while building and installing your
application.

The problem with including all the ports on a cd is that the cd would be
obsolete before it shipped. By running cvsup you get the freshest ports and
only download what you want to build.  Although I'll admit it sucks if all
you have is a dialup connection.

from this point of view ports are great, but as you said, not very
comfortable for a dialup connection like mine. I think I have what is
called

4.5-install.iso         - 4.5 ISO 9660 bootable (El Torrito) CDROM image.
4.5-disc2.iso           - Live filesystem "Fix it" CD and CVS repository.

in the FreeBSD ftp site README.
Is the content of

4.5-disc3.iso           - Extra packages for FreeBSD 4.5
4.5-disc4.iso           - Extra packages for FreeBSD 4.5

something that could help me to save download time, finding at least the
"most popular" packages ? (I could download the iso images from workplace
during the night, or find them somewhere - or, if FreeBSD will like me
very much :) purchase them).

Thanks
Fabiolo

I think you missed the point.  When you do a make in the ports it will fetch
the latest package and install from there.  If  you want to avoid this,
Freebsd comes with "packages" already built that you can install but they
are probably outdated.  type in stand/sysinstall and follow the onscreen
instructions for packages. Also, the freebsd manual is on the web
http://www.freebsd.org read up on the ports and packages and do which is
right for you.

--
_______________________________

Tom Smalling
MIS
_______________________________

Packages (discs 3 & 4) are precompiled versions of some of the ports.  You
could try that if you don't mind non-current software.  Accessed by
"/stand/sysinstall" > configure > packages.

Hi Fabiolo,

Quote:> hello everybody, I'm new at FreeBSD, some days ago I installed v. 4.5 from
> a cdrom found in a computing magazine and I'm playing with it.

Fine :-)

Quote:> I have a
> question about ports. Looking (for example) for tools to work with cd
> writer I found that I need the mkisofs tool to create iso images. Just
> after installation I also extracted all ports (from /ports directory of
> cdrom to /usr). So I entered /usr/ports/sysutils/mkisofs to build it using
> make. I got the message:

>>> cdrtools-1.10.tar.gz doesn't seem to exist in /usr/ports/distfiles/.
>>> Attempting to fetch from ftp://ftp.fokus.gmd.de/pub/unix/cdrecord/.

> I had no time, so I interrupted the transfer, anyway I suppose that the
> system was downloading libraries and other pieces of software needed to
> build mkisofs. My question is: extracting ports is not enough to get
> everything ? why (for example) is not cdrtools included in ports, being it
> needed to build mkisof ? Do I miss some cdrom where I would find anything
> related to ports ? The /usr/ports/distfiles directory is empty. Should I
> put something in it to successfully build any port I'd like to install ?

All that stuff in /usr/ports is only information on how to build the ported
applications - the (source) distributions are not included. When you decide to
build a port, the systems looks in /usr/ports/distfiles, wheter the archive is
there or not, and fetches it if necessary.

See also: "man ports"
http://www.freebsd.org/handbook/ports.html

Quote:> Is there anything wrong in my approach ?

No, just wait until the archive is downloaded.